The RASPBERRY SGROPPINO, An Italian Inspired Cocktail

I recently bought a nice, new pint of Talenti Romance Raspberry Sorbet that was crying out to become a cocktail. Most of the time I just grab a spoon and pour some homemade Magic Shell* on this fabulous raspberry dense sorbet, but this time it was looking to get a little buzz on and I knew exactly how to go about that.

In Italy they often serve a cocktail known as a Sgroppino as a digestive or a dessert. It's a light, frothy combination of lemon sorbet and prosecco that was originally served in Venice as a palate cleanser between the fish and meat course. Prounounced "ss-guro-peno", the word is a derivative of sgroppare, which translates to "untie" or "undo", an apt name for drink originally devised as a palate cleanser.
Some recipes add vodka or limoncello or both, but the original palate cleansing recipe was served without either. I chose to add citrus vodka to carry the lemon and switch out the lemon sorbet for the lovely Talenti raspberry.

The RASPBERRY SGROPPINO Cocktail
INGREDIENTS 1/3 Cup Raspberry Sorbet 1 Oz. Citrus Vodka 3 Oz. Chilled Prosecco
Tools: Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl, Whisk, Ladle Glass: Chilled Champagne Flute
DIRECTIONS In a chilled stainless steel bowl, whisk together the sorbet and the raspberry vodka. While whisking, slowly pour in the prosecco until frothy.  Ladle into the chilled flute, garnish and serve.
* Magic Shell is a chocolate ice cream topping that hardens when it hits ice cream. I make my own by mixing 12 ounces of a high quality (70%+) chopped dark chocolate with 3 tablespoons of lightly heated coconut oil.

Updated 12-2018 PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

The BOURBON PEANUT BUTTER CUP COCKTAIL

  I've done a few Peanut Butter Cup cocktails over the years as The Martini Diva. Generally I've used vodkas in them.  This time I decided I wanted to try bourbon because I had just discovered this fabulous recipe for Bacon Bourbon Caramel Popcorn from Genius Kitchen and I really wanted to pair it with a kindred cocktail.

Here I used Frangelico because it is readily available, but I have also done this recipe using Castries Peanut Rum Creme Liqueur in place of the Frangelico. It really brings home the peanut flavor but it is difficult to find these days. If you can find it give that version a try as well, it's creamier because of the Castries but equally delicious.

The

BOURBON

PEANUT BUTTER CUP

COCKTAIL

INGREDIENTS

2 Oz. Frangelico

1 Oz. Bourbon

1 Oz. Dark Creme De Cacao

2 Dashes Black Walnut Bitters

Garnish: Peanut Butter and Shaved Chocolate Rim

Tools:  Small plates for chocolate shavings, Cocktail shaker

Glass: Cocktail or Coupe

DIRECTIONS

• Shave a bar of chocolate over a small plate.
• Spread peanut butter on the rim of your glass with a finger then dip rim in the chocolate shavings.
• Chill the glass in the freezer.
• Add the ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice then shake until chilled.
• Strain into your chilled glass and serve with the killer Bacon Bourbon Caramel Popcorn mentioned above.

Yes, those are a couple of Peanut Butter Cup Pops on the plate and they're very easy to make. You simply grab a buttered melon baller (you can also butter the palms of your hands and get down and dirty), scoop out some peanut butter balls onto a piece of parchment paper, shove in some pop sticks then freeze those for a few hours until they're solid. Then you melt some chocolate and dip the frozen peanut butter balls sticks into that and chill them down in the fridge until the chocolate sets. Bingo, homemade peanut butter cups on a stick or Peanut Butter Cup Pops.

National Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Day isAugust 11th and I Love Reese's Day us May 18th.

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CHOCOLATE CHIP MARTINI Cocktail Recipe

Because I could.   The
CHOCOLATE CHIP
MARTINI

INGREDIENTS
2 Oz. Dark Creme de Cacao
1 Oz. Chocolate Vodka*
1 Oz. Noilly Prat Dry Vermouth
Pinch of Smoked Salt

Garnish: Cocoa Powder and Sugar Rim, Chocolate Chips

Tools: Cocktail Shaker

Glass: Martini Cocktail

DIRECTIONS
Fill your cocktail shaker with ice then add the ingredients and shake until well chilled.
Strain into your chilled glass then place a few chocolate chips on the rim and serve.

How to make your own Chocolate Vodka.
National Chocolate Chip Day is August 4th.

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COLORADO BULLDOG COCKTAIL

On August 1st, 1876 Colorado was admitted into the Union as the 38th state. Known as the Centennial State, it was named after the Colorado River (Rio Colorado) and has the highest median elevation in the United States.
It also has its own cocktail, the Colorado Bulldog, which is a variation of a White Russian. How it got the Bulldog attached is up for debate, but I did notice there are a large number of sports teams in Colorado named Bulldogs.

The COLORADO BULLDOG COCKTAIL
INGREDIENTS 2 Oz. Vodka 2 Oz. Kahlua 2 Oz. Cream 2 Oz. Cola
DIRECTIONS Combine the vodka, Kahlua, and cream in a shaker filled with ice, shake well, strain into a chilled rocks glass filled with ice cubes, top off with cola.
Fun Colorado Facts
Colorado Day is August 1st.
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POMSICLES - FROZEN BOOZY POMEGRANATE ICE POP COCKTAILS

Once upon a time, on a very, very hot summer day I wanted a cocktail so cold that I joked I needed a Cocktail Popsicle. I liked that idea so much I made myself some Pomsicles. It was pretty easy since I had a huge bottle of Pom Wonderful in the fridge as well as Pama Pomegranate Liqueur and Pomegranate Vodka.  

I took the opportunity to dip a few in chocolate "magic shell", an ice cream coating that solidifies when it hits something very cold, like ice cream or popsicles. I love chocolate and fresh fruit together, I wasn't going to miss that opportunity.

POMSICLES
Frozen Pomegranate Ice Pop Cocktails

INGREDIENTS
For 1 ice pop - (For 6 standard 4 ounce ice pops)
2 Tbsp. (6 Oz.) Pomegranate Vodka
1 Tsp. (1 Oz.) Pama Pomegranate Liqueur
5 Oz. (30 Oz.) Pom Pomegranate Juice
1/2 Oz. (3 Oz.) Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp. (6 Tbsp.) Pomegranate Arils (Seeds)

OPTIONAL GARNISH:  Magic Shell Chocolate Coating

TOOLS:  Pitcher with a spout

DIRECTIONS
Mix all the ingredients together in a large pitcher.
Pour mixture into the molds, leaving a little room at the top for expansion as the liquid freezes.
Wipe off any spills or drips so they won't cause the ice pop to stick in the molds.
Pop in the freezer overnight. (If you are using molds that require adding wooden popsicle sticks, freeze the pops until partially frozen - about three or four hours - then slide the stick gently into the center of the pop. If the stick stands on it's own you can then continue to freezing the pops overnight.
To remove the pops from the molds simply dip them in a bowl of warm water or just let them sit out for a few minutes before removing the ice pop from the mold.

Just before eating or serving, if you like the chocolate coating idea, pour some of your Magic Shell into a glass then dip in the tops of your Pomsicles.

STORAGE TIP
I like to remove my Boozesicles™ from the molds, pop them in individual plastic baggies and refreeze for an hour before serving. They seem to solidify a bit better and they can be kept in the baggies for several weeks as well.  

 
MORE FROZEN COCKTAILS   PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY  

FROZEN COCKTAILS - Boozy Floats, Shakes, & Ice Pops

 

  Summer is here and it's time for some frozen booze! When the blistering heat waves roll in it's time to find a cool way to chill down at the end of the day and these chilled out cocktails will do the trick.  

  FROZEN COCKTAILS Floats, Boozesicles, Shakes & Ice Pops   BANANAS FOSTER BOOZY SHAKE CHOCOLATE MILKSHAKE MARTINI CHOCOLATE PORTER BEER FLOATS COCKTAIL GRANITAS DECADENT DUTCH COCKTAIL FLOAT
FERNET MOCHA FRAPPE SHAKE FROZEN ICE POP COCKTAILS GRAPESICLES LICUADOS DE MAYO Cocktail & Mocktail Recipes
MISSISSIPPI MUD PIE MARTINI SHAKE PEACH ICE CREAM SODA FLOAT PEACH MELBA BEER FLOAT POMSICLES - FROZEN POMEGRANATE ICE POPS  REALLY DRUNK BROWN COW BEER FLOAT 
RED, WHITE & BOOZESICLES ROOT BEER FLOAT COCKTAIL
SAMOA COOKIE BOOZY SHAKE
SLIGHTLY BANANAS DEFINITELY COCONUTS CHOCOLATE BOOZY SHAKE   And Let's Not Forget The SLUSHY! Ginja Ninja Slushy Grilled Pineapple Margarita Slushy Red Nose Cherry Raspberry Watermelon Slushy Rubber Ducky Mango Pineapple Slushy Stranger Things Waffle Bourbon Cola Slushy Zombie Aneurysm Slush  

 

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Best CHOCOLATE MARTINI of them all!

This is it, the MAC DADDY of designer martinis,

THE CHOCOLATE MARTINI.
There are many variations on this classic and you can find most of them in my Chocolate Cocktails page, but this is the very first Chocolate Martini I ever had and it's still in my top ten favorites because there is something so soothing about chocolate. We women have known this forever and finally the world has come around to our way of thinking. You no longer have to feel guilty about your chocolate obsession. Just be prudent, this is a powerhouse of a cocktail and it tastes so good it's very easy to overindulge.
  CHOCOLATE IS GOOD FOR YOU!
There are over 300 chemicals contained in chocolate, someday someone had to find some that were good for us and they did. One study has shown that the smell of chocolate might relax you by increasing theta waves in your brain. Chocolate contains small amounts of a chemical called phenylethylamine (PEA) which is a mood elevator, but we knew that already, didn't we?
  According to the Mayo Clinic studies, the stearic acid in chocolate is a neutral fat that does not increase bad cholesterol. The cocoa butter in chocolate has oleic acid which is a mono-unsaturated fat - the same type of fat found in olive oil which might actually raise good cholesterol. Chocolate also contains proteins, rivoflavin, calcium and iron.   What more can you ask from a cocktail?

The

Best
CHOCOLATE MARTINI
Recipe Around

INGREDIENTS
2 Oz. Chocolate Vodka
1 Oz. Chocolate Liqueur
1/4 Oz. Coffee Liqueur (Kahlua)
1 Oz. CreamDash of Coffee Bitters

Garnish: Chocolate Sprinkles Rim

DIRECTIONS
Dip your glass rim in either of the liqueurs and then into the chocolate sprinkles.
Chill the glass in the freezer to cool.
Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously until chilled.
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and serve.
Voiceover Video with Ingredients and Directions:

"There are four basic food groups: milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, and chocolate truffles." - Anonymous

NOW there's five basic food groups - just add Chocolate Martinis.

National Chocolate Day is October 28th.
 Updated 10-2021 PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY