A classic Peppermint Patty cocktail is made from hot cocoa and a splash Peppermint liqueur, typically a peppermint schnapps. That's a time honored recipe, but you know me, I can't leave well enough alone.
I have my own special recipe for hot cocoa using the addition of a luxurious dark cocoa powder and a little spicy kick and during holidays I often use this cocoa recipe to make my version of a Peppermint Patty:
The Peppermint Patty, Part Deux
3 Oz. of my Dark Hot Cocoa BUT...
...no chili powder and cinnamon!
2 Oz. Crave Chocolate Mint Liqueur
1/4 Tsp. Espresso Powder
Chocolate Peppermint Candy Cane
Prepare the cocoa as directed in my recipe, except leave out the chili powder and cinnamon. Add the quarter teaspoon of espresso powder and stir. Allow this to cool slightly, you want it still warm enough to drink but not so hot it could damage your glass. Pour into your cocktail glass and add your chocolate peppermint candy cane stir stick.
Don't leave out the espresso powder, you really won't taste the coffee all that much but it adds a nice accent and balance to the sweetness of the cocoa and the chocolate mint liqueur. I wanted a slight bitterness to balance the sugars, but did not want to bring the herbal qualities of chocolate bitters into play and the espresso powder worked perfectly.
Updated 12-2018
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A Shandy cocktail is beer, ale or lager typically mixed with lemonade, ginger beer, or ginger ale mixed in half to half ratios. It's a great way to enjoy a refreshing cocktail when you're hot and thirsty because it's fairly low in alcohol.
I always think of them as a guy's version of an Arnold Palmer, which is half lemonade and half iced tea. Both are very refreshing, but one includes a form of beer!
A Turbo Shandy is a Shandy turbocharged by using an alcohol based lemon ingredient like a hard lemonade. I think this defeats the purpose of what is Shandy is, namely a light alcoholic refreshment which is perfect for a hot day. In fact, Shandies are so light in alcohol that in some locations around the world they are exempt from the laws governing alcoholic beverages!
Below is my favorite recipe for a Shandy:
MINT SHANDY
4 Oz. Anchor California Lager
2 Oz. Hansen's Natural Ginger Ale
2 Oz. Minute Maid Lemonade
Mint Infused Ice Cubes*
Maraschino Cherry
*Make your mint infused ice cubes ahead of time by simply bruising some mint leaves and adding to your ice cube tray or mold before adding the water.
Tip: Chill your mugs in the freezer when you freeze the ice cubes so the mugs will be icy cold and frosty when you're ready to mix your Shandy.
Mixing directions for my Mint Shandy:
Pour the lager, ginger ale and lemonade over the mint ice cubes then garnish with a lemon slice, sprig of mint and a Maraschino cherry.
Enjoy!
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Brownies are one of those foods that can make everything better. They're chocolatey and rich and chewy and they can take the sting out of a bad day, especially if they're 40 proof.
I want you to feel better, I want you to feel great, I want to take the sting out of your bad days, so I made up this special chocolatey, rich, chewy and boozy chocolate brownie inspired cocktail.
The
BROWNIEMARTINI
Just for you, because you deserve it.
INGREDIENTS
1-1/2 Oz. Chocolate Vodka
1/2 Oz. Irish Cream
1/2 Oz. Dark Cream de Cacao
1/2 Oz. Butterscotch Schnapps
1 Oz. Half & Half2 Drops Chocolate Mole Bitters
Pinch of Sea Salt
Garnish: 2 - 1" Sq. Brownie Bites
DIRECTIONS
Chill your glass in the freezer. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice then pour in the chocolate vodka, Irish cream, dark creme de cacao, butterscotch schnapps, sea salt, bitters and the half and half. Shake until well blended and chilled then pour into your chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a couple of brownie bites on a cocktail pick and sip your bad day away.
VOICEOVER VIDEO WITH INGREDIENTS AND DIRECTIONS:
P.S. If you need a little cheesecake too:
CHEESECAKE BROWNIE MARTINI
and, if you're feeling a tad blonde:
BLONDE BROWNIE MARTINI
There now, doesn't that feel better?
National Brownie Day is December 8th.
Updated December 2021
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Nothing is more festive and playful than a big fluffy cloud of cotton candy, unless it's a big fluffy cloud of it in a martini glass just waiting to play with some booze. This is a particularly fun cocktail for birthday and bachelorette parties because it can be a great interactive party cocktail:
Set up a Cotton Candy Martini Bar
complete with individual cocktail shakers, martini glasses, a bucket of ice, different flavors/colors of cotton candy, assorted mixers, garnishes and a fun assortment of flavored spirits.
Print out the Ingredients and Directions below and set them in a visible location on the serving area.
(Pre-rim enough glasses with some multi colored sprinkles.)
Set out an assortment of flavored vodkas and rums and some fun shot glasses. (The shot glasses could be a party favor for each guest.)
