APRICOT LAVENDER BOURBON SOUR COCKTAIL

 

I happen to be having a tiny little love affair with bourbon right now and I had a sweet little jar of apricot preserves from Crofter's Organic so I thought to do an apricot version of my Blackberry Jam Bourbon Sour.  I do love whiskeys and bourbons in cold weather, they just warm you up from top to bottom as they slide down.  Add some acid and some sweetness and mix in a fresh herb and you have a lovely winter cocktail.

The apricot jam and lavender syrup bring the sweet element, the lavender syrup and garnish bring a subtle floral essence, the orange brings the citrus (the sour portion), the orange twist adds a nice little dash of bitterness and the bourbon brings the happy!

APRICOT LAVENDER BOURBON SOUR

2 Oz. Bourbon
Juice of One Large Orange
1 Tablespoon of Lavender Syrup
(recipe for the syrup below)
2 Tablespoons of Apricot Jam
Sprig of Fresh Lavender
Twist of Orange

Warm the apricot jam with the orange juice in the microwave for about 15 to 30 seconds - long enough to thin the jam only. Fill a chilled cocktail glass with ice, pour in your whiskey, the lavender syrup, and the lemon juice/apricot jam mixture. Stir until chilled, twist the orange over the top, drop in then garnish with the lavender spring and serve.

If you prefer you can add all the ingredients except the garnishes to an ice filled cocktail shaker and shake up your cocktail then pour into your glass.

Lavender Syrup

Bring 2 cups of sugar and 1-1.2 cups water to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir as the sugar dissolves. Remove from burner and add 5 large springs of lavender. Cover and let the lavender steep until the syrup has cooled. Strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a clean squirt bottle with a cap. This should keep if refrigerated for a month or longer.

Cheers & Enjoy!

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

COCKTAILS, BIRTHDAYS and LIFE

Today is my birthday. I'm not going to tell you exactly how old I am, suffice to say I'm old enough to know better but still young enough to ignore the warnings occasionally. I attribute my not-so-great-but-still-respectable age to a young at heart attitude and my habit of observing Happy Hour on a daily basis.
The civilized ritual of stopping work at a proper hour, enjoying friends and good conversation and sipping a cocktail or two relaxes the mind, allows time for laughter and helps to keep a balanced perspective on life. These are all touted as good medicine for a long life. The fact that having a little booze in moderation is now proven to be beneficial to your health doesn't hurt the equation either.
At this point in my life I am a devout believer in moderation in all things except, occasionally, moderation. Part of being young is indulging yourself, getting a little crazy and being passionate about something in your life and this doesn't have to stop as you pile up the years and the candles on your birthday cake.
Don't let a number take away your joy or dictate your life. Age, as they say, is all in the attitude. If you want to live longer then live! Get out there every day and do, dream, love and laugh....and have a cocktail at happy hour!
Today I plan on doing just that.

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

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