WHITE RUSSIAN, a.k.a., the Walter and Donnie

WHITE RUSSIAN
1 measure vodka
1 measure Kahlua
1 measure whipping cream

I have a wonderful friend from my college days at Ohio University named Heather, a.k.a, Emo. Today is Emo’s birthday and when I last saw her she told her favorite cocktail is a Walter & Donnie, a.k.a. a WHITE RUSSIAN.

The WHITE RUSSIAN has become known as the Walter & Donnie among fans of the classic comedy movie, The Big Lebowski (1998.) One of the first Coen Brother’s movies, The Big Lebowski was a flop when it first came out, but has since become a cult classic. Walter and Donnie, along with the “Dude” Lebowski, are two of the main characters. Dude, played to perfection by Jeff Bridges, is an aging slacker who pursues only three things in life — avoiding work, bowling, and drinking WHITE RUSSIANS. Dude drinks nine of the alcoholic milkshakes in the movie

Though I would have loved to have a WHITE RUSSIAN with her in person, Emo loved Athens, the home of Ohio University, so much, that she never left. Alas, that is four hours away from me. So, it was without her, but with some other great friends, that I whipped up a WHITE RUSSIAN. It was pretty easy too. I just put vodka, Kahlua and heavy whipping cream into a shaker. I then added ice, gave it some good shakes and poured the light brown mixture into a cocktail glass half-filled with shaved ice.

I’ve probably only had one other WHITE RUSSIAN in my life and I now wonder why, because it’s become one of my new favorites. The combination of vodka and Kahlua tastes a lot better than it sounds. The WHITE RUSSIAN is sweet, creamy and yummy. You hardly taste the alcohol, yet you can feel it effects. This cocktail is a bit on the heavy side. Still, I could drink several in a row. But that’s just me. Well, me and the Dude. OK, me, the Dude and Emo.

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Cocktail Connie

CHOCOLATE COVERED BANANA MARTINI



How could you resist?



CHOCOLATE COVERED BANANA MARTINI

Vodka

Crème de Banana

Baileys

Dark Crème de Cacao

I went to not one, but two, martini bars tonight. The reasons being  #1) I needed to get out of the house and escape my responsibilities #2) I hadn’t seen my sister-in-law Amy, whom I love, since Christmas and had yet to share a cocktail with her in 2012. #3) Do I really need a number 3?

In my rush to get out of the house, I went to the wrong martini bar tonight. After an illuminating phone call and a mad dash to the right martini bar, I was more than ready for tonight’s cocktail. I chose a CHOCOLATE COVERED BANANA MARTINI just because it sounded good, and I was not disappointed. The friendly bartender put the ingredients above into a shaker, shook it well with ice and put it into a martini glass drizzled with chocolate. That was a real nice touch, but I was even more impressed with the sidecar shot glass containing the extras from the shaker. Props to Billy’s Martini Bar in Mentor, Ohio, for giving its customers a martini and a half for the price of one martini.

I will definitely be back to Billy’s because the CHOCOLATE COVERED BANANA MARTINI was delicious, yummy and all that. I tasted more chocolate than banana, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. Whenever I use to think of a chocolate covered banana, I thought of a childhood favorite — Cedar Point Amusement Park. But now I’ll think of Billy’s Martini Bar. The CHOCOLATE COVERED BANANA MARTINI was that good. It can erase childhood memories. It was a creamy, decadent treat that one needs to try at least once in a lifetime, even if you’ve never been to Cedar Point.

Patty and her Hot N' Dirty

My CHOCOLATE COVERED BANANA MARTINI was the polar opposite of what girlfriend Patty had- — a hot n’ dirty martini. Hers was the kind of cocktail that puts your mouth on fire and your butt in the bar stool for a good, long, while, because it has to be sipped slowly. The hot n’ dirty featured jalapeno peppers, Tabasco sauce, a limey flavor and God knows what else in it. Patty enjoyed it, but don’t look for it in my list anytime soon. The more adventurous I become, the more focused I become onwhat I like. And it’s kinda nice.

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Cocktail Connie

THE BIG APPLE

THE BIG APPLE

1 measure applejack

½ measure sweet vermouth

2 dashes Angostura Bitters

I don’t know what was with me tonight, but I wasn’t in the mood for a cocktail. A beer was calling my name and my favorite Michelob Light was in the fridge. Sweet Hubby saw my lack of enthusiasm and took it upon himself to make tonight’s cocktail. So of course it contained applejack. The intriguing alcohol from the 17^th century, which is made of 35% apple brandy mixed with 65% neutral grain spirits, has become a new favorite of his.

To make the BIG APPLE cocktail (also called the Applejack Manhattan ) Hubby mixed applejack and sweet vermouth into a shaker, added ice and gave it some shakes. He then strained it into a glass, added two dashes of bitters and garnished with a boozy cherry he had soaked in maraschino juice. Bourbon, brandy, or any ol’ alcohol you have around will do, with the exception of rubbing alcohol.

I admit the BIG APPLE was good. It was a sweet, if very strong, combo of liquids. I especially liked the bitters and would have added another dash, but I’m not gonna complain. Hubby ended up putting ice in his. He said it gets better as it gets watered down, but I’m a classic cocktail kind of girl. In the end, I couldn’t decide and just had to have both the BIG APPLE and the beer. Another good combo of liquids.

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Cocktail Connie

THE COINTREAU COSMO

COINTREAU COSMOPOLITAN

¾ measure Cointreau

1 ½ measure vodka

Fresh lime juice

Splash of cranberry

It was a “back of the bottle” kind of night and the cocktail recipe that caught my eye was on the back on my Cointreau bottle. I’ve become a big fan of the orange liquor from France and this recipe sounded yummy. Called the COINTREAU COSMOPOLITAN, I was intrigued by the cocktail’s mixture of Cointreau and vodka — another favorite of mine. Plus, I had some lime and cranberry juice in the new fridge. Done! I can’t understand why any liquor wouldn’t put recipes on the back of their bottles. Surely, I’m not the only lazy person out there.

Cointreau’s Marketing Department did not disappoint and neither did the COINTREAU COSMOPOLITAN. To make it, simply put the list of stuff above into a shaker, fill it with ice, shake and strain into martini glasses. If you have the foresight, chill the glasses for at least a half an hour before hand for a nice touch.

You’ll find the COINTREAU COSMOPOLITAN to be a smooth, luscious twist to the usual cosmo. The orange liquor enhances the vodka nicely. But with two types of alcohol and not much else, this is a strong cocktail. In fact, it warmed my tummy a bit, which is always a sign of a strong one, and I felt a little tipsy after just one. Yep, love those back of the bottle drinks.

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Cocktail Connie

ARTIST SPECIAL

ARTIST SPECIAL

1 measure scotch

1 measure sweet brown sherry

½ measure lemon juice

½ measure grenadine

I had high hopes for the ARTIST SPECIAL cocktail. It was popular in Paris in the 1920s, when it was invented at the Artists’ Club in the rue Pigalle. The description in my book of 750 cocktails said it was appealing mixture, and I like the cocktail’s name. Heck, I love art and artists.

But I do not love the ARTIST SPECIAL cocktail. To make it, I put scotch, sherry, lemon juice and grenadine, in the measurements above, into a shaker, added ice and chilled the mixture thoroughly with aggressive shakes. I then strained it into some cute little cocktail glasses, and tried to garnish with orange twists, put they quickly floated to the bottom. A slice of lemon would have worked better.

As I said, I don’t think this one is a winner. It’s not that bad, but its also not that good. But what would I expect with a cocktail that combines sherry and scotch? The kinds I used were cheap, and that may have influenced the final product. But I have a feeling the ARTIST SPECIAL would have that odd, terrible taste, even with higher quality booze. It was a pretty color and I still like the name, but that’s about it. I’d recommend some other cocktail I’ve tried this year to get your artistic side flowing.

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Cocktail Connie

LUCIOUS BARBARA

BARBARA
1 measure vodka
1 measure white crème de cacao
½ measure heavy cream

In honor of National Women’s History Month, I present a list of my favorite famous Barbaras!

 

·         Barbara Walters:  Glass ceiling-breaking journalist

·         Barbara Stanwyck:  Actress known best as the family matriarch in TV’s “The Big Valley”

·         Barbara Pierce Bush: Wife of George Bush and mother of George W. She always seemed so honest and real.

·         Barbara Slate:  Cartoonist, artist and Marvel Comics author.

·         Santa Barbara, CA:  I hear it’s pretty there and the temperature is perfect.

·         BARBARA the cocktail:  Soo good. To make it, add the ingredients above to a shaker. Add ice, shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with chocolate shavings and enjoy! BARBARA the cocktail is creamy goodness. This strong dessert cocktail should indeed be a dessert, and you shouldn’t need more than one to sleep well. It’s like a Black Russian, but more chocolate than coffee-flavored. A big improvement in my opinion.

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Cocktail Connie

BIRTHDAY CAKE MARTINI!!

BIRTHDAY CAKE MARTINI

2 ounces cake-flavored vodka

Splash of Godiva white chocolate or original liqueur

Splash of heavy cream

Whipped cream for garnish

Birthday candle optional

I have many family and friends with March birthdays. My Mom, Dad, Son, Brother-in-law, and Billy Bush are just a few of them. We had some family over for my son’s 12^thbirthday tonight and I got some sly smiles when I said that I was serving BIRTHDAY CAKE MARTINIS. Everyone wanted one, so I got pretty good at making the good looking cocktail.

To make the BIRTHDAY CAKE MARTINI, you’ll need cake-flavored vodka. Three Olives is the kind I used. I took the vodka and put two ounces into a shaker. I then added a splash — which is a little more than a dash — of Godiva white chocolate liqueur and heavy cream. I filled the shaker with ice, gave it some firm shakes and strained the white creamy mixture into a martini glass. I topped it off with a generous swirl of whipped cream from an aerosol can.

The BIRTHDAY CAKE MARTINI will make you want to celebrate someone’s birthday every day. It tastes and smells just like vanilla cake with frosting. All that was missing was a candle. We quickly made up for that though. But as you can see from the smaller picture, keeping a candle straight in the whipped cream wasn’t so easy.

I thought the BIRTHDAY CAKE MARTINI was pretty strong, but family members disagreed. Of course, they were already two drinks in, so that may have influenced their opinion. Once the whipped cream started to melt, I thought it was less strong and even better tasting. My step-mother said if she had a birthday every time she wanted to drink a BIRTHDAY CAKE MARTINI, she’d be 110 real quick. My friend Carolyn called it delightful and everyone agreed that it was not too sweet. If you have a loved one’s birthday coming up, make it special with a BIRTHDAY CAKE MARTINI. But, really, no excuse is needed.

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Cocktail Connie

SLOW COMFORTABLE SCREW

SLOW COMFORTABLE SCREW

1 measure vodka

¾ measure Southern Comfort

¾ measure sloe gin

5 measures orange juice

The 1970s must have been a fun time. Hippies, bellbottoms, School House Rock and the Partridge Family are just some of the delightful things that came out of that era. A fun cocktail with an embarrassing name, the SLOW COMFORTABLE SCREW, is also a product of the 1970s. It has since turned into a modern-day classic.

To make the SLOW COMFORTABLE SCREW, you’ll need the four ingredients above. Southern Comfort is a sweet fusion of fruit and spices concocted in New Orleans. Sloe gin is a creamy, purple, liqueur made when sloe berries are infused with high-proof gin and a little bit of sugar. Sloes are little berries, about the size of a dime, that grow wild in hedgerows all over England. By themselves, they taste terrible. But the Brits figured out that they taste much better after they are soaked in alcohol. Hence the tart, but delicious, sloe gin was born. Take the Southern Comfort, the sloe gin, and the vodka, in the measurements above, and put them into a tall glass with ice. Give it a stir before filling the rest of the glass with orange juice and adding a cherry for garnish. I read that a straw is a must as well.

The SLOW COMFORTABLE SCREW reminds me of Spring Break and my beginning years of drinking. I have fuzzy memories of ordering it at bars just for the fun of saying its name. Now I know why. The SLOW COMFORTABLE SCREW is way sweet, like fruit punch. Its dark pink and easy to drink. I enjoyed one, but then I needed a beer to counter-balance it. If you like sweet drinks, or simply want to revisit your youth, this is the cocktail for you.

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Cocktail Connie

WHY YOU SHOULD KISS & TELL

KISS AND TELL

1 measure vodka

½ measure Galliano

¼ measure dry vermouth

¼ measure blue Curacao

2 measures orange juice

1 measure passion or mango fruit juice

The KISS AND TELL cocktail is a busy one with lots of bottles needed, but it is well worth a trip to the liquor store. Its color is an exotic green — yet it doesn’t use any green alcohol like Midori —and it has a tropical taste.

To make the KISS AND TELL, you’ll need all the ingredients above, plus some fruit for garnish. Put them all into a large shaker without losing track of what you’re doing, which is not an easy task if you like to talk while you pour like me. After you have them all in, add ice to the shaker, shake and strain into a tall glass. Ice in the glass is optional, but I thought it made the KISS AND TELL better. Garnish with an orange and cherry, or other fruit if you wish.

You could use any fruit for garnish because there are lots of flavors in the KISS AND TELL. Hubby thought he was at a Chinese restaurant for a second after I handed him one. Despite all the alcohol, the cocktail is refreshing and tasty. The orange flavor is predominant, but not too strong. And unlike most colorful drinks, this cocktail is not too sweet. I recommend both drinking and doing the KISS AND TELL.

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Cocktail Connie

ORANGE BLOSSOM

ORANGE BLOSSOM

1 ½ measures gin

1 ½ measures freshly squeezed orange juice

As spring continues to bloom, so does the ORANGE BLOSSOM cocktail. Pretty name, isn’t it? Pretty good drink too and pretty simple. To make the ORANGE BLOSSOM, put gin and orange juice in the measurement above into a shaker. Add ice, shake and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with an orange slice for flair and fun.

I know the ORANGE BLOSSOM is just a gin and juice, but I really enjoyed its simple taste. It makes me think that orange juice would make any type of clear alcohol taste good. In fact, the ORANGE BLOSSOM was very popular at the Speakeasies during the 1920s Prohibition Era, because the orange juice masked the flavor of homemade bathtub gin. Thank God those days are over! Never take the fact that you can walk into a liquor store and purchase 20 different flavors of vodka for granted.

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Cocktail Connie

JACK FROST

JACK FROST

1 measure Jack Daniels

¾ measure dry vermouth

1/3 measure crème de banana

1 measure passion fruit juice

1/3 measure pineapple juice

I know, I know, in Ohio we are experiencing a heat wave in March and a cocktail named JACK FROST just doesn’t seem right. That’s what I thought until I figured out that the JACK FROST got its name from its main ingredients — Jack Daniels Kentucky Whiskey and frothy pineapple juice.

To make the JACK FROST, you could really use Jack Daniels or Jim Beam, another great Kentucky Whiskey. Start by putting the whiskey and all the other ingredients above into a shaker. There are a lot of them, but they are all good and the effort is worth it. Be sure to take a whiff of the crème de banana after you pour it. I love the banana smell. Of course, I’m not at Michelle’s in Montana anymore and I can’t find passion fruit juice in my neighborhood, so I used Mango juice, which is close enough. After you get it all into the shaker, add ice, shake and strain into a tall cocktail glass half-filled with crushed ice. Garnish with a lemon or pineapple.

The JACK FROST, as hubby said, “is a winner!” I am no Jack Daniels lover, but this I could drink all night. Pineapple and whiskey mix well together it turns out, and the other ingredients kick it up a notch to create a pleasing, luscious cocktail. And I can’t even believe I’m saying that about whiskey. My dog Annie liked it too!

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Cocktail Connie

COSTA DEL SOL

COSTA DEL SOL

2 measures white rum

1 measure sweet red vermouth

1 measure sugar syrup

½ measure lemon juice

3 measures soda water

Happy first day of Spring! It got up to an unprecedented 83 degrees in Cleveland today and it felt more like summer. Shorts and sandals were everywhere, and the sun shinned bright for a change.

The sunny weather was a perfect complement to today’s cocktail – the COSTA DEL SOL. The English translation of Costa Del Sol is “coast of the sun” or “sunny coast.” It is the name of a region in southern Spain known as the Spanish Mediterranean. There is also a Costa Del Sol Resort in Mexico, and a line of tanning products named Costa Del Sol. And that was only the first two page results of a Google search. Popular name.

 The delightful COSTA DEL SOL cocktail should be popular as well. No shaker is needed to make it. Just fill a big glass with ice, then add the first four ingredients. Give it a stir, then add the soda water. Don’t stir it any more or it will lose its fizz. Garnish with a lemon, lime, orange or cherry, and drink in the sunshine. You’ll find it to be light, pleasing and just a hint of sweet. It would be a good cocktail for by the beach or pool. And unlike many of those overly fruity drinks that make you feel ill later, the COSTA DEL SOL mixes the rum flavor with citrus in addition to sugar. It’s different, but still very good. Made my smile bloom.

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Cocktail Connie

CITRON SCREWDRIVER

CITRON SCREWDRIVER

2 measures citron vodka

4 measures orange juice

Orange

Most people — whether they are cocktail lovers or not — have had a screwdriver at least once in their life. And there is good reason for it. Screwdrivers are delicious, refreshing, virus-fighting cocktails, that taste good just about any time. They make drinking on Sunday mornings acceptable and allow people who are at a bar with a cold feel better.

For me, it was unpacking time when I chose to make myself a CITRON SCREWDRIVER cocktail. Since I’d had the drink’s close cousin, the FUZZY NAVEL, while I was packing for my trip to Montana, it seemed only fitting. To make the CITRON SCREWDRIVER, I just filled a glass, or two, with ice, then added two measures of citron vodka. Unflavored vodka would work just as well, but the drink’s taste would be a little blander. I filled the rest of the glasses up with Tropicana orange juice, then cut up an orange. I squeezed most of the juice from the orange into the glasses and saved two small slices for garnish. I gave it a stir and AHHH… stupid suitcases can wait until tomorrow.

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Cocktail Connie

ADULT CREAM SODA

ADULT CREAM SODA

2 measures Licor 43

Club Soda

Short and simple, just like this blog post, the ADULT CREAM SODA cocktail is a must try. It was introduced to me by Lee, Michelle’s husband and manager of Whiskey Jacks at the base of Big Sky, Montana. To make it, Lee put about two measures of Licor 43 into a short glass half-filled with ice. He then filled the rest of the glass with some bubbly club soda, gave it a stir, and served it up to his grateful guests.

Growing up, I loved Cotton Club Cream Soda and I’ve even occasionally mixed it with vodka as an adult. The Lee-invented ADULT CREAM SODA cocktail is a much better option. The bitter vanilla taste of Licor 43 becomes much more serene with the addition of club soda. Licor 43 is not in every liquor store, but I suggest seeking it out. Once you do, you’ll love how effortlessly easy this is. Just like I’m hoping my trip home will be. Bye Montana! I’ll be back soon.

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Cocktail Connie

THE MOONLIGHT LODGE QUICK SHOT

 

THE MOONLIGHT LODGE QUICK SHOT

Frangelico
Baileys Irish Cream
Rumplemintz Peppermint Schnapps

Last day of skiing in Big Sky, Montana, and a St. Patrick’s Day I’ll never forget. It was the Dirtbag Ball at Big Sky, and there were a lot of crazy outfits on the mountain. I saw ape, giraffe, and even a platypus outfit, plus a suit made entirely of duct tape and lots of gold lamé.

It being the seventh day of skiing for me this week, the legs were hurting. A quick mid-day shot was required to keep them going, and to start the St. Patty’s Day partying. Big Sky shares a lift with Moonlight Basin ski area, and it was at the Moonlight Lodge that said stop was made. I had a shot in mind that my brother had told me about, but I actually messed up and said Frangelico instead of Kahlua, But, guess what? It was still yummy.

The smiling bartender with the St. Patty’s day crown used a cherry, and slowly poured each ingredient above over the cherry in an attempt to create three layered shots for me, my Dad and hubby. It didn’t work. But she gets points for trying and it made me feel better that I haven’t been able to master the layering technique yet either. The shot went down smooth. The creamy liquors and the schnapps mixed well together, and I suffered no repercussions later. In fact, I kept the party going with a green beer après ski, and a Jamesons and ginger later that night. My Irish ancestors would have been proud!

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Cocktail Connie

THE FANCY PANTS

THE FANCY PANTS

1-3 measures 44 North Huckleberry Vodka (depending on your mood)
1 measure Pink Lemonade
½ measure Club Soda

The Bozman Cutthroat Rugby Club loves their FANCY PANTS, and tonight I learned why. Created by a new friend named Joe, a talented rugby player who has traveled the world, the FANCY PANTS cocktail isn’t really all that fancy. After all, it was created by a Rugby Club in Montana. Still, it’s pink. Unless you are in the mood Joe was in tonight, and then it’s more of a clear color.

To make the FANCY PANTS, Joe first filled enough glasses with ice to serve the gang who had gathered in our rented condo in Big Sky. He then added a lot of the 44 North Huckleberry Vodka. Made in Idaho, 44 North comes in a cool bottle with a long neck. Whatever room is left in the glass was then filled with pink lemonade and club soda. If you use regular lemonade, it’s called a TUBE TOP cocktail around the Rugby Club.

The FANCY PANTS was a great, refreshing cocktail. With a huckleberry flavor mellowed to perfection by the lemonade and club soda, the FANCY PANTS is very characteristic of Montana. And I’m bringing it home to Ohio with me to drink this summer. Montana Michelle is also a big fan of 44 North Huckleberry Vodka. She confessed to living on lemonade and 44 North in the summertime. Sounds like a plan to me.

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Cocktail Connie

MYER MARTINI AND YELLOWSTONE

 MYER MARTINI
3 measures Sky Vodka
1 ½ Meyer Lemons
Sugar for the rim
Orange garnish

Another great Montana day; another great martini night. Who knew the state of roaming buffalo and cowboy hats would have so many delicious martinis? Tonight’s was the MYER MARTINI, made for me by the good bartender at the Half Moon Saloon in Big Sky, Montana.

To make the MYER MARTINI, he first put three measures of Sky Vodka (though any vodka will do) into a shaker with ice, and added the juice from one and a half Myers lemons. Myers lemons aren’t just any old lemons. They are a unique citrus that combines lemons and oranges. They are from China and are very fragrant, though they look just like your average lemon. As I learned tonight, there’s only a short window of opportunity when Myers lemons are available.

Half-Moon’s very capable bartender then took the shaker and, in his words, “shook the hell out of it until my hands were frozen.” Lastly, he strained the mixture into a sugar-rimmed martini glass. The MYER MARTINI was just right. It was lemony, with just a hint of something different. I later found out this was the orange taste, which in turn explained the orange garnish.

The MYER MARTINI could also be described as sweet, strong and mystical. The cocktail was a relaxing end to a tiring and exciting day spent touring Yellowstone National Park on snowmobiles. My gang saw bison, elk, and even a grizzly bear awakening from his hibernation. We kept our distance from him. But if I could have served him a cocktail, it would have been the MYER MARTINI.

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Cocktail Connie

RAMCHARGER RASPBERRY

RAMCHARGER RASPBERRY $11

1 measure Stoli Raspberry Vodka

1 measure Chambord

½ measure lime juice

Sugar for the rim

Wow! Another great day at Big Sky. The weather was constantly changing with powder and high winds in the morning, and sun and slush in the afternoon. Either way, it was an epic day for the crew I was with, which included a dumb old fool. They took a tram ride to the top of Lone Peak despite the high winds, and lived to tell the tale.

The day ended at Carabiner Lounge at the Summit Hotel at the base of Big Sky, where Michelle from New Hampshire served the gang, which included another Michelle. You guessed it, the one from Big Sky. She took us to the Carabiner for one cocktail, which turned into two, which turned into a quick haul to the free parking people mover. Must have been the Carabiner’s cushy chairs.

While at the Carabiner, I partook of a RAMCHARGER RASPBERRY cocktail. Ramcharger is one of Big Sky’s best lifts and I knew I must pay it some homage. I was glad I did. The RAMCHARGER RASPBERRY, all $11 of it, was a perfect après ski cocktail. It was sweet, but not too sweet. It was refreshing, light and awesome.

To make it, you put the ingredients above into a shaker. Fill it with ice. Shake it, strain it, and pour it into a martini glass rimmed with sugar (one of the best parts.) Garnish with lime. Or don’t bother and just start sipping. If you are like me, each sip of the RAMCHARGER RASPBERRY will re-affirm your belief in Chambord. I think you could mix it with moose poop and it’d be good. $11 is a lot for a cocktail, but the RAMCHARGER RASPBERRY was worth every penny.

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Cocktail Connie

BUZZ SHAKE

Espresso Shake
Espresso Vodka

Montana Andy believes telemarking is the only way to ski and he believes in using the trees to help you turn. He also believes in the BUZZ SHAKE cocktail.

He believed in it so much that he brought a sample to the bar in Big Sky where I was having some lunch after they closed the mountain due to high winds. Andy brought the strange looking, semi-solid brown liquid in a nut jar and we borrowed some plastic cups.

To make the BUZZ SHAKE,
Andy went to a local grocery, the Hungry Moose, and ordered an espresso shake. He then added Van Gogh double espresso vodka and the BUZZ SHAKE was complete.

I'm so glad he went to the trouble, because the BUZZ SHAKE was just the motivational, yet fun, kick I needed. I've always loved espresso and this took it to a new level. I'm even thinking it would be a good replacement for my usual RBV motivator. It is heavy on the espresso flavor and there is an emphasis on BUZZ. Montana Connie loved it.

TROPICAL HUCKLEBERRY- THE IMPROV COCKTAIL

TROPICAL HUCKLEBERRY

¾ measure passionjuice

¾ measurecranberry juice

¾ measure citron vodka
¾ measure huckleberry vodka

¾ measure clubsoda

Sugar for the rim

My day started atthe top of Big Sky, Montana’s Lone Peak. Hubby and I had taken the tram up tothe top right out of the box. I’ve never been a morning person, and here I wasbefore 10 am at 11,166 feet in a cloud with whipping winds and no good sense ofdirection. I followed some other skiers down the very steep bowl run, which wasa mix of crude and powder, and I’m happy to say I made it turn by turn. Therest of the ski day was great too, but the legs never quite recovered from thatfirst run.

My day ended at myfriend Michelle’s house. The college buddy and Big Sky resident is the reason I’mhere, and she was kind enough to have hubby and I over for dinner last night.Luckily, her husband Lee manages Whiskey Jacks — the main bar at the base ofthe mountain. So I challenged him to make my cocktail. He rose to the occasion withhis own concoction, which we named the TROPICAL HUCKLEBERRY.

To make it, Lee startedby rimming a martini glass with sugar. He then put the two kinds of juices -listed above and the two vodkas into a shaker. He added ice, shook it andstrained it into the glass. He then added the club soda. I learned that you shouldn’tever add club soda to a shaker, because you’ll shake out the bubbles and itwill turn into water.

As you can see inthe picture (those are my hosts in the background), the TROPICAL HUCKLEBERRYcocktail is a nice color. That mostly comes from the passion juice. Aftersearching Ohio grocery stores for passion juice, I was happy to finally see abottle in person. But they don’t sell it in Montana either. Michelle and Leehad gotten it on their honeymoon in Hawaii over the summer. The passion juice mixedwell with the other juices and the vodka, and the club soda gave the TROPICALHUCKLEBERRY an easy sipping, delightfully-fruity taste. The cocktail also provedto me yet again that club soda is king, just like my friends, and that damnLone Peak.

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Cocktail Connie

THE SEXY SNOWMAN

Big Sky's Lone Peak.

The Sexy Snowman in a non-sexy cup.

SEXY SNOWMAN
Hot chocolate
Frangelico
Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur
Smirnoff Vanilla Vodka
Bailey’s Irish Cream
Bacardi 151

I brought a bit of Lake Tahoe, California, to Big Sky, Montana, today, where it was so windy they had to keep the top lifts closed. We had a great ski day nonetheless and I think all the great people we met on the lifts were one of my favorite parts. But by 3:45 pm, the legs were barking and it was time for happy hour. I sought out a bartender named Brian whom I had met briefly the day before through my local Montanan friend Michelle.

I handed Brian at Chet’s Bar a list of cocktails I wanted to try and he picked the SEXY SNOWMAN. It’s a cocktail that my brother Rusty recently had while skiing at North Star in Lake Tahoe. It contains so many alcohols that Brian had to switch to a larger cup before adding the hot chocolate. I believe he added a shot of each of the above liquors and we both agreed that many of the ingredients are redundant. Do you really need Baileys and Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur? They are very similar.

The SEXY SNOWMAN was yummy, but if you are looking for a simple hot chocolate with a little kick, this isn’t it. This cocktail is more like a kick with a little hot chocolate. It would definitely make a snowman melt. Can’t comment on the sexy part. And despite it being unnecessarily complicated, I would have another one any day. The bottom of my cup came quickly.

Nonetheless, I think the cocktail hubby and I created at lunch is also worth a mention. Red wine and red bull. Better than it sounds and I skied till 3:45 pm.

Red bull and Red Wine- Try it!

Drink Up^
Cocktail Connie

HUCKLEBERRY MARTINI

HUCKLEBERRY MARTINI
1 measure Koenig Huckleberry vodka
¾ measure candied orange syrup
Huckleberries

Montana is beautiful and Big Sky delivers. It delivers spring skiing full of big challenges, big views and big fun. I’ve also noticed a plethora of huckleberries. There are huckleberry products sold everywhere. I’ve learned that’s because Montana is the best location in the nation for huckleberry picking. By July, the picturesque mountain ranges are crawling with them and the bears like it that way.

To start off my trip, I had to go with two Big Sky traditions. First was going to Bucks T-4, a restaurant and Big Sky legend for over 50 years. It started as a hunting camp in 1946, and is now a lodge and restaurant/bar with a friendly staff. One such friendly staff member made me the other Big Sky tradition — a HUCKLEBERRY MARTINI. To make it, she put huckleberry vodka and candied orange syrup into a shaker and added ice. She then gave it some shakes and strained it into a chilled martini glass. She finished it off by floating about five huckleberries in the bottom.

The HUCKLEBERRY MARTINI was a pretty, purple-colored cocktail with a pretty strong wallop. It was mostly vodka, yet the huckleberry flavor was unique enough to distract me and it went down nicely. Huckleberries taste similar to blueberries, but their flavor is more subtle and less “blue” They are deliciously distinctive and are probably good even when they aren’t swimming in vodka. Just probably.

Drink Up^
Cocktail Connie

FUZZY NAVEL AND MONTANA BOUND

FUZZY NAVEL

2 measures peach schnapps

4 measures orange juice

I’m off to Big Sky, Montana, today and I needed some packer’s fuel this morning to help motivate me to get ready. The fuel consisted of Cheerios, strawberries, coffee and a FUZZY NAVEL cocktail. To make the FUZZY NAVEL, I filled a tall glass with crushed ice. I then added two measures of peach schnapps, and filled the glass the rest of the way with orange juice. I gave it a stir and added a slice of orange left over from yesterday for garnish.

I’ve always appreciated a FUZZY NAVEL and this one was no exception. The schnapps adds a lot of sweetness to the orange juice, which I like, and a FUZZY NAVEL is not nearly as harsh as a screwdriver. (Although anything at 9 am is a little harsh.) As I sipped the morning cocktail, it brought back memories of baby and bridal showers held on Sunday mornings. I’m part of a large family and we’ve had many, many showers. Once the FUZZY NAVELS begin, so does the non-stop talking and laughter.

I’ll be spending the next nine days and nights in Big Sky. The days will be filled with skiing, and the nights with food and drink. My good friend Michelle lives in Big Sky and is always a great host. Her husband Lee works at the main bar at the base of the mountain. I can’t wait for the cocktails he’s gonna pour me. I hope your warming up your jigger Lee!

SLOPPY JOE

SLOPPY JOE

1 measure red port

1 measure cognac

2 measures pineapple juice

2 dashes Cointreau

Today is my Italian Brother-in-law Joe’s birthday. He’s 29 I believe. That’s his silly grin in the picture.

I just had to have the SLOPPY JOE cocktail today and invited Joe over to partake. A bonus Joe showed up too. All he really wanted was a GIPSY from yesterday. I told him he first had to drink a SLOPPY JOE, which was really just an excuse for me to make a second round of this delicious cocktail. To make both rounds, I put the ingredients above into a shaker, added ice, gave it a couple shakes and strained the pretty, foamy mixture into some wine goblets. Birthday boy put some slices of orange in and took the hillbilly goblet. 

The SLOPPY JOE cocktail is the best way to drink port wine in Miami. The other ingredients cut down on the heaviness of the port, yet it is still the dominant force in the cocktail. Joe said he could feel the port rise up his esophagus, in a nice way. It also reminded him of a Caribbean sangria. I thought it had a very pleasant flavor. It wasn’t too sweet and it induced a nice warmth. The pineapple flavor was a little too much and I cut back on the pineapple juice in the second round. I used a cheaper port and cognac, and it was still very good. I’ve heard you can substitute any orange liquor for the expensive Cointreau, but my extreme like for the stuff means I won’t go that route.

With three alcohols and one juice, I was a little afraid of the SLOPPY JOE cocktail, but my fears were quickly put to rest. Now my fears about a sloppy Joe from too many SLOPPY JOES, those are still around.