Don't forget some fun, colorful cocktail napkins, paper plates and paper coasters from The Martini Diva Boutique!
Have chilled pitchers of the various unsweetened fruit juices including fresh lemon, lime, orange, pineapple, and cranberry juice, along with some chilled cans of plain and flavored soda waters.
Add an assortment of fruit and fun candy garnishes and some colorful cocktail picks then let your guests shake their own combos and watch the merriment ensue.
The fun part is watching the cotton candy melt as the cocktail mixture is poured over.
If you really want to go all out you can buy a small cotton candy machine.
Tip: You can buy pre-bagged cotton candy in a large variety of colors and flavors from Walmart, other superstores and online.
COTTON CANDY
COCKTAILS
INGREDIENTS
1 Oz Flavored Vodka
1-1/2 Oz. Juice
Juice of 1/4 Lime or Lemon
1 Cup of Cotton Candy
Splash of soda
DIRECTIONS
1. Add ice to the cocktail shaker.
2. Add the vodka then the lime or lemon juice and shake well.
3. Add any sodas AFTER shaking.
4. Pile your chilled glass high with cotton candy.
5. Strain the cocktail directly over the cotton candy.
6. Add the fun garnish.
7. Enjoy!
Updated 12-2018
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So, you forgot someone on your shopping list or need a last minute hostess gift?
My Christmas Candy Liqueur Recipe will save you! You can have a fun, yummy and boozy bottle of Holiday Spirit ready to stick a bow on in just a few hours.
You can use all kinds of Christmas candy like candy corn, any hard candies, candy canes of all flavors, peppermint sticks and even caramels or red hots. Yes, you can also use flavored vodkas and - with the right candy - whiskey, gin or rum.
You are only limited by what you can get your hands on and your imagination!
CHRISTMAS CANDY LIQUEUR RECIPE:
(Makes One 750 ml Bottle)
Ingredients:
1 - 750 ml. bottle of vodka
1 Cup of Christmas candy of your choice
Tools:
1 sterilized quart sized, lidded jar
(Mason, Ball, old mayo jar)
Cheesecloth
Large metal strainer
Optional: Decorative bottle with cap or cork
Instructions:
Crunch up your larger candies (candy canes, sticks) to speed up the infusion.
Add the cup of candy to your sterilized jar.
Pour in the bottle of vodka.
Allow the vodka and candy to get all happy with each other in the fridge for as long as possible; a minimum of 8 hours is preferable, overnight is best.
Let it infuse for several days if you have the time.
Shake bottle vigorously every time you open the fridge or at least once an hour.
While your candy and vodka get to know each other, soak the label off the original bottle if you're using it.
Taste after 4 hours for flavor level.
When your infusion has reached the flavor level you like, strain through the cheesecloth lined strainer back into the original vodka bottle or a pretty decorative bottle.
Add a festive Christmas label and bow and you're set!
I did this with Chocolate Peppermint Candy Canes!
Updated 12-2018
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Frappé "frap-ay": Noun.
A partly frozen drink made with milk or fruit juice, or a strongly alcoholic drink served with ice.
I covered all the bases of the definition of a frappé with this cocktail simply to use up some stuff in my fridge! I had an opened can of pineapple juice from another cocktail experiment, some orange juice for the same reason and about half a dish of vanilla ice cream and surprise guests who showed up at my door unannounced. I figured I could clear out my refrigerator and turn it into an impromptu happy hour at the same time.
I wanted to doll up this tweaky Pina Colada with an interesting garnish but had none of the actual pieces of fruit. What I did have was my trusty jar of Maraschino cherries and some Wild Hibiscus Flowers packed in syrup. Good enough! The Hibiscus syrup added a nice pink glow and the flowers were an exotic little nest for the cherry garnish.
I tossed the ingredients into my blender with some ice and frappeed away. Not bad mixing on the fly!
HIBISCUS COLADA FRAPPÉ
(Makes 4 Cocktails)
4 Oz. Vodka
1Cup Pineapple Juice
1Cup Orange Juice
2 Lg. Scoops Vanilla Ice Cream
1/2 Tsp. Freshly Grated Ginger
Pinch of Salt
2 Cups of Ice
Hibiscus Flower
Hibiscus Syrup
Ground Ginger
Half an Orange Slice
Maraschino Cherry
Serve in a martini glass or coupe.
Add your ice to a blender then scoop in the ice cream, grate in the fresh ginger and pour on the vodka, pineapple and orange juices and toss in a pinch of salt. Blend to a slushie, frothy consistency. Pour about a teaspoon of the hibiscus syrup into each glass, gently pour in the cocktail mixture, sprinkle on a dusting of ground ginger and garnish with the cherry tucked into a hibiscus flower and the orange slice.
My guests were fascinated by the edible flower garnish and loved the tropical, gingery drink. For folks who dropped in with no notice (oh, okay, they called me but my wonky phone* sent them to voicemail) it was kind of a leftover-cocktail triumph.
(*P.S. Samsung, we need to have a talk.)
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