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Category: Cocktails
Tonight’s cocktail is a tweak on Greg Mays’ Chata Cafe Cream cocktail of rumchata, rum, Kahlua, and cream. In my tweak, I used Malibu rum and substituted vodka for the cream. This cocktail looks subdued but has a nice little kick – definitely proving the adage don’t judge a book by its cover. The coffee flavors and sweetness from the Kahlua combined with the spicy sweetness from the Caruva Horchata and coconut notes from the Malibu make for a lot going on. The key to managing the sweetness was in the proportions – surprisingly more Kahlua and horchata than Malibu rum – and adding vodka to extend the drink without diluting it. This is a wonderful summer happy hour drink filled with Mexico…
Tonight’s cocktail comes from a recent article in Men’s Journal; This Summer, Drink More Whiskey: 6 Perfect Cocktails. I found this cocktail intriguing for two reasons. First, I am certain there is a typo in the recipe – it should not take 14 ounces of coffee liqueur – and second because it sounds like a snazzy and jazzy Manhattan… and I like a good Manhattan. So, I picked up some Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth to be sure I was using all the correct ingredients and I adjusted the 14 ounces of coffee liqueur to 1/4 ounce and got busy making this cocktail. And…. wow! This drink is a snazzy and jazzy upgraded Manhattan. I even garnished mine with one of my…
Hey, what’s up? Have you missed me? Well, I had to handle some business this week and that kept me out of the kitchen, but I am back at it now. And with this being the first week of Summer, this week’s cocktail was better suited to Saturday mornings than a Friday night. This cocktail holds a special place in my heart. The first time I had one was in Venice at Harry’s Bar, where the drink originated. And my girlfriend and I were thoroughly entranced by this delicious sipper. So much so, we bought one of those 6 packs of pre-mixed Bellinis available all over Venice. Well, while taking the train from Venice to Rome, I was clowning around with…
With all the news media coverage about possible Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and alleged collusion, here’s a way to collude with the Russians that won’t involve Senate, House or FBI investigations. The only risk is that these drinks might interfere with your sobriety if you are not careful! За здоровье! Save Print Black Russian Prep time: 5 mins Total time: 5 mins Serves: 1 Ingredients 5 parts vodka 2 parts coffee liqueur (like Kahlua, Tia Maria, or Galliano Ristretto) Instructions Chill a highball or martini glass with ice. In a shaker with ice, add the vodka and coffee liqueur. Empty glass and add fresh ice. Shake well then strain into the glass. 3.5.3226 Chill a highball or…
It’s Negroni week so there was only choice for this week’s cocktail. Known as an apéritif, the Negroni has a convoluted history. Some say it was created in the early 1900’s in Florence when Count Camillo Negroni asked for gin to be substituted for the club soda in his Americano. Another story claims another Count de Negroni, General Pascal Olivier de Negroni, created the drink in Senegal in 1857. Call me a cynic, but I am more inclined to believe it was created by a bartender/mixologist via experimentation; maybe for a customer named Negroni. Regardless of how it was created, it is a simple yet elegant drink. And the Negroni’s popularity is evident – how many other cocktails…
Here is a throwback to the old days. This cocktail is one of the first I ever ordered at a bar once I turned 21 and could legally order a drink. Basically it is a fizzy gin lemonade. What’s not to like about that? Perfect for a warm late Spring or Summer evening, the Tom Collins (gin based) can be made with vodka (a Vodka Collins), tequila (a Juan Collins), or whiskey (a John Collins) to suit your tastes. There is a lot of interesting information about the convoluted history of this cocktail, but I won’t delve into the foray of where, who, or how this cocktail originated. Let’s suffice it to say we will have to wait for time travel to…
Let’s kick off the Memorial Day weekend with what I consider to be an interesting martini variant – the Citadelle Germain. This cocktail features the flowery fragrance and herbaceous flavors of Citadelle Gin and St. Germain. The Lillet Blanc is a wonderful supporting player to balance out all the herbaceous sweetness from the other two ingredients. With summer coming on strong (finally!) here in the Pacific Northwest, this cocktail is a perfect pre-dinner sipper; a delicious tipple to enjoy while the sun crests into the West. If you like martini variants, I strongly suggest you give this cocktail a try. You won’t be disappointed. Save Print Citadelle Germain Prep time: 5 mins Total time: 5 mins Serves: 1 Ingredients…
It looks like warmer weather has finally arrived here in the Pacific Northwest and with it, I am ready to enjoy one of my favorite warm weather cocktails – the Mojito. Originally from Cuba, this cocktail is popular nearly everywhere now. This drink is easier to make than you may think – the basic recipe is lime, mint, simple syrup, rum and club soda. Naturally, I like to make small adjustments as in adding a little bit of lemon when muddling the mint and lime. Depending on your tastes, this drink can be prepared strained or not. Each variation produces subtle differences and I find it delicious either way. Perfect for a summer afternoon or evening, the Mojito is as refreshing or potent as you desire – just…
The Revolver Tonight’s first cocktail, The Revolver, is a treat… bourbon, coffee liqueur, orange bitters and orange twist. Simple yet refined, this cocktail is an impressive twist on the basic Manhattan recipe. It relies on a spicy ‘rye forward’ bourbon to maximize flavor. The coffee liqueur substitutes for the sweet vermouth and can be any variant available to suit your tastes – Kahlua, Tia Maria, Galliano Ristretto, etc. Tonight I chose Galliano Ristretto, but have used Kahlua as well, which will subtly change the end result. I think this cocktail is a great way to reboot your love of Manhattans… try one and let me know if you agree! Save Print The Revolver Author: Jon Santer Prep time: 5 mins…
Today is Cinco de Mayo and it is also Friday. So, I am going to dedicate Friday’s cocktail post to the Cinco festivities. But wait… you know I cannot just keep it that simple. Since I have some Guinness on hand after the Guinness Lamb Stew I recently made, why not combine the two? That’s right… a Guinness Margarita. The recipe comes from Heather Christo’s blog and I have to admit I was skeptical about this cocktail. Then I tasted it… and wow! The robust flavors in Guinness are nuanced by the unique tequila flavor while tempered by the citrus and sweetened nicely by the agave nectar. There is a whole lot going on in that glass! I chose…