Drink Up^

Cocktail Connie

GIPSY TIPSY

GIPSY
2 measures vodka
1 measure Benedictine brandy
Dash of Angostura bitters

The GIPSY cocktail will always be special to me. It is the first drink I made with crushed ice from my new refrigerator. When I saw that our new fridge had a crushed ice feature, I knew my cocktailing had just been raised to a higher level.

When you use crushed ice in a cocktail, the drink instantly becomes more like a slushy and is easier to drink. Crushed ice also melts quicker, diluting the alcohol to a more drinkable level. This benefit was especially needed for the GIPSY, a strong cocktail in need of some watering down. To make it, I merely put vodka and Benedictine brandy in the measurements above into an old-fashioned glass half-filled with, you guessed it, crushed ice. I then added a drop or two of Angostura bitters and gave it a stir. No garnish necessary.

Hubby absolutely loved the GIPSY. “This is awesome. Now this is a drink,” were his exact words I believe. I think he’s sick of the fruity drinks we’ve had a lot of lately. I thought this cocktail sounded kinda gross, with vodka and a brandy mixed together, and some would interpret it that way. But I didn’t. I truly liked it and drank the whole glass. It got even better when the ice melted. The crushed ice that is.

Drink Up^
Cocktail Connie

CRANBERRY SPLASH

CRANBERRY SPLASH

1 measure coconut rum

2 measures cranberry juice

1 measure soda water

Slice of lime

My cocktail cupboard runneth low and the day was long, so I started to look at the back of bottles. Malibu Coconut Rum won with its CRANBERRY SPLASH cocktail. I had all the stuff and it sounded good.

To make the CRANBERRY SPLASH, you put the lime in the coconut and mix all up, you put the lime in the coconut and stir it all together…..

Sorry, couldn’t resist. Making the CRANBERRY SPLASH is as easy as it gets. Just put the listed ingredients in the measurements above into a cocktail glass half-filled with ice, stir and garnish with a slice of lime. Then gulp it down and try to get that song out of your head. You’ll find the CRANBERRY SPLASH cocktail to be a nice balance of cranberry and coconut, and the soda water ensures that neither flavor is too overwhelming. You get a little of that cranberry dry-mouth aftertaste with it, but the more you drink, the better it will get. That I can guarantee.

Drink Up^

Cocktail Connie

VISIT THE GREEN CARRIBEAN

GREEN CARRIBEAN

1 ½ measure white rum
1 ½ measure Midori
4 measures soda water
Slice of Lemon

The GREEN CARRIBEAN cocktail is really cool looking. With its fluorescent green-yellow color and floating slice of lemon, it has a hallucinogenic quality. It was created in the 1970s as part of the launch for Midori, which is a new favorite liquor for me. The melon-flavored liquor tastes better than blue Curacao in my opinion, but is just as colorful.

To make the GREEN CARRIBEAN, I started by slicing a lemon and putting the slices into some highball glasses. I then put white rum and Midori in the measurements above into a shaker, added ice, gave it some good shakes, and strained it into the glasses. The resulting GREEN CARRIBEAN cocktail was a delight. It was too sweet for hubby, but just right for me. It brightened up an otherwise boring, dreary Monday and was easy to make. I’ll be sure to visit the GREEN CARRIBEAN again. Sounds very eco friendly.

 Drink Up^

Cocktail Connie


CONNOISSEURS TREAT

CONNOISSEUR’S TREAT

1½ measure cognac

½ measure Grand Marnier

½ measure Galliano

In day two of cocktailing with parents, I brought the makings for a CONNOISSEUR’S TREAT cocktail to my Dad’s house, where we were meeting to celebrate his upcoming birthday. Since Dad is a cognac connoisseur, and indeed a connoisseur of many of life’s finer things, I thought this cocktail would be right up his alley.

 To make the CONNOISSEUR’S TREAT, I put cognac, Grand Marnier and Galliano in the measurements above into a glass pitcher. I then added lots of ice, stirred it and let it sit for a few minutes to chill. I then strained it into cocktail glasses and garnished with twists of orange rind.

How’d it taste? Well, I’ll let the panel of alcohol experts, umm, I mean family members, that I was with give you their opinion:

 Panelist #1: It tastes like black liquorice and I’m starting to sweat.

Panelist #2: It tastes like Benedictine brandy and where is the ice? I need to add some.

Panelist #3: This would be a great drink to sip by a fire in cold weather. This is not a drink for the beach.

Panelist #4: I like it. It’s a sipping drink that tastes like brandy.

Panelist #5: It’s good, but strong. Tastes like brandy.

Panelist #6: It’s disgusting.

Panelist #7: It tastes like kerosene. She then grabbed the Grand Marnier, so she could pour herself a glass straight up.

Panelist #8: It tastes better than it smells. Is it flammable?

Drink Up^

Cocktail Connie