COCKTAILS for the GOLDEN GLOBES

For this year's airing of The GOLDEN GLOBES I've put together six fun cocktail recipes to fit in with a Golden Hollywood theme. First are three golden cocktails and the second three are La La Land inspired.

This year's Golden Globe Drinking Game? Take a sip every time someone gets political.

"Overture, curtains, lights
This is it, you'll hit the heights
And oh what heights we'll hit
On with the show this is it!"

Enjoy the Show.

THE GOLDEN CADILLAC

THE GOLDEN NECTARINE

1 Oz. Peach Vodka
1/2 Oz. Peach Brandy
1 Large, Fresh Nectarine

(reserve a slice for the garnish)
1/2 Cup Cream

Put all the ingredients except the nectarine slice into a blender and pulse blend until smooth. Pour into a chilled coupe glass, place the nectarine slice on the rim and serve.

THE GOLDEN MIMOSA

1 Oz. Pineapple Juice
1 Oz. Orange Juice
Champagne

Edible Gold Flakes

Pour chilled pineapple and orange juices into a chilled Champagne flute, top off with the Champagne and garnish with a sprinkle of edible gold flakes.

THE GINGER ROGERS

1 Oz. Gin
1 Oz. Dry Vermouth
1 Oz. Apricot Brandy
1/4 Oz. Lemon Juice
Lemon Twist

Shake gin, vermouth, apricot brandy and lemon juice with ice in a cocktail shaker and shake until chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with the lemon twist.

CARMEN MIRANDA MARTINI

1 Oz. Dark Rum
1/2 Oz. Spiced Rum
1 Oz. Pineapple Juice
1/2 Oz. Tangerine Juice
1 Tablespoon Coconut Cream
Slice of Fresh Pineapple
Edible Orchid

Add the rums, pineapple juice, tangerine juice and coconut cream to an ice filled cocktail shaker and shake vigorously until well mixed and chilled. Pour into a chilled martini glass and garnish with the fresh pineapple and the edible orchid.

THE CHARLIE CHAPLIN

1 Oz. Apricot Brandy
1 Oz. Sloe Gin
1 Oz. Fresh Lime Juice
Lime Twist

Pour the apricot brandy, sloe gin and lime juice into an ice filled cocktail shaker and shake until chilled.  Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with the lime twist.

Charlie Chaplin Tribute reprinted with permission from PopArtDiva Dot Com.

Updated January 8, 2017

PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

BLACKBERRY JAM BOURBON SOUR

  The BLACKBERRY JAM BOURBON SOUR   I was sent some coupons to try out some Crofter's Organic Jams & Spreads in some cocktail recipes and I picked up several flavors, one being blackberry.  I happen to love blackberry jams and I felt it would be dynamite with some nice, aged bourbon.  I was right!
Ingredients: 2 Oz. Aged Bourbon 1-1/2 Oz. Fresh Lemon Juice 3 Tablespoons of Crofter's Blackberry Spread (Jam) 1 Tablespoon of Local Organic Honey* Fresh Blackberries & Mint Sprig for Garnish
Directions: Chill your cocktail glass in the freezer.  Warm the Crofter's and the honey in the microwave for 20 seconds then add to your ice filled cocktail shaker.  Pour in the bourbon and lemon juice and shake until icy cold. Garnish with the fresh blackberries and the mint sprig and enjoy.   I also picked up some of Crofter's Apricot so be on the lookout for an Apricot Bourbon Sour in the near future!

Tweet

Follow me on Twitter as PopArtDiva
Follow me on Twitter as TheMartiniDiva
Friend me on Facebook
LIKE "TheMartiniDiva's Happy Hour" Facebook Page
PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

The ELVIS SPECIAL - A Peanut Butter Banana Martini

Today is Elvis Presley's birthday and to honor The King I have created a cocktail inspired by his favorite sandwich, a grilled peanut butter and banana concoction his mother used to make for him. If you've never tried this combination, I suggest you do as it's really a great sandwich. It also makes a pretty fun cocktail.

Now let's get down to Taking

 Care of Business:

The
ELVIS SPECIAL
PEANUT BUTTER & BANANA
MARTINI

1-1/2 Oz. Castries Peanut Rum Creme
(You may substitute Frangelico)

1/2 Oz. Bols Banana Liqueur
1/2 Banana
Chocolate Syrup
Crushed Peanuts
Banana Slice

Rim your martini glass with the chocolate syrup, then dip in the crushed peanuts. Chill the glass in the freezer. Add 1/2 cup of ice to a blender then add the Castries, half of banana and the banana liqueur and blend until smooth. Pour into your chilled glass and garnish with a banana slice and enjoy!

"Ladies & Gentleman, Elvis Has Left the Planet"

Art Tribute by PopArtDiva.Com.

Updated January 2019.

PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

TUXEDOS AND TALES of Downton Abbey Cocktails

Updated March 6, 2016

DRINKING DOWNTON ABBEY STYLE

Tonight we Yanks settle in for the final episode of Downton Abbey and I don't know about you, but I intend to enjoy my last moments of my favorite lords, ladies and post-Edwardian, upstairs-downstairs hi-jinks with a nice vintage cocktail or two!

The new cocktail rage from across the pond (that would be us upstart Prohibition defying folks here in America) was introduced to the Crawley manse in the past few seasons, bringing some good old Yankee know-how to the liquor cabinets of the social hierarchy of Yorkshire.

As top hats and tails gave way to tuxedos and the landed gentry saw their world turn topsy-turvy, glasses were filled with a widening array of early twentieth century libations as the upper classes of British society embraced the American happy hour. The Crawleys' world changed and their drinking habits followed suit.

For this final episode enjoy this vintage taste of the era, the Tuxedo Cocktail #2 which makes use of two ingredients stocked in all proper English parlors, gin and sherry. It then goes all speakeasy and gets downright flapper on the English aristocracy with some serious Volstead Act nose-thumbing spirits.

Grab your cocktail pitchers, stir up a batch and salute the final episode of one of the best period dramas on television:

THE TUXEDO MARTINI #2

Tweet

Follow me on Twitter as PopArtDiva
Follow me on Twitter as TheMartiniDiva
Friend me on Facebook
LIKE "TheMartiniDiva's Happy Hour" Facebook Page
PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

The TUXEDO COCKTAIL

A LITTLE HISTORY OF THE TUXEDO COCKTAIL:

The Tuxedo Cocktail dates back to the late 1800s, though like many vintage cocktails, it gained popularity during Prohibition as a way to mask the impurities of bathtub gins and inferior, unregulated alcohols. It is an adaptation of a classic gin martini.

Named for Tuxedo Park, NY, the original Tuxedo cocktail recipes were gin based, martini inspired and could contain dry vermouth or sherry or both. Some included a maraschino liqueur in later decades (the early 1930s) and all contain a few drops of orange bitters.

This Tuxedo Martini #2 is my favorite way to enjoy this vintage cocktail:

THE TUXEDO MARTINI #2

2 Ounces Plymouth Gin

3/4 Ounces Fino (dry) Sherry

1/4 Ounces Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur

2 Dashes Orange Bitters

Absinthe Rinse

Maraschino Cherry (homemade!)

Lemon Twist

Chill a coupe glass in the freezer.

Fill your cocktail pitcher with ice then add the gin, sherry, Maraschino liqueur and orange bitters and stir until chilled.

Rinse the inside of your chilled coupe with absinthe then discard the excess.

Strain stirred ingredients into your chilled coupe.

Garnish with the cherry and lemon twist.

Updated 4-2018

PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

HAPPY NEW YEAR'S EVE 2014!

A new year comes ringing,
New promise it's bringing,
So lift up your glasses
As the old year passes,
And greet the New Year,
It's finally here!

May your New Year be filled with hope, joy, promise, prosperity and, most if all, love!

Happy 2014 from The Martini Diva!

HAPPY NATIONAL SANGRIA DAY!

We need Sangria recipes for National Sangria Day, right? Because there's nothing quite like a good wine punch loaded up with lots of fruit.

Sangria is named after "Sangre", the Spanish word for "blood" because of it's typically dark-red color.  Traditional sangria is made with red wines but there's no hard and fast rule today in making your sangria and you can use wines of all types and colors. A white wine sangria is called a "sangria blanca".

The most popular fruits used in Spain and Portugal are mainly citrus though sangria recipes vary as much as dialects and can be made from all types of fruits and wine combinations.  In addition to the fruits, sangria recipes typically include a sweetener, such as honey, sugar or simple syrups, and another alcohol including brandies, sparkling wines or even liqueurs. If you want to keep the proof down you can fizz up your sangria with a soda of some type instead of another alcohol.

Spices can also be added, though it's not as common, and your summer sangria recipe can be easily converted to a heated, spiced mulled wine recipe for the holidays!

I am quite partial to berries in my red sangria and the citrus fruits in my white, but it all depends on what fruits are in season and what wine I'm using.  Below are some of my favorites:

WHITE WINE & CHERRY SANGRIA BLANCA
CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY SANGRIA
A WESTEROS VERSION OF SANGRIA
SHAKESPEAREAN STYLE SANGRIA
SPARKLING SKELETON HALLOWEEN SANGRIA
FRESH BERRY SANGRIA
Berry Sangria Edible Cocktails
Berry Sangria Shortcake
Sangria Berries

Mix up a Pitcher (in one of my adorable Pop Art Pitchers or Cocktail Art Pitchers).

I like Sangria so much I even created a Sangria Coloring Page in my
COLOR YOUR COCKTAILS Cocktail Recipe Coloring Book

National Sangria Day is December 20th.

Updated 12-2018
PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY