DRIVING MISS DAIQUIRI Watermelon Mint Daiquiri Cocktail

  (Cocktails inspired by the movies, Oscar nominees and winners.)   

  DRIVING MISS DAISY, 1989  Nominated: Morgan Freeman - Best Actor in a Leading RoleDan Aykroyd - Best Actor in a Supporting RoleBest Art Direction, Best Film Editing, Best Costume Design Won, 1990:  Best Picture, Best Actress - Jessica Tandy, Best Writing (Screenplay), Best Makeup   Also won: Golden Globes: Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress BAFTA: Best Actress   Daisy Werthan: What are you doing? Hoke Colburn: I'm tryin' to drive you to the store!   Who doesn't love this film about an elderly Southern lady's contentious but admiring relationship with her African American chauffeur?  

  I loved the story and the whole cast and that theme song is a favorite of mine. One of my other favorite things about the movie is how Miss Daisy's car ages right along with the characters. It's a classic in my movie line up, one I watch at least once a year. Any movie that makes reference to the Piggly Wiggly always gets my vote.   It was also a perfect way to pun another Daiquiri for my movie themed cocktail series. Think of this as a mini Mojito, if you make this in a Collins glass and add soda you have a Mojito, but you won't have the fun cocktail pun.  

The

DRIVING MISS DAIQUIRI Watermelon Mint Daiquiri Cocktail   INGREDIENTS: 2 Oz. Bacardi Light Rum 2 Oz. Fresh Watermelon Juice 1/2 Oz. Fresh Lime Juice 1/2 Oz. Mint Simple Syrup 4 Fresh Mint Leaves Ice
Garnish: Watermelon Wedge, Mint Leaves, Lime Quarter 
Tools: Muddler, Cocktail Shaker
Glass: Punch Cup
DIRECTIONS: Purée watermelon in a food processor, then strain into a small bowl. Muddle the mint leaves, fresh lime juice and simple syrup in the bottom of your cocktail shaker. Fill the cocktail shaker with ice, pour in the rum and watermelon juice then shake until well chilled. Strain into the punch cup, garnish and serve.   Daisy Werthan: Hoke? Hoke Colburn: Yes'm? Daisy Werthan: You're my best friend. Hoke Colburn: No, go on Miss Daisy. Daisy Werthan: No, really, you are... Daisy Werthan: You are. Hoke Colburn: Yes'm.
MORE MOVIE COCKTAILS   Updated 7-2018 PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY  

FIRE & BLOODY MARY Game of Thrones Cocktail

"I will take what is mine with Fire and Blood." ~ Daenerys Targaryen

I had to do it. Tonight's episode is called Blood of My Blood. Besides it's Sunday and Bloody Marys are kind of my traditional Sunday drink.
Plus, I like a good cocktail pun. I also like history and historical references abound in Game of Thrones, including comparisons of Melisandre to Queen Mary I of England, aka Bloody Mary. 
Evidently we're in for some surprises with tonight's episode and surprises on Game of Thrones usually involve some blood so Bloody Marys are appropriate.

FIRE & BLOODY A Game of Thrones Bloody Mary
INGREDIENTS: 3 Oz. Chilled Crystal Head Vodka 6 Oz. Organic Tomato Juice 4 Dashes Soy Sauce Sriracha Hot Sauce, to taste 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice 1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder 1 Teaspoon Celery Salt 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper Ice
Rim Ingredients: Black Lava Salt, Chili Powder and Celery Salt.
Garnish: Fresh Cilantro & Sriracha Cream Cheese Stuffed Olives (Recipe below.)
Tools: Cocktail Shaker
Glass: Pint or Highball
DIRECTIONS: Mix a few dashes of Sriracha, some cilantro and a few dashes of soy sauce in 1 tablespoon of softened cream cheese then stuff this in some green olives. Set aside to garnish the cocktail with later. Coat half the glass rim with some tomato juice then dip in the mixture of Black Lava Salt, chili powder and celery salt. Chill glass in the freezer. Combine ingredients with ice in your cocktail shaker and shake really well to mix the ingredients in with the tomato juice as you chill and dilute. Strain into your pint glass, garnish and serve.

