PUMPKIN SPICED OLD FASHIONED COCKTAIL

American holiday food has its own particular set of special olfactory triggers. The wafting aromas of the herbs and spices of special meals coming out of the kitchen from early fall to the New Year are a huge part of my own personal holiday memories. None more so than the aromas of a pumpkin pie baking in the oven.
In my house, the pumpkin pies started being baked the same time we started carving pumpkins for Halloween. Mom would pick up a pumpkin for each of us to carve plus a few extra for homemade pumpkin pies. These late October activities were the official start of our family holiday season and Schilling Pumpkin Pie Spice was, and still is, my personal holiday aroma harbinger. When those spices hit my nose I'm ready for scary Halloween costumes, the invasion of pilgrim Thanksgiving decorations and the impending arrival of Santa Claus and Christmas presents.
There is no pumpkin in this cocktail recipe, pumpkin has very little flavor itself and it's not necessary for triggering my holiday mode. All I need is a little pumpkin pie spice. And some bourbon.

ThePUMPKIN SPICEDOLD FASHIONED
INGREDIENTS1 Oz. Jim Beam Maple Bourbon1 Oz. Blended Whiskey1 Oz. Homemade Pumpkin Spice Simple Syrup(Recipe Below)2 Dashes Angostura Orange Bitters
Garnish: Dried Orange Slice, Homemade Bourbon Cherry
Glass: Old Fashioned
DIRECTIONSPrepare the Pumpkin Spice Simple Syrup a few hours ahead so it will be cooled for happy hour.Fill an Old Fashioned glass with ice. Pour in the ingredients. Stir until chilled then garnish and serve.
VOICEOVER VIDEO WITH INGREDIENTS AND DIRECTIONS:

PUMPKIN SPICED SIMPLE SYRUP1-1/2 C. Water1-1/2 C. Dark Brown Sugar2 Tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice1 Tbsp. Vodka
Bring ingredients to boil, immediately reduce the heat and simmer until the sugar has dissolved completely. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. This should keep in your refrigerator for several weeks or more thanks to the addition of the vodka.
You can also use this pumpkin spiced simple syrup in your holiday coffee or cocoa or pour it over ice cream or pound cake with some toasted pecans for a quick holiday dessert.
Pumpkin Spice Day is October  1st.
MORE OLD FASHIONED COCKTAIL RECIPES
MORE PUMPKIN COCKTAILS

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PURGATORY PUNCH , An Apple & Bourbon Halloween Cocktail

Purgatory: A place or state of suffering inhabited by the souls of sinners who are expiating their sins before going to heaven.
I'm going to make Purgatory a heck of a lot better place for all you sinners out there. Bring your own bourbon and apples though because the prices in Purgatory are hellacious and you'll need them for this deliciously evil Halloween cocktail.

The PURGATORY Apple Bourbon PUNCH COCKTAIL
INGREDIENTS 2 Oz. Apple Juice 2 Oz. Whiskey 1 Oz. Calvados Apple Brandy 1 Pasteurized Egg White 1 Oz. Homemade Pomegranate Simple Syrup 3 Bags Wild Hibiscus Heart (Blue Pea Flower) Tea Ice
Garnish: 4 Dashes Angostura Orange Bitters, Dried Apple Slice
Tools: Cocktail Shaker, Blender, Bar Spoon, Halloween Cocktail Pick
Glass: Old Fashioned
DIRECTIONS Ahead of time: Make the Homemade Pomegranate Syrup as directed BUT add the 3 bags of Heart Blue Pea Flower Tea into the water, Pom juice, sugar and lemon juice to create a dark, blue-black syrup. Dry shake (shake without ice) the all the ingredients, except the pomegranate simple syrup, until the volume has doubled, approximately 2 minutes (or blend on whip for 1 minute). Add ice to your cocktail shaker (or transfer to an ice filled cocktail shaker) and shake until chilled. Pour into your chilled glass, float the pomegranate simple syrup over the back of a bar spoon on top of the foam for a fun dripping blood pattern. As the syrup sinks to the bottom you get a black and gray layered cocktail with floating blood on top! Garnish with a few drops of Orange Bitters and a dried apple slice then serve.
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Fun Ways to Dress Up Your GIN & TONIC RECIPES

There's nothing more refreshing and simple than a classic gin and tonic, a simple highball of gin and tonic water over ice with a slice of lime for garnish. The army of the British East India Company took Scottish doctor George Cleghorn's discovery that quinine could prevent and treat malaria to heart and began to drink quinine water to prevent the disease.  Since it was bitter and unpleasant they took to adding a bit of sugar, their daily ration of gin and a squeeze of lime to their medicinal quinine around the early 1900s and the Gin and Tonic was born. Though tonic water today contains much less quinine, the G & T remains a classic British cocktail to this day. They even have a popular lemon garnish version known as the Evans.
Like anyone else, when it's hot and muggy outside I enjoy a good gin and tonic, in fact it doesn't need to be very hot or at all muggy. There is no specific recipe for a gin and tonic, it's a drink that is usually mixed to personal tastes so you can play with the ratios of gin to tonic for a stiffer or lighter alcoholic drink.  I have also found it's very fun to play with the basic recipe by adding some extra flavoring agents.  I particularly like to add cucumber, berries and herbs but I have been known to add teas, fun liqueurs and/or flavored simple syrups.
Fun Variations on the Classic GIN & TONIC
BLACKBERRY & BLACKCURRANT GIN & TONIC BUTTERFLY PEA FLOWER & ELDERFLOWER GIN & TONIC CUCUMBER INFUSED GIN & TONIC  MINT GREEN TEA GIN & TONIC  WILD HIBISCUS GIN & TONIC
  The Gin and Tonic is a very forgiving and versatile cocktail. Try some of your own versions by adding favorite fruits, different sweeteners like favorite liqueurs or flavored honey, even some homemade flavored simple syrups.   International Gin & Tonic Day is October 19th, National Gin & Tonic Day is April 9th, National Gin Day is November 7th and World Gin Day is June 10th.
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HOMEMADE IRISH CREAM LIQUEUR RECIPE

Irish Cream Liqueur is a standard bar staple because it's used in so many cocktail recipes. It's one of the liqueurs you should always keep stocked at home because of it's versatility. It's one of those liqueurs that you can just splash into a cup of coffee for a little warm up or simply chill and sip.
When most people think Irish Cream Liqueur they think Bailey's but there are many other brands out there as well, including St. Brendan's and Carolans.  Of course, you can also make your own and below is my favorite recipe.
Homemade
IRISH CREAM LIQUEUR RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:
1-2/3 Cup of Irish Whiskey
1 Cup of Heavy Whipping Cream
1 – 14 Oz. Can of Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 Tsp. Instant Coffee Granules
2 Tbsp. Good Quality Chocolate Syrup
1 Tsp. Vanilla
1/2 Tsp. Almond Extract

TOOLS:
Tools: Blender, measuring cups and spoons, decorative bottles for finished liquor, Personalized Labels.

SIMPLE DIRECTIONS
Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend for about a minute.  Pour into your decorative bottles, seal, label and let infuse in the refrigerator for up to a month.

When you’re ready to use remember to shake before you pour.  This should keep in your fridge for several months – if it lasts that long.
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DESSERT COCKTAILS

DESSERT COCKTAILS

Why bake when you can shake?

I have a huge sweet tooth plus I'm lazy and don't like to bake much so I have a ton - seriously, a ton - of Dessert Cocktails. Many are directly inspired by famous or popular dessert recipes.  I've been creating original cocktail recipes since 2005 and when you combine that much time with my kind of sweet tooth you end up with a pretty hefty list.

To make it easier I've combined many of them in standard DESSERT CATEGORIES:
CAKE COCKTAILS CANDY COCKTAILS CARAMEL COCKTAILS CHEESECAKE COCKTAILS CHOCOLATE COCKTAILS COOKIE COCKTAILS CUPCAKE COCKTAILS ICE CREAM COCKTAILS PIE COCKTAILS TRUFFLE COCKTAILS SUNDAE COCKTAILS     If the recipe is not in one of my dessert cocktail categories, or happens to be a favorite of mine, you'll find it listed alphabetically BY DESSERT below: APPLE PIE COCKTAIL ANIMAL CRACKERS IN MY BOOZE BANANAS FOSTER BOOZY SHAKE BLACK FOREST CAKE COCKTAIL BOYSENBERRY RUM FLIP  BRANDY ALEXANDER  BOURBON ALEXANDER BROWN COW BEER FLOAT BROWNIE MARTINI  CAPPUCCINO MARTINI CHERRIES JUBILEE MARTINI CHERRY CLAFOUTIS MARTINI CHOCOLATE FONDUE COCKTAIL  CHOCOLATE PORTER BEER FLOATS CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY MARTINI COCONUT DAIQUIRI CREME BRULEE COCKTAIL  CREPES SUZETTE COCKTAIL DECADENT DUTCH COCKTAIL FLOAT DERBY PIE COCKTAIL DRUNK ELF ON A SHELF DRUNK RUSSIANS DRUNKEN BABY DOLE PINEAPPLE WHIPS  DRUNKEN OREO TRUFFLE COCKTAIL HOT FUDGE COCKTAIL GOLDEN CADILLAC GRASSHOPPER  PEACH MELBA BEER FLOAT PEACH MELBA MARTINI PEACHES & CREAM MARTINIPEACHES & CREAM SHOOTER PEARS HELENE MARTINI  PECAN PIE MARTINI PINEAPPLE DRUNK SIDE DOWN SMASH PINK SQUIRREL  RASPBERRY TRIFLE MARTINI SALTED CARAMEL APPLE COCKTAIL SAMOA COOKIE BOOZY SHAKE S'MORES COCKTAILS'MORES SHOOTER STICKY BUN MARTINI STRAWBERRY PARFAIT MARTINI STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE MARTINI STRAWBERRY SUNDAY MARTINI STRAWBERRIES & CREAM MARTINI TIRAMISU MARTINI   Many of my EDIBLE COCKTAILS are dessert inspired as well.
National Dessert Day is October 14th.
Updated 9-2018 PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

The CHOCOLATE FONDUE COCKTAIL

Four kinds of chocolate in this cocktail. And you can dip goodies in it! Seriously, need I say more?

The
CHOCOLATE FONDUE
MARTINI
INGREDIENTS
1 Oz. Chocolate Vodka
1/2 Oz. Dark Creme de Cacao
1/2 Oz. Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
1 Oz. Cream 2 Dashes Chocolate Bitters
Garnish: Mini Marshmallows, Fruit pieces
Tools: Cocktail Shaker
Glass: Cocktail (Martini)
DIRECTIONS
Chill your glass in the freezer.
Add one cup of ice to a cocktail shaker then pour in the chocolate vodka, dark creme de cacao, the Godiva liqueur, cream and chocolate bitters then shake until well chilled.  Strain into your chilled glass then garnish with some fruit pieces and serve with more fruit pieces and a few toasted mini marshmallows to dip into your “fondue” cocktail.
VOICEOVER VIDEO with Ingredients & Directions:

National Chocolate Fondue Day is February 5th.

Updated 2-2022 PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

CHOCOLATE ROB ROY, A Twist on a Classic Scotch Cocktail

I was in the mood for some Scotch and some chocolate and I thought why not just make a Chocolate Rob Roy? It didn't take much to turn a classic Rob Roy into a chocolate Rob Roy, just change out some chocolate bitters for the Angostura bitters.
Yes, I gave myself some little gold stars as a garnish because I earned them today.

I added a little piece of some Godiva Blood Orange Dark Chocolate to enjoy with it and it ended my day with perfection.

The CHOCOLATE ROB ROY
INGREDIENTS 2 Oz. Johnnie Walker Black 1-1/4 Oz. Cinzano Rosso Vermouth 4 Dashes Frape and Sons Chocolate Bitters
Garnish: Orange Twist, Edible Gold Stars
Tools: Mixing Glass, Hawthorne Strainer
Glass: Cocktail
DIRECTIONS Combine ingredients in a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir well then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Twist a piece of orange peel over the drink then add as garnish.
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