COGNAC COCKTAILS for NATIONAL COGNAC DAY

When I drink cognac it is generally in a snifter, held lovingly in my hands to warm the spirit and sipped slowly over a period of time while reading a good book or just relaxing and letting the day wash away.  That's when I pull out my hidden bottle of $500 Cognac and pour in some "me day" adjustment. I hoard this like a miser hoards gold.

I do however enjoy it's addition to a cocktail now and then but, let's be honest here, I'm not adding in a cognac that literally costs more than a pair of mid range Manolo or Jimmy Choo shoes. I generally stick to a lesser priced cognac for the purpose of cocktails, usually Remy Martin. (I like expensive shoes and I like expensive cognac and my budget doesn't allow me unlimited supplies of each, sadly.) But Remy is a very respectable cognac, mixed in or sipped.

You, depending on your income tax bracket, may use whichever price of cognac you prefer. Just remember that a cocktail is only as good as all it's ingredients.

COGNAC COCKTAILS
   
ATOMIC COCKTAIL

BRANDY ALEXANDER
CREPES SUZETTE COCKTAIL
END OF THE WORLD MARTINI
IRISH STINGER
SIDECAR
TANGELO BOURBON TANGO
VIEUX CARRE

National Cognac Day is June 4th.

Updated 7-2017

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IT'S NATIONAL EGG DAY - Have an Egg Cocktail!

Updated Dec. 2015

Happy National Egg Day!

Do more than cook with eggs - cocktail with eggs!

After decades of being ignored and treated like a salmonella villain, eggs are making a comeback to the cocktail scene these days and a big hooray for that!  Eggs can add a wonderful texture, a delightful foam and a silken quality on the tongue that nothing else can quite capture.  Yes, there are powdered eggs and pasteurized egg products but they were never quite as good as the "real McCoy", a fresh egg.

Eggs contain a protein called ovalbumin which breaks down when beaten or shaken (this is where you get all those lovely meringues from in desserts). In cocktails most eggs are paired with a sour element which will stop those proteins from binding together, making a better (smaller) foam for the cocktail.

Now, try some of these fabulously delicious
EGG COCKTAILS


HAVE AN EGGS-ELLENT DAY!

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The ROCKY ROAD MARTINI, a Chocolate Liqueur, Marshmallow Vodka and Amaretto Cocktail

Rocky Road ice cream (known also as Heavenly Hash - especially in Britain and Canada) was created by William Dreyer in 1929. Inspired by a chocolate, marshmallow and nut candy bar, Mr. Dreyer sat down and took his wife's sewing scissors to some marshmallows, added some walnuts and tossed them into chocolate ice cream. At some later point almonds were substituted for the walnuts. It wasn't until after the Wall Street Crash of the same year that Mr. Dreyer named the ice cream "rocky road".

Here I've taken those same classic flavors of chocolate, marshmallow and almonds and turned a depression inspired treat into a twenty-first century cocktail for a truly interesting dessert drink.

The
ROCKY ROAD
MARTINI

INGREDIENTS
1 Oz. Dark Chocolate Liqueur
1 Oz. Marshmallow Vodka
1/4 Oz. Amaretto
1 Oz. Chocolate Milk
Dash of Sea Salt

Garnish:  Crushed Almond Rim, Mini Marshmallows

DIRECTIONS
Dip your glass rim in some of the chocolate liqueur then into the crushed nuts.
Chill glass in the freezer.
Add the ingredients to an ice filled cocktail shaker and shake until well chilled.
Strain into your chilled glass then garnish with mini marshmallows.

June 2nd is National Rocky Road Day.

VOICEOVER VIDEO WITH INGREDIENTS AND DIRECTIONS:

Updated 6-2021

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The BLONDE BOMBSHELL MARTINI for Marilyn Monroe's Birthday

It is Marilyn Monroe's birthday today and Marilyn loved Champagne. Dom Perignon to be more specific, it was her drink of choice, so The Blonde Bombshell Martini is my rendition of a classic Champagne Cocktail - with one little tweak and a couple of Marilyn Monroe style garnishes.

In Honor of the Legendary & Iconic Marilyn Monroe:

THE
BLONDE BOMBSHELL

MARTINI

Ingredients

3 Oz. Champagne

1 Oz. Cognac

2 Dashes Cherry Bitters

1 Sugar Cube

Garnish

Sugar Crystal Rim

Pink Fondant Rosebud

Edible Glitter

DIRECTIONS

Rim your glass with the sugar crystals.

Secure the fondant rose to the rim.

Add the sugar cube to the glass.

Tap on the Cherry Bitters

Pour in the Cognac and stir until sugar has dissolved.

Top off with ice cold Champagne, sprinkle on edible glitter and serve.

VOICEOVER VIDEO WITH INGREDIENTS AND DIRECTIONS:

"It's all make-believe, isn't it?" Marilyn Monroe
June 1, 1926 - August 5, 1962

Updated 6-1-2021

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The HONEY FITZ SPRITZ MARTINI for JFK's Birthday

Today would have been the 95th birthday of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy and to commemorate the occasion I have created this HONEY FITZ SPRITZ MARTINI named after JFK's Presidential yacht!

It is well known that not only was our 63rd President a Navy man (having been disqualified for service by the Army because of his back issues), but he loved boating and sailing. While in the White House, JFK would often slip away to The Honey Fitz for a few quite hours on the Potomac. On his birthday every year the yacht was brought to the Cape and kept there until the end of September while the family used it most weekends.

Purchase the Honey Fitz Spritz Martini on a fun, mailable Postcard.

To quote another very famous personage:
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MR. PRESIDENT"
Fair winds and following seas and long may your big jib draw.

Updated 12-2017

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ALCOHOL INFUSED ADULT GRAPE POPSICLES

National Grape Popsicle Day is May 27th and I was asked to come up with a cocktail recipe for the occasion. Since it was already hitting summer temps across most of the country I decided to come up with an alcoholic grape popsicle instead.  They are not only cooling during hot summer days but are a fun way to put some adult fun in your next summer soiree.

Note: You want the Champagne to be flat, especially if you are using regular popsicle molds because the bubbles (carbon dioxide) could blow the top off your popsicle while freezing.

If you want to serve them in a glass, I suggest placing them upside down in Champagne flutes then topping them off fresh, chilled Champagne.

GRAPE
BOOZESICLES

INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Concord Grape Juice
1 Cup Champagne, allowed to go flat
1 Oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
2 Drops Rose Water

Garnish: Assorted Colored Sprinkles, Sliced fruits

Tools: Popsicle Molds, Popsicle Sticks

DIRECTIONS
Add the sprinkles and fruits to the molds you're using.
Combine the grape juice, Champagne and rose water then pour into the molds.
Freeze overnight.
To release dip mold quickly in warm water to release the popsicle.

For the kids you can substitute flat grape soda or plain soda for the Champagne.

VOICEOVER VIDEO WITH INGREDIENTS AND DIRECTIONS: 

National Grape Popsicle Day is May 27th.

Updated May 2021

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It's NATIONAL BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE DAY - Stick that in a martini glass!

To start off your Memorial Day Weekend with a blast - how about a blast of blueberries??

BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE

MARTINI

INGREDIENTS

1 Oz. Whipped Cream Vodka

1 Oz. (Homemade) Blueberry Liqueur

1/2 Cup Fresh (or frozen) Blueberries

1 Oz. Half & Half

Juice of 1/2 a Fresh Lime

Garnish: Graham Cracker Rim. Fresh Blueberries

Tools: Cocktail Shaker, Muddler

Glass: Cocktail (Martini)

DIRECTIONS

Pipe sweetened cream cheese on the rim of a cocktail glass then dip in crushed Graham crackers. Set in freezer to chill glass.

In the bottom of the cocktail shaker muddle the blueberries with the lime juice.

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice then add the remaining ingredients and shake until chilled.

Strain into the chilled & rimmed glass, garnish and serve.

May 26th is National Blueberry Cheesecake Day!

Updated 5-2024

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