Updated 7-2018 PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

SUMMER COCKTAILS

    "And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer." —F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
SUMMER COCKTAILS 
As the weather heats up and we slide into summer, our cocktail thoughts turn to cool, refreshing drinks. The kind of drinks you would enjoy while sitting out on an early summer evening watching the sun go down. Tall drinks with lots of ice and summer juices and fizzes that slide down just a little too easy. Tart, fruity drinks loaded with garden fresh goodness. Frozen, slushy, brain-freezing glasses of chillness. Drinks made with gin and vodka, maybe a little rum or tequila, or perhaps a wine cooler or punch. Coolers, Mojitos, Sangría, Fizzes, Juleps, Collins, Cobblers, Bucks, Rickeys, Smashes. Yeah, like that.
So I've gathered together some of my favorites for you to enjoy this summer. Sit down, get comfy, this is a long list, I drink a lot in summer.
BASEBALL INSPIRED COCKTAILS
COBBLERS  BERRY CHERRY SHERRY COBBLER
BLACK EYED SUSAN COBBLER
WHISKEY CHERRY COBBLER
COLADAS CARROT COLADA  HIBISCUS COLADA FRAPPÉ
RASPBERRY PINA COLADA
SNEAKY TIKI  STRAWBERRY PINA COLADA
COOLERS
AN APERITIF TO REMEMBER
JUNGLE JUICE
NEVERLAND COOLER
PALOMA RAZPIROSKA SKIP AND GO NAKED
STONED TEQUILA SUNSET STRAWBERRY BASIL MOSCATO COCKTAIL
WATERMELON ORANGE COOLER
FIZZES (Collins, Rickeys, Slings) ABSINTHE MINDED LEPRECHAUN FIZZ
BLACKBERRY BOURBON FIZZ
CHERRY DIAMOND RAMOS FIZZ
CHERRY PEACH WHISKEY RICKEY
GOLDEN RAMOS FIZZ
HIBISCUS HEART FIZZ
PIMM'S BERRY CUP #1RAMOS GIN FIZZ
SPICED RUM POMEGRANATE FIZZ
STONED TEQUILA SUNSET
TERRI'S CHERRY 75
TIJUANA JACKASS
TWISTED FAIRYTALE FIZZ
THYME for a LEMON CHERRY SLING
FLOATS WITH BOOZE CHOCOLATE PORTER BEER FLOATS (2) DECADENT DUTCH FLOAT
FERNET MOCHA FRAPPÉ CHOCOLATE SHAKE
PEACH MELBA BEER FLOAT
REALLY DRUNK BROWN COW
SLIGHTLY BANANAS, DEFINITELY COCONUTS, CHOCOLATE BOOZY SHAKE
FROZEN DRINKS & BOOZESICLES ALL MY MARGARITAS HERE ALL MY DAIQUIRIS HERE RED NOSE SLUSHY
RED, WHITE & BOOZESICLES
JULEPS & SMASHES
ALL MY JULEPS
TEQUILA POMEGRANATE SMASH
WHISKEY PEACH SMASH
MELON COCKTAILS
MOJITOS
BLACKBERRY MOJITO
CHERRY BASIL MOJITO
CHIPOTLE WATERMELON MOJITO
GRAPEFUL DEAD MOJITO
GRILLED PINEAPPLE MOJITO
Mind Your Ps & Qs PEA SHOOT CUCUMBER MOJITO
ALL MY SANGRIAS
SUMMERY SOURS APPLE GO BRAGH SOUR
APRICOT LAVENDER BOURBON SOUR
BLOOD ORANGE BLACKBERRY BOURBON SOUR
PINEAPPLE PISCO SOUR
SPICED LAVENDER BEES KNEES
TANGELO BOURBON TANGO
TIPSY MISS
WATERMELON ROSEMARY GIN SOUR
TIKI COCKTAILS BEACH BUM
DRUNKEN BABY DOLE PINEAPPLE WHIPS
LOST MAI TAI
MERINGUE ISLAND PUNCH
TRIPLE RUM PUNCH
TONICS BUTTERFLY PEAFLOWER & ELDERFLOWER BLACKBERRY BLACKCURRANT CUCUMBER MINT & GREEN TEA STRAWBERRY BASIL VODKA TONIC VODKA TONIC BAR WILD HIBISCUS
And if that's not enough for you, you can use my search bar at top and search for any summer fruit, herb, flavor or booze that you prefer.
"Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August."
—Jenny Han, The Summer I Turned Pretty
Have a great cocktail filled summer! 

Updated 6-21-2018 PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

The WAKE UP CALL, An Espresso & Wine Cocktail

Today was National Wine Day and it also happened to be National Iced Coffee Day. I kept thinking all day, could I? Should I?

Some said it couldn't be done, combining wine with coffee. At least not if you want to end up with a good cocktail.
You just can't say things like that to me, I take it as a challenge.
The WAKE UP CALL A Wine & Espresso Cocktail
INGREDIENTS: 4 Oz. Alamos Malbec Red Wine 2 Oz. Caffè Borghetti Espresso Liqueur 1/4 Oz. Fernet Branca 2 Tablespoons Pasteurized Egg White 1 Tsp. Orange Simple Syrup 3 Dashes Fee Brothers Aztec Bitters Ice
Garnish: Espresso powder, cocoa nibs, orange twist, edible gold stars
Tools: Cocktail shaker
Glass: Old Fashioned
DIRECTIONS: Dry shake all the ingredients except the ice in a cocktail shaker. Add the ice and shake again until chilled. Add a large ice cube to your glass then strain in the cocktail. Garnish and serve.
Yeah! So there! AND it's delicious, subtle and sophisticated. So I gave myself little gold stars.
Neener, neener, neener.
 

Updated 7-2018 PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

RED NOSE DAY Watermelon Cherry Raspberry SLUSHY Drink

What's with all the red noses? What exactly is Red Nose Day? It's a campaign to "make a difference for kids in need" done with humor, comedy and fun. It's represented by wearing a big red clown nose, kind of a fun and playful version of the standard colored ribbon for other charities.
You might be asking what cocktails have to do with it, and that's a good question. Nothing. But not all beverages have to have alcohol in them and virgin cocktails, or mocktails if you prefer, are fun too. Especially for kids, because kids always want to rush to adulthood. When I was out to dinner with my parents I loved it when I got a Shirley Temple. Mom and dad would order that for me and a Roy Rogers for my brother when they ordered their Bourbon and Sevens and we loved them, those simple soda and Maraschino cherry drinks made us feel like grownups.
I love the idea and playfulness of the red nose to represent a charity for children, it's whimsical, funny and cheerful. I wanted to create a healthy, red drink for kids that incorporated that symbol and those qualities. It's for adults too, come on you don't always have to have booze to have fun!
And cats will like this drink too ....

The RED NOSE SLUSHY Non-Alcoholic Cocktail (Mocktail)
INGREDIENTS: 1 Cup Fresh Watermelon, Cubed 1/2 Cup Frozen Raspberries, Pureed 1/2 Cup Fresh or Frozen Dark Cherries, Pureed 1 - 2 Tablespoons Organic Honey, to taste. (I have a sweet tooth so ... 2. A lot depends on the sweetness of your fruit and I used lavender honey from Honey Ridge Farms) 1/2 Oz. Lemon Juice 4 Mint Leaves Dash of Sea Salt 1 Cup Ice
Garnish: MUST have a Red Nose from Walgreens the kids (and adults) can wear! Plus; Watermelon balls (to mimic the red nose), A Lemon Twist, A Sprig of Fresh Mint, Tons of Bordeaux Maraschino Cherries, because that's the best part of the drink where kids are concerned! And Bordeaux Cherries aren't filled with food coloring and chemicals.

Tools: Blender, Red Straws, Cute Cocktail Swizzle Stick.
Glass: Mason Jar Mug with Red Nose Day stickers. Ask for these stickers at Walgreens when you get your red noses, they're free!
DIRECTIONS: Chill glass in the freezer. Add all the ingredients to your blender and pulse on high until the ice is completely blended and you have reached slushy consistency. Pour into your chilled glass, add the straw and swizzle stick then garnish and serve.
Be sure to tweet this and use the hashtags #RedNoseDay #RedNose4Kids AND ESPECIALLY #RedNose25 because the Gates Foundation will donate $25 for each tweet to the Red Nose Day Fund up to 1 million dollars!
PLUS you should really Get Your Red Nose On too over at NBC! Bailey did!

Oh, okay, if you legal drinking age folks MUST add some spirits, try adding in 1-1/2 ounces of good rum, vodka or tequila - but keep it away from the kids and donate an extra few bucks to Red Nose Day to assuage your guilt, you boozer! (Shhh, a little white rum did not hurt this drink at all!)

PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

The RED WOMAN'S Spiced Wine Punch

"Lord of Light! Come to us in our darkness. We offer you these false gods. Take them and cast your light upon us. For the night is dark and full of terrors."
Melisandre, The Red Woman. Is she evil? Is she good? Let's do a quick checklist.
Good: she brought Jon Snow back to life. Of course she believes he's the reincarnation of legendary hero Azor Ahai, the "Prince That Was Promised", so this might have been a selfish move. Which she wasn't even sure she could accomplish. But she did and that's good. All I got for good so far. Except she looks really great in blood red.
Bad: In her effort to serve her God, R’hllor, the Lord of Light, she tried to  get Stannis (whom she originally thought was the prince that was promised) a crown by creating murderous Shadow Demons and offering up Stannis' daughter as sacrifice to her quest, amongst other evil queen-ish maneuvers.

She also uses some form of magic to stay young. You might believe it's that ruby red necklace, I think she bathes in in the blood of newborn babies, or something equally Wicked Witch-ish.

To complicate things, there might even be another Red Woman making her presence known in upcoming episodes. A mysterious woman named Kinvara showed up in Meereen this season wearing the same ruby red necklace! Does she believe that Daenerys Targaryen is Azor Ahai?

Either way, I can't see any high priestess of R’hllor drinking anything but a spiced, blood red wine punch ... probably spiced with dried baby tears or desiccated bunny tails ...

The RED WOMAN'S Spiced Wine Punch
INGREDIENTS: 4 Oz. Malbec Wine 1/2 Oz. Kirschwasser 4 Large Strawberries, pureed 10 Fresh Raspberries, pureed 1 Oz. Fresh Lime Juice 1 Oz. Spiced Simple Syrup* Ice
Garnish: Frozen raspberries, A fresh strawberry and an anise pod
Tools: Cocktail shaker
Glass: Blood red goblet
DIRECTIONS: Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake until icy cold. Straight into your goblets, garnish and serve.

* Spiced Simple Syrup Recipe
5 Cardamom Seeds 1 Star Anise Pod 1 Small Stick of Cinnamon 3 Dried Orange Peels 1 Cup Cane Sugar 1 Cup Water
Bring all the ingredients to a boil, reduce the heat and allow to simmer five minutes. Cool, strain and store, sealed and refrigerated, for up to a month. This simple syrup can be used not only for cocktails, but for hot and cold tea, hot toddys and even for a spiced cocoa.
As for our Red Women, I leave it to you to work out who's good, evil or just plain fanatical, but keep this quote, from one of the good guys, in mind:
The Lord of Light wants his enemies burned. ~ Tyrion Lannister

Updated 4-2019 PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

PREAKNESS BLACK EYED SUSAN COBBLER COCKTAIL

The Preakness is held every third Saturday of May at the Pimlico Race Track. Like all of the Triple Crown Races, it has it's own signature cocktail and that is the Black Eyed Susan, traditionally a vodka and citrus drink.
Named after the long-standing tradition of presenting the winner of the Preakness with a blanket of Black-Eyed Susans, which is draped across the shoulders of the winning horse, this seriously maligned drink has changed recipes over the years, much like the Belmont Stakes cocktail. Rob Kasper of the Baltimore Sun said “like a racehorse that keeps changing jockeys, the Susan has changed recipes.”
From the original vodka, rum, triple sec, orange and pineapple juice version, the Susan has been served up as recipes that added peach schnapps or a shot of bourbon and even a splash of Elderflower liqueur. It all seems to depend on the bartender or which booze is sponsoring the race each year. Orange juice is a constant, while pineapple juice slips in every once in awhile. Even grapefruit juice  was added at one time.
I've done my own cocktail versions for the Kentucky Derby as well as the above mentioned Belmont Stakes and, since no one seems to be able to make up their mind on the Black Eyed Susan, I figured I was well within my rights to toss my own recipe into the race!
Originally the cocktail started out with vodka and rum, then dropped the rum when vodka was having it's heyday at the turn of the millennium,  then whiskey snuck in and sort of stuck along with the whiskey sponsor. Despite prevailing tradition, I'm just not into the vodka for this one. With the fruit juices I really want some alcohol with some muscle and a little age on it, so I'm going with rye and rum, both of which play very well with the pineapple and the orange. I also added a dash of bitters to cut the sweetness I've included with the coconut honey.

The BLACK EYED SUSAN COBBLER COCKTAIL
INGREDIENTS: 2 Oz. Templeton Rye Whiskey 1/4 Oz. Diplomatico Rum 3 Oz. Pineapple juice 1/2 Oz. Lime Juice 1 Oz. Orange Juice 1 Tablespoon of Honey Ridge Farms Honey Cremé Coconut 1 Tablespoon of hot water 2 Dashes Grapefruit Bitters Lots of Crushed Ice
Garnish: Mandarin Orange Sections, Pineapple Chunks, Luxardo Maraschino Cherries and a Lime Slice.(An edible yellow flower, like a  calendula, is a really nice touch, if you can get a hold of them, mine are still in sprout stage. I was unable to find out if Black Eyed Susans are edible in any way, if anyone knows leave a comment.)
Tools: Biodegradable Paper Straws, Bee Swizzle Stick (got my cute bee one from The Swizzle Stick Shop.)
Glass: Collins
DIRECTIONS: Add the hot water to the Honey Cremé Coconut in the glass and mix well. Fill the Collins glass with crushed ice. Pour the in the rye, rum, pineapple, orange and lime juices then stir to chill.(You can shake the ingredients with ice in a shaker if you prefer.)Pile on the fruit garnishes (and an edible flower if you have one), add a fun swizzle stick, a straw and serve.
VOICEOVER VIDEO WITH INGREDIENTS AND DIRECTIONS:

If you prefer to go with a more traditional horse race cocktail, here are a few of my variations on the Mint Julep.


Updated 5-2026PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY