SIP OF SUNSHINE MARTINI, Drink A Smile!

There's nothing quite like a little sunshine in a glass and I captured some for you with this lemony twist on a classic Champagne Cocktail by adding my Homemade Lemoncello (Limoncello is a trademarked brand, btw) and lemon flavored bitters!

Go ahead and Drink A Little Smile

 SIP OF SUNSHINE COCKTAIL 

1 Oz Lemoncello, chilled

3 Oz. Brut Champagne, chilled

Sugar Cube

2 Drops of Lemon Bitters

Lemon Twist

Chill your glass in the freezer.

Drop the sugar cube into your chilled glass.

Drip the lemon bitters on the sugar cube.

Pour in the Lemoncello. 

Top off with your Champagne.

Garnish with the lemon twist. 

Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves ~ James Matthew Barrie

 

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MELON CUCUMBER MARTINI

Because melons and cucumbers both belong to the Cucurbitaceae, aka the gourd, family they make a nice pairing in a martini.  They're also abundant during the fall, sometimes from our own gardens, and this means it's the best time to enjoy them.

Here I've paired Pinnacle's Cucumber Vodka with the fresh fruits, some honey and a pinch of spicy fennel salt from Pollen Ranch for a really nicely developed craft cocktail that has a surprising depth of flavor.

THE

MELON CUCUMBER

MARTINI

INGREDIENTS 
1-1/2 Oz. Cucumber Vodka
1 Oz. Pureed Honeydew Melon
1 Oz. Pureed Cantaloupe Melon
1 Oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
Pinch of Pollen Ranch Spicy Fennel Salt
1 Tsp. Honey Syrup*

Garnish: Honeydew and Cantaloupe Cubes,
Slice of Cucumber

DIRECTIONS
Chill your glass in the freezer.  Add a cup of ice to your cocktail shaker then pour in the vodka, honeydew and cantaloupe purees, the lemon juice, fennel salt and the honey and shake vigorously until well chilled.  Pour into your chilled cocktail glass, add a few cubes of the melons and the cucumber slice to a cocktail pick and serve.

VOICEOVER VIDEO WITH INGREDIENTS AND DIRECTIONS:

* Here's a little tip on using honey in a cocktail.  If you add equal parts honey and water together - "honey syrup" -  you'll get a thinner syrup and it will mix in your cocktail more effectively.

 

Updated 8-2025

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SPARKLING GRAPE MARTINI

When I was a kid I loved grapes, grape juice and grape soda.  I still love grapes but the juices and sodas have become a bit too sweet for my adult palate and I wanted to explore a way to drink the fruit of the vine where the grape shines and not the sugars from processing.

The easiest way to balance sugar is with a citrus and another wait to cut the sweetness is by adding a bit of effervescence from a dry sparkling wine or a Brut Champagne so I did a bit of both.  The bit of grassiness in the mint lends a bit more balance as well as added flavor and crispness.  By the time I had combined all these I finally had a cocktail version of the grape beverages I loved as a kid!

The frozen grapes are not only a great garnish, they help to keep your cocktail chilled while you enjoy it.

Add these great Health Benefits of Grapes to the mix and you're good to go!

SPARKLING GRAPE MARTINI

1-1/2 Oz. Citrus Vodka
1 Oz. Concord Grape Juice
1 Oz. White Grape Juice
3 Mint Leaves
1 Oz. Dry Sparkling White Wine or Brut Champagne
Frozen Grapes to chill and for garnish
Sprig of Mint for garnish

Chill some grapes ahead of time, it only takes an hour or so for them to freeze.  Chill your glass in the freezer.  Muddle the mint leaves and the citrus vodka in the bottom of your cocktail shaker.  Add one cup of ice to shaker then pour in both the grape juices and shake until well chilled. Strain into a martini glass to about 2/3 full then top off with the sparkling wine or Champagne.  Add a few frozen grapes to the cocktail to keep chilled, place one grape on the rim and slide in the fresh mint sprig and enjoy!

Now go get a copy of What's Eating Gilbert Grape (Johnny Depp and Leonardo Di Caprio are in it!) and enjoy it with this cocktail!

"The juice of the grape is the liquid quintessence of concentrated sunbeams.”
― Thomas Love Peacock
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APPLE COCKTAILS

Since Fall is here this is a pretty good time to share all my Apple Cocktails with you, right? And happily apples are abundant in the market place and orchards as well, if you're lucky enough to live close to an orchard.

All because you're just the apple of my eye!

APPLE COCKTAILS

Apple Cobbler Martini
Apple Dumpling Martini
Apple Martini
Apple Pie Cocktail
Apple Mint Martini

AppleSauce Cake Martin
Apple Sour

Candy Apple Martini

Candy Apple Martini 2

Caramel Apple Martini
Cranapple Martini
Cranapple Punch

Devil's In The Details Halloween Martini

Fall Apple Jack Martini
Mulled Apple Cider Punch
Mulled Apple Cider Martini
The Millionaire Martini

The Red Devil Halloween Martini

The Underground Martini

The Adam & Eve Martini

The Rattled Skull Colonial Cocktail
Rosh Hashana Calvados Cocktail
Salted Caramel Apple Cocktail
Spiced Apple Old Fashioned
Spiced, Spiked Tea Punch 
Wicked Witch's Brew
Wildling Wassail
Winterfell Smash

And, YES!, Why not?

CARAMEL APPLE VODKA RECIPE

And remember:

AN APPLE MARTINI A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY! October is National Apple Month. National Apple Day is October 21st.    Updated 10-2025  PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY  

BLUEBERRY VINEGAR SHRUB COCKTAIL

A while back I made a whole refrigerator shelf full of Drinking Vinegars just to use in cocktails.  The one that really rocked my world was the Blueberry Shrub.  I've used that not only in cocktails but in mocktails and salad dressings and even as a digestif!  However my favorite way to use it is with a little bourbon:

BLUEBERRY VINEGAR SHRUB COCKTAIL

2 Oz. Nice Aged Kentucky Bourbon

2 Oz. Blueberry Vinegar Shrub

Splash of Soda

Mint Leaves

Sprig of Mint for Garnish

Pour the blueberry shrub and a few mint leaves into the bottom of your glass and muddle well. Fill your glass with ice then pour on the bourbon and the splash of soda and gently stir the cocktail until the glass frosts over.  Garnish with a fresh sprig of mint and enjoy!

To your health!

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COFFEE COCKTAILS

I'm pretty into coffee. I love to wake up to the smell of fresh brewed coffee beans, I can't truly motivate without my foamy morning lattes, I adore a nice espresso in the late afternoon and I can have a coffee cocktail at any point in the day. Good thing coffee is good for you, right?

Thank goodness for Kaldi, the goatherd who discovered the lovely benefits of coffee beans! Bless his little goat wrangling heart! How would we ever get up and at it without our beloved, aromatic caffeine fix?

Of course, I can happily add booze to all my java interludes and below are the many recipes I've posted featuring versions of my favorite high octane, high proof coffee breaks.

COFFEE

COCKTAILS

Animal Crackers in My Booze!
Black Panther Cocktail
Cafe Au Lait Martini
Cafe Noir Cocktail

Cappuchino Martini
Checker's Martini
Cowboy Martini
Creme Brulee Martini
Drunk On Espresso Martini
Drunk Russians
Drunken Oreo Truffle Cocktail
Espresso Yourself

Fernet Mocha Frappé Shake
Frappa-Tini
Gingerbread Latte Cocktail
Hammered Nail
Imperial Coffee Martini
Irish Coffee
Irish Coffee Martini (Chilled)
Kahlua Cocktails
Macchiato Eggnog
 Merry Mocha Christmas Martini
Mississippi Mud Pie Martini
 MOCHA ESPRESSO Cocktail Gel
Night's Watch Coffee Toddy
Not So White Russian Martini
Peppermint Latte Cocktail
Queimada Martini
Salted Caramel Macchiato Martini
Shot O' Gold
Tiramisu Martini
Wake Up Call
White Russian

You'll Shooter Your Eyes Out

EDIBLE

COFFEE COCKTAILS

White Russian Truffle Cups with Espresso Caviar 
Kahlua Infused Chocolate Truffles
Kahlua Cupcakes

Homemade

KAHLUA RECIPE

And for you folks who like your coffee a little stronger, my
ESPRESSO COCKTAILS

Here's to caffeine in cocktails!

National Gourmet Coffee Day is January 18th, National Coffee Break Day is January 20th and National Coffee Day is September 29th.

Updated 9-2021

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Chocolate Cheesecake Martini

Yes, you heard that right, the
CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE
MARTINI

This is my second version of a Chocolate Cheesecake Martini, I have two versions in my archives, white and dark, but this one I put the chocolate cheesecake pudding IN the martini itself and not just on the rim!

INGREDIENTS
1 Oz. Godiva Chocolate Liqueur

1 Oz. Dark Creme de Cacao

1 Oz. Chocolate Vodka

2 Tsp. Chocolate Cheesecake Instant Pudding Mix

1 Oz. Half & Half

1/4 Tsp. Vanilla Extract

Dash of Chocolate Bitters

Chocolate Sprinkles

DIRECTIONS
Dip your martini glass rim in some of the Godiva chocolate liqueur then into the chocolate sprinkles and place in the freezer to chill.

Add a cup of ice to your cocktail shaker than pour in the Godiva, Creme de Cacao, chocolate vodka, the pudding mix, half & half, vanilla and the chocolate bitters.  Shake vigorously to emulsify the cream with the liquor then pour into your chilled and rimmed glass and enjoy!

If you're a coffee lover you can turn this into a Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake Cocktail by adding a teaspoon of espresso powder and eliminating the chocolate bitters. How do you like them coffee beans?

  Updated 7-2017
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