PADDY

PADDY
1½ measures Irish Whiskey
¾ measure sweet red vermouth
3 dashes Angostura Bitters

"Don't talk to him right now right now, he's in a real paddy."

As the quote above illustrates, a PADDY is another word for someone in a bad mood. It's also the name for a rice field and the slang term for a drunken Irishman. It's that last definition that caused me to pick today's cocktail for a belated Father’s Day celebration with Dear Old Dad. He just came back from a trip to the homeland – Ireland and I thought an Irish whiskey drink would be fitting.

To make the PADDY, I just put high quality Irish whiskey into a cocktail glass filled with ice, added the red vermouth and a few dashes of Angostura Bitters, then gave it a stir and served it up.

Dad and Hubby thought the PADDY had too much red vermouth, but I thought it had too little. Though it is a strong drink, it is also a good drink, especially after a ten minute melt. Squeezing the lemon slice is also critical to a good PADDY cocktail. Just watch out for the aftertaste and for the Paddys, especially the ones from my family.

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Cocktail Connie

BERRY GOOD LEMONADE

BERRY GOOD LEMONADE

1 measure berry vodka

Lemonade

Blue Curacao

Blueberries

Strawberries

Friday nights in the summertime are the best. Work is done for the week and two whole days stretch ahead of doing what you want (Well, mostly anyways. There are usually a few chores to do too.)

My summertime Friday night was an especially fun one tonight. Good friends, including Montana Michelle, came over for a sunset cruise on Lake Erie. But first, there were cocktails. The group took advantage of my well-stocked bar and there were a variety of cocktails being concocted tonight. The signature cocktail of the evening though was my own take on a cocktail that I had at a bar this week. I call it a BERRY GOOD LEMONADE. To make it, I used Pinnacle Berry Vodka, but Three Olives and probably a few other spirit makers have berry flavored vodka too. I put one measure of the vodka into a tall glass filled with ice, filled most of the rest of the glass up with lemonade, then gave it a stir. I topped the drink off with a splash of Blue Curacao, then plopped in some strawberry slices, blueberries and garnished with a slice of lemon.

The BERRY GOOD LEMONADE was a fabulous start to the fun night. Sure, it’s basically just a lemonade and vodka, but I loved the addition of the blue coloring and the floating fruit. It was a laid-back kind of cocktail that went down easy. Before you know it, I had drank three. Friends called it “fabulous.” It was sweet and slushy like, and would sell well at a 7-Eleven. Frankly, it’s the only was to have lemonade.

But even better than the cocktail was the rest of the night. A flat Lake Erie, a beautiful sunset, more drinks at Shooters in the Flats, hilarious stories, and a rare time with old friends. If only the wild dancing hadn’t led to a broken nose for my friend Cindy, it would have been perfect!

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Cocktail Connie

THE WYNTON

THE WYNTON

Hendricks Cucumber-Infused Gin

St. Germaine

Muddled fresh cucumber and lemon zest

I love jazz player Wynton Marsalis and I don’t know what the WYNTON cocktail I had at Nighttown tonight is named for, but I do know that it was a cocktail as smooth and enjoyable as one of Wynton’s great tunes. Nighttown Restaurant in Cleveland Hts., Ohio, is a wonderful restaurant and jazz club that’s been around for 40 years. Their food is to die for and as I found out tonight, so are their cocktails.

See those ingredients listed above? Those can’t make a bad cocktail. To make the WYTON, the bartender started by muddling some fresh cucumber slices at the bottom of a tall glass. He then added some cucumber-infused gin and St. Germaine — an elderflower liqueur and a favorite of mine. He topped it off with lots of lemon zest and slices.

As I sipped my WYNTON on the patio, I contemplated how excellent it was. It was light, flavorful, and rejuvenating. It was just the right balance of sweet and lemon. Know how when your eyes are all puffy, you are suppose to put cucumber slices on them to decrease the puffiness? Well, the best way I can describe the WYNTON cocktail is that it is like cucumber slices for the soul.

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Cocktail Connie

VODKA MARTINI

VODKA MARTINI
2 measures vodka
Splash of dry vermouth
Olives

A VODKA MARTINI is one of Hubby's favorite cocktails and tonight he used his considerable experience to make me one. But before you become too impressed, let me tell you how it is made. Fill glass with ice, add two splashes of dry vermouth, fill the rest of the glass up with vodka, put two olives on a cocktail spear and use it to stir your martini.

If you add some olive juice, it will be a dirty martini. Other options include using a slice of lemon instead of olives like my Dad does or using half water, half vodka like Billy Bush does.

The VODKA MARTINI is basically just vodka and ice, which I think is an acquired taste. Hubby told me that after three sips it would taste better, but I don't agree. It took more like 1/2 hour and some serious ice melting before I could appreciate it.

Hubby explained why classic martini drinks like this one are popular. He's no doctor, but he has heard that wine with alcohol is digested faster than plain alcohol. This is because wine is absorbed through the stomach and alcohol is absorbed through your small intestine. So combining the wine (vermouth) and vodka gets the two spirits to your blood stream faster. In other words, wine with liquor gets you high quicker. The VODKA MARTINI was easy to make and effective. It is a cocktail everyone must have at least once, even if you have to go all Billy Bush and add water.

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Cocktail Connie

SUN KISSED

SUN KISS

1 measure Cointreau

1½ measure pineapple juice

¾ measure grapefruit juice

When one wants to get sun kissed by a SUN KISS cocktail, there are lots of options. There are SUN KISS cocktail recipes with amaretto, orange juice, grand marnier, and the list goes on and on. After a bike ride with Hubby to the local tavern, I went with a SUN KISS cocktail made with Cointreau, pineapple juice and grapefruit juice. To make it, the Wright Place bartender put these three ingredients into a tall cocktail glass, added lots of ice and stirred well. A lemon garnish and a splash of club soda would have been nice additions, but they are optional.

I must say, I wanted to like the SUN KISS cocktail, and I did at first. It was fruity, with a strong pineapple taste, but the pineapple mixed with grapefruit juice and orange-flavored Cointreau made this cocktail too tangy and tart for my taste. It was a night kissed with sunny, perfect weather, but alas not with a perfect cocktail. I’m guessing these two juices would be better with vodka, and that the bike ride home should be interesting.

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Cocktail Connie

THE PIZZAZZ ON THE FLY COCKTAIL

THE PIZZAZZ ON THE FLY COCKTAIL

1 measure Three Olives Grape Vodka
Orange soda

Some nights — especially Monday nights after you were up late Sunday night at a Phish concert — you just have to improvise. A kidless Hubby and I went to Pizzazz Restaurant, a little hole in the wall, family-owned place a few minutes from my home. The food is so good that there is usually a long line on Friday and Saturday nights. As a result, I’d never eaten there before until tonight.

The liquor selection at Pizzazz was limited to 10 bottles and the waitress didn’t know a single cocktail recipe, so I had to think quick. I looked at the bottles and the beverage list, and decided that grape vodka and orange soda sounded liked an intriguing mix. I must be learning something after all these months of combining cocktails, because it was as good as I thought it would be. To make the cocktail, the waitress just put the vodka into a short glass filled with ice. She then filled the glass the rest of the way up with orange soda and stirred. The cocktail was a little strong, so you may want to cut back on the vodka or use a taller glass. But strength aside, it tasted like fruity candy. It was also a thirst-quenching drink, and the grape flavor was not too overwhelming. I was so impressed with myself for creating this on-the-fly cocktail that I quickly improvised a pizza order too. I went with white sauce, artichoke hearts, pineapple and ham, and it was as good as the cocktail.

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Cocktail Connie

BLUE SHARK IN THE MIDDLE OF PHISH

BLUE SHARK

1 measure vodka

1 measure tequila

½ measure blue curacoa

Hubby and I turned into Phish Heads last night after dropping the kid off for six nights of overnight camp. Having been a Deadhead in a previous life, I’d always been curious about the band Phish and I had my wonderful brother, Russ, as a tour guide for the show at Blossom Music Center.

We got to Blossom in plenty of time for tailgating, socializing with other Phish Heads, and a tour of Shakedown Street. And of course, in time to have a cocktail before the show. A BLUE SHARK cocktail seemed fitting for the evening and the ingredients were easy to bring. To make the cocktail, I just put the ingredients above into a classic Red Solo cup, added ice and stirred.

The BLUE SHARK was my brother’s only drink of the night and it was a good choice for him. With three kinds of liquor in it, it is a strong one and definitely saved us all some money on beer inside the concert. The blue curacoa is sweet enough to give the BLUE SHARK some flavor, not to mention a cool look. But you do have to be in the mood for a buzz the size of Jaws when you wade into this water. Luckily, that was just the sort of mood we were in. We swam into that Phish concert, danced our tails off and had a great time.

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Cocktail Connie

HOP, SKIP & GO NAKED

HOP, SKIP & GO NAKED

375 ml or 12½ ounces vodka
36 ounces of your favorite beer
1 liter 7-Up or ginger ale
½ large can frozen lemonade
Orange slices

Lime slices

When my ol’ grade and high school buddy Kathi gave me the recipe for one of her favorite cocktails, the HOP, SKIP & GO NAKED, I not only loved the name, but I figured it would be good for a day of boating with friends.

Well, the day to HOP, SKIP & GO NAKED arrived today. I spent it with my family on the lake at Roaming Shores, Ohio, where Hubby, friend Matt and our hormonal-aged boys waterskiied, wake boarded, tubed and air chaired. I like to waterski myself, but my weak arms don’t get me very far. I’m much better at après ski activities, like making cocktails.

To make the HOP, SKIP & GO NAKED cocktail, I just put the ingredients above into a pitcher, added lots of ice, stirred and served it up to the adults, whether they liked it or not. Friends were hesitant to drink it and I don’t blame them. I mean, half on a fifth of vodka and beer together? It sounds gross, but I’m here to say that it tastes a lot better than it sounds. The HOP, SKIP & GO NAKED was citrusy, subtle and perfect for a sunny afternoon. I really liked the floating fruit and the unique taste. It was like extra refreshing beer. I had four, after which I hopped, skipped and took a nap on the beach.

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Cocktail Connie

THE NEAPOLITAN

THE NEAPOLITAN

1 ounce strawberry liqueur

½ ounce Godiva white-chocolate liqueur

½ ounce crème de cacoa

2 ounce heavy cream

1 tablespoon chocolate syrup

I was craving ice cream, but I didn’t feel like going to the store. Luckily, I didn’t have to. I just had the cocktail version instead. I found the recipe for THE NEAPOLITAN cocktail that my friend Niki had given me from the March 2012 issue of Food Network Magazine, which has many wonderful, chocolate cocktail recipes in it.

THE NEAPOLITAN is a layered cocktail, something I am becoming a big fan of now that I know how to do it. Whoever figures out the different consistencies of alcohol, and what floats and what sinks — I love them and their talent is fully evident in this cocktail. If you can chill the ingredients listed above first before making THE NEAPOLITAN, all the better, put it isn’t a must. To make it, start by putting the strawberry liqueur in the bottom of a short cocktail glass. Then shake the bottle of Godiva liqueur and pour it ever so slowly on top of the strawberry liqueur. Some people like to pour liquor over the back of a spoon when layering, but I’ve found that you just have to pour it slow and steady. The last step involves a cocktail shaker. Put the heavy cream, crème de cacoa and chocolate syrup into it, add ice, shake and strain into the glass — ever so slowly — for the top layer.

I know, THE NEAPOLITAN is a little involved, but the work is worth it to make this impressive cocktail. It looks and tastes just like Neapolitan ice cream, with a layer each of strawberry, vanilla and chocolate. Granted, this version will get you buzzed. The chocolate liquor is strong and watch out for the shot of strawberry at the end. But THE NEAPOLITAN is definitely decadent, definitely a dessert and definitely delicious. Like a dessert, it is heavy. But the glass is short and there is not too much of it, so it will be gone quickly. And I didn’t have to go to the store.

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Cocktail Connie



GENOA

GENOA

1½ measure vodka

2 measures orange juice

¾ measure Campari

The city of Genoa is the sixth largest in Italy. Genoa is also the nickname for a type of jib invented by an Italian sailor. And as I found out tonight, it is also the name of a pretty bad drink.

The GENOA cocktail sounded easy and good. The recipe said it is like a strong screwdriver. To make it, I just put the three ingredients above into a highball glass, added lots of ice and stirred, garnishing with an orange slice. And let me tell you, that orange slice was the best part of the GENOA.

The GENOA cocktail no doubt got its name from the Campari — an Italian liquor made from herbs, fruit and bitters. And the Campari was the problem. It made the cocktail too bitter. Hubby said it tasted like grapefruit juice gone bad, but he managed to finish it. I thought it tasted like I was drinking pure bitters and was unable to finish it. As much as I love all things Italian, it just ain’t so with this cocktail. A screwdriver is much better.

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Cocktail Connie



MORNING GLORY FIZZ

MORNING GLORY FIZZ
1 measure cognac
1/4 measure lemon juice
1/4 measure orange curaçao
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
4 measures club soda

If you are looking for a morning buzz, try a MORNING GLORY FIZZ cocktail and you will find what you seek. To make this unusual cocktail, put the first four ingredients above into a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice, shake and strain into a glass, preferably a chilled one. Then the magic happens. Add the club soda and listen for the fizz. Garnish with a lemon slice or twist.

The MORNING GLORY FIZZ was a great way to start the first day of summer and the Summer Solstice. It both woke me up and calmed me down. This ain't no screwdriver. Lemon and cognac are the predominate flavors, so it's a strong one, yet still very enjoyable. The MORNING GLORY FIZZ looses a lot of its good taste once it gets warm, so it is not a good cocktail for a morning with chores. But, remember that is not what this morning is about.

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Cocktail Connie

ROAD TEST OF HUNGRY GIRL LOW-CAL DAIQUIRI

LOW-CAL DAIQUIRI
¼ cup partially-thawed frozen strawberries
½ ounce lime juice
1½ ounce rum
Water and ice to blend

Tonight’s cocktail is a road test of a cocktail from Redbook Magazine’s Hungry Girl column. I needed something low-cal after a weekend of excess and a run to the gym after work today. To make it, I put some frozen strawberries, lime juice, rum, about one ounce of water and some ice into a blender. I gave it a spin on high and poured it into glass. I garnished with a raspberry, since the frozen kind of strawberries was all I had.

The Good News: The taste was great. It was light and won’t fill you up. Hubby and I both loved it and liked it better than the thick, syrupy ones you find at beachside bars. It was perfect for a hot day, like it was in Cleveland today. When I make it again — and I will make it again — I will use more ice to thicken it. I never knew that plain ol’ frozen strawberries were so flavorful or that a low-cal cocktail could be so good, but more on that.

 

The Bad News: As good as it is, the LOW-CAL DAIQUIRI is not really that low in calories. I did the math and counted 156 calories. I did use Bacardi 80 proof rum and a lower calorie rum could be used. But according to my Biggest Loser Calorie Counter a regular daiquiri is 185 calories, so you are only saving a whopping 29 calories- woo hoo! Then again, I have a Daily’s pre-made frozen peach daiquiri in my freezer and it is 280 calories. So the LOW-CAL DAIQUIRI is a heck of a lot better than one of those, and better tasting too. I hate those Daily frozen drinks. They somehow get placed in our cooler when boating with friends, and they wind up in my freezer, because nobody drinks them. Now, the LOW-CAL DAIQUIRI, those will go quick in any crowd.

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Cocktail Connie

EYE OF THE TIGER







EYE OF THE TIGER

1 measure light rum
1 measure Malibu
1 measure cranberry juice
1 measure lemon juice
1 measure orange juice
1 measure simple syrup
½ measure dark rum

I hope the bad Rocky movie theme song from 1982 by the classic eighties band Survivor titled “Eye of the Tiger” doesn’t discourage you from trying an EYE OF THE TIGER cocktail. Because if you are looking for a good pool or beachside drink, this could be your middle weight champion cocktail of the summer.

To make an EYE OF THE TIGER, don’t be intimidated and gather all those ingredients listed above, many of which you probably already have at home. Put every one except the dark rum into a shaker, fill it with ice, shake and strain into a highball glass half filled with ice. Then gingerly sprinkle the dark rum on top and garnish with an orange slice.

I loved the EYE OF THE TIGER and it is going into my permanent memory bank of good cocktails. Of course, rum and juice is a classic combo, but this cocktail takes it to a new level. It seems like its effects will be seen very quickly and it is so good that you can easily drink more than one. Hubby said it tastes like a weak sidecar, but I think his taste buds are being affected by all this alcohol, because the only common ingredient between the two cocktails is the lemon juice. I would especially recommend it for anyone going to see the Rock of Ages movie — it would be perfect.

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Cocktail Connie

BRAKE TAG

BRAKE TAG

1 ounce bourbon

1 ounce amaretto

1 ounce cranberry juice

1 maraschino cherry or lemon slice to garnish

Happy Dads Day to all the great father’s out there — especially the ones who remember that the best way to be a good father is to first be a good husband and keep your marriage a happy one. I am lucky enough to have a great Dad and he was lucky enough to spend today on a dream golfing vacation. Since he was out of town, I got to treat Hubby, another great Dad, like a king. Movies, steak, and the U.S. open were on his busy agenda today.

Also on his agenda was the BRAKE TAG cocktail. The recipe is from the cocktail book, In the Land of Cocktails, and is named after the New Orleans slang for inspection stickers on a car. Since Hubby is a bourbon lover, the BRAKE TAG sounded right up his alley. To make it, I used Old Grandad, but any smooth bourbon will do. Just put the bourbon, amaretto and cranberry juice into a cocktail shaker, fill it with ice, shake and pour it, ice and all, into a highball glass. Garnish with a cherry, lemon slice or brake tag, whichever is easiest.

As suspected, Hubby thought the BRAKE TAG was awesome. He really liked the cranberry juice mixed with bourbon. It was something he would have never thought to do on his own. I thought the almond-flavored amaretto liqueur worked well and that is was a really good cocktail, for a bourbon drink. Give it a try, even if you don't like bourbon and be sure to brake for good Dads.

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Cocktail Connie

CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRY MARTINI

CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRY MARTINI
Three Olives Cherry Vodka
Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
Crème de Cacao
Grenadine
Splash of half-n-half cream
Chocolate syrup to garnish

For years, friends have told me that I have to go to bar at the Sheraton in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. They said the cocktails were great and the view of the falls was even better. I thought, a hotel bar? Really, how special could it be?

Well, I got the chance to find out today when I was passing through Cuyahoga Falls and in need of a cocktail. And now I know that my friends were right. The bar, called the NoVo Lounge, was special and had a great view of the falls. The CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRY MARTINI I drank there was even better. It wasn’t on the cocktail list, but it came highly recommended by the waitress. To make it, the bartender put about 1½ ounces of the first four ingredients listed above into a cocktail shaker, along with a splash of half-n-half. He filled the shaker with ice, gave it some hard shakes, then strained it into a martini glass that had been laced in a lovely manner with some chocolate syrup.

I am one who always passes on the chance to eat a chocolate-covered cherry, but from now on, I’ll never pass up a chance to drink a CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRY MARTINI. It was wonderfully enchanting and a decadent treat. It was a cool pink color, continuing my weekend of pink cocktails. The cherry flavor was subtle, the chocolate was perfectly proportioned, and it had just the right amount of creaminess. Sometimes you gotta trust what people say and you will be rewarded for it.

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Cocktail Connie

ROSEWOOD COSMO

ROSEWOOD COSMO

Absolut Citron

Chambord

Organic Rose Water

Fresh Lemon

“And the rosewood bitters, wake me with a smile in the morning and help me through the night when I feel blue.”

 

This line from a song written by Joe Walsh and performed by hometown boy Michael Stanley, instantly came to mind as I sat down with good friends at the Rosewood Grill in Hudson, Ohio, and ordered a ROSEWOOD COSMO cocktail. As I waited for it to arrive, I thought, what the heck is rosewood anyways?

Well, it turns out that rosewood is a dark wood with rich hues and a certain cool mellowness to it. Rosewood is also a type of guitar and rosewood bitters are used in a type of tea that can have psychedelic effects. No one is sure which type of rosewood Mr. Walsh was referring to in the song, but oddly, all three definitions apply to the delicious ROSEWOOD COSMO cocktail.

Though not dark, the cocktail had a very pretty, rich color and a certain mellow flavor that was well balanced. The rosewater and raspberry liqueur gave it a fruity, flowery taste, and the citron and lemon gave it some sourness and tang. The ROSEWOOD COSMO would definitely be wonderful to sip it while listening to someone play the guitar; and if you drank too many of them, it might lead to a hallucination or two. And while this cocktail will help you through a night when you feel blue, I’m not so sure you would wake up with a smile. If you find yourself in Hudson, try this unique drink for yourself.

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Cocktail Connie

PALOMA

PALOMA
1 lime wedge
2 tablespoons margarita salt
2 ounces ruby red grapefruit juice
1 ½ ounces Reposado tequila
½ ounce orange Curacao
¼ ounce simple syrup

The PALOMA is a popular cocktail among tequila lovers. Reposado tequila is the good stuff — aged and expensive — and the PALOMA cocktail combines it with ingredients that showcase its flavor and don’t attempt to cover it up.

To make the PALOMA, start by rubbing the rim of a margarita or martini glass with the lime wedge, turn the glass upside down and dip it into salt sprinkled on a small plate. Then put the other ingredients above into a shaker, fill it with ice, shake vigorously and strain into the glass. Serve and drink immediately.

If you substituted vodka for the tequila, you would have a salty dog cocktail. But, even though I’m not the world’s biggest tequila fan, I see no reason to do that. The PALOMA is strong. So strong that after my sister tasted it she said, “I'll be passed out on the floor if I drink the whole thing” But I drank two and I’m still standing. So I guess it’s all relative, even with relatives. I could taste why it’s popular. It is strong, but it’s also fruity and a pleasure to sip. I also loved the pinkish orange color and the hint of grapefruit. If you haven’t tried tequila in a while, try this and see if an expensive bottle of reposado is not in your future.

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Cocktail Connie

EASY, BREEZY BLOODY MARY

Hard to say goodbye to this back yard!

EASY, BREEZY BLOODY MARY

4 parts of your favorite bloody Mary mix

1 part of your favorite vodka

Celery

Sadly, I had to say goodbye to the beach house at Ocean Isle, North Carolina, today and get back to reality where work awaits. The blow was softened by an easy, breezy BLOODY MARY that I sipped as I packed this morning. Since time was tight, I used a mix. It was called Authentic Bloody Mary Mix, and while I don’t know about all that, it did make a pretty damn good cocktail. I just mixed it with vodka and ice, gave it a stir and added some celery stalks to keep up the authenticity. I’ve always loved a BLOODY MARY in the morning, and while a homemade version with real tomato juice, Worchester sauce, etc. would be better, this one worked in a pinch. It was thick and had just the right amount of spice, without too much pepper. But, like my vacation, its time is fleeting. A homemade, classic BLOODY MARY is coming up on the cocktail calendar very soon and I can’t wait.  

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Cocktail Connie

SUNSET BOULEVARD AND CINDERELLA

SUNSET BOULEVARD (contains alcohol — and lots of it)
1.25 ounces vodka
3/4 ounce peach schnapps
2 ounces cranberry juice
1 ounce orange juice

SUNSET BOULEVARD

The SUNSET BOULEVARD is an easy and very cool looking drink that will impress your friends. To make it, mix the first three ingredients listed above into a cocktail shaker, fill it with ice and shake, then strain the mixture into a cocktail glass. The next part is a little tricky, but is key to a good SUNSET BOULEVARD cocktail. Measure the OJ, then slowly pour it into the glass. You’ll find that once it settles, it creates a top layer of pink and a bottom layer of orange, like a pretty sunset. The SUNSET BOULEVARD is fruity, peachy and delicious. And amazingly, it will stay layered the whole time you are drinking it. It would be good to drink at sunset, because about three will put you to bed for the night. I would have loved to drink it while watching a real sunset on the beach today. Sadly, it was not to be and I had to drink it in the rain.

CINDERELLA (contains no alcohol, but it’s still good)

1 1/2 ounce orange juice
1 1/2 ounce pineapple juice

CINDERELLA

3 slices lemon 3 slices lime

For those who for one reason or another have to forgo an alcoholic cocktail, the CINDERELLA will make them feel like royalty. The awesome part comes from muddling the lemon and lime slices. Do this in the glass you are going to use first. Then put the muddled citrus into a shaker along with the two juices listed above. Shake with ice and pour the whole thing into a glass, then serve. The partakers in my crowd really liked the pulp and thought the CINDERELLA was really refreshing, though a little on the sour side. It was different and fun to make, and since it is alcohol-free, you are sure to hang on to your glass slippers.

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Cocktail Connie

THE DREAM DRINK



The Dream Drink

THE DREAM DRINK
In a large pitcher combine the following:
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup vodka
½ cup St. Germain
1 ½ bottles white wine
Chopped apples

When you’re on vacation, life can be like a dream. You don’t know what’s going on in the news, you don’t pay attention to the weather forecast, you forget about work and every day is Saturday — complete with cocktails.

Today was a Monday, but it didn’t seem like one to me. It was more like a dream day, full of beaching, boating and going out to dinner. The DREAM DRINK fit right it. Making it was a little nightmarish — all that alcohol made it seem like it would be a strong one — but one sip and I knew the DREAM DRINK was a keeper. To make it, Hubby put the ingredients above into a pitcher, stirred it well and served it with glasses full of ice. Floating apples make a lovely garnish. Grapes and mint leaves are other possible garnishes.

The DREAM DRINK was white wine on steroids and it was goooooood. It was fruity, but not sweet. It was strong, but only in the best possible way. It also reinforced for me the power of pineapple juice. Mix pineapple juice with any type of alcohol and, not only does it cover up the taste, it also instantly puts the cocktail into the tropical catergory. St. Germain and white wine make a great pair too and would probably be good all on their own.

Be sure to take a bit of the apple after the DREAM DRINK is drunk. It certainly livened up a cornhole game my family played in the rain underneath the beach house we are renting in North Carolina. It helped me win for my team, and to have sweet dreams.

Drink Up^
Cocktail Connie

SEX ON THE BEACH

SEX ON THE BEACH
1 1/2 ounce vodka
1/2 ounce peach schnapps
2 ounces cranberry juice
2 ounces orange juice

No beach vacation is complete without a little SEX ON THE BEACH and my trip to Ocean Isle, NC, is no exception. It was all I dreamed it would be and easy to make, especially by the sixth one (I'm with a large group.) I just put the fixings listed above into a glass, or glasses rather, filled them with ice, gave them a stir and garnished with lime slices.

Like its namesake, SEX ON THE BEACH was a fun refreshing change of routine. And no sand in uncomfortable places after you drink it. Here is what the fam had to say about it.
•Wonderful
•Really good
•Love the coconut taste (it contains no coconut)
•Gave me much pleasure
•Light and refreshing
•So much better than the fake, beach-bar version.

Whether you are on a beach or not, sex is always good. Give this cocktail a try.

Drink Up^
Cocktail Connie

PLANTERS PUNCH

PLANTERS PUNCH

Malibu Rum

Bacardi Anejo
Costillo Rum
Pineapple juice
Orange juice
Grenadine

After a long drive toOcean Isle Beach, North Carolina, and a day that involved three policemen interactionsamong our group — a speeding ticket, a parking lot accident, and an attempt tosave a puppy from a locked car — a cocktail was never more needed.

Luckily, the GigglingMackerel restaurant in Ocean City had a rooftop tiki bar with an adventurous bartendernamed Meredith. I asked for her signature cocktail and she asked me if it wasOK if it wasn’t frozen, shining a spotlight on the sad plight of ocean sidebars these days and their mandatory frozen cocktail machines. I said, hell no,I prefer something more creative and she proceeded to make me a PLANTERS PUNCHcocktail in a Styrofoam cup.

The cup may have beencheap, but with three types of rum and three kinds of juices, that cocktail washard work for Ms. Meredith. She said the key was the Bacardi Anejo, 80 proofaged rum that is smooth and tasty. Costillo Rum is exact same as Bacardi, but adifferent label so it can be sold to restaurants at a cheaper price. To makethe PLANTERS PUNCH, Ms. Meredith put these rums, along with Malibu Rum and thetwo juices above, into the cup. She added a dash of grenadine and lots of ice,and my PLANTERS PUNCH was ready to pour down my thirsty pie hole.

I enjoyed every sip.It went well with the ocean breeze and the shooting of the breeze with favoritefamily members. It was sweet, but not sticky sweet, like those frozen drinks.It took the classic rum and juice cocktail to a higher level. I’ve never been amassive rum fan, but the PLANTERS PUNCH makes me think that maybe I’ve justbeen doing it wrong all these years. Three rums or no rums is my new motto. Andthe five family members who drank the cocktail with me agreed. Fun group.Should be a good week, though I hope we’re done with blue sirens.

Drink Up^
Cocktail Connie

HONEYMOON COCKTAIL

HONEYMOON COCKTAIL

2 ounces Calvados
½ ounce Benedictine
½ ounce orange curacao
½ ounce lemon juice

My own honeymoon was spent skiing in the Alps, and I’m not complaining, it was wonderful. But I really just wanted to go to a beach. Well, today at least I got to drink a HONEYMOON cocktail while getting ready for a trip to beach, and it definitely took the edge off of packing.

My last vintage cocktail drink, the HONEYMOON was a signature cocktail of the famous Brown Derby restaurant in Los Angeles in the 1920s. They didn’t invent it though. The cocktail recipe was first seen in a 1917 cocktail book. To make it, put the ingredients above into a cocktail shaker from the 1920s or later, fill it with ice, shake it like the bed of happy honeymooners and strain it into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a slice of lemon or lime. Calvados is a French apple brandy, and you could use applejack or any brand of apple brandy, but Calvados is your best bet.

The HONEYMOON cocktail has a smooth taste and is definitely a special one. But the orange flavor is overwhelming and, with three liquors, you may miss the bed and hit the floor instead. Hubby and I had to add ice, and as it melted, the cocktail got a little sweeter and went down a little easier. While I enjoyed the HONEYMOON and I’m ready for the next phase of my life —beach cocktails! Ocean Isle, North Carolina, here I come.

Drink Up^
Cocktail Connie

SATAN'S WHISKERS

SATAN’S WHISKERS COCKTAIL

½ ounce gin

½ ounce dry vermouth

½ ounce sweet red vermouth

½ ounce orange juice

2 teaspoons orange curacao

1 teaspoon orange bitters

“It’s hard to dance with a devil on your back, so shake him off –oh woah.” That line from Florence &the Machine’s song Shake it Out played continually in my head all day. As I flipped through the vintage spirits book after coming home from work, SATAN’S WHISKERS COCKTAIL jumped out at me. It had been a devil of a day after all.

I was glad I succumbed to the temptation of SATAN’S WHISKERS, because it was heavenly. To make it, I just put the ingredients above into a shaker, filled the shaker with ice, and shook the devil out of it. I then strained the mixture into a cocktail glass and attempted to add a twist of orange, failing miserably. SATAN’S WHISKERS had a very tempting smell of orange and alcohol. With two types of vermouth, the cocktail also had a very 18^th century feel — dry and dirty. Vermouth is fortified wine invented in Italy in 1757, and in this cocktail, it works. The cocktail was pleasantly fruity, but also diabolically strong. After two of these, you will be dancing, and also possibly dying your hair red.

Drink Up^

Cocktail Connie

CHATHAM HOTEL SPECIAL

CHATHAM HOTEL SPECIAL

1 measure brandy

¾ measure ruby port

¾ measure heavy whipping cream

Dash of crème de cacao

In the mid-twentieth century, the Hotel Chatham in New York City took up two blocks on Vanderbilt Avenue, from E. 48^th to E. 49^th Street. It was hip-hop happening and rooms were only $5. I would have liked to have stayed there and to have partaken of their signature cocktail, the CHATHAM HOTEL SPECIAL.

The hotel is gone, but thanks to the Vintage Spirits & Forgotten Cocktails book, the cocktail recipe is not. To make the CHATHAM HOTEL SPECIAL cocktail, you’ll need the ingredients above. I was very happy to finally use up the port given to me by my conscientious son-in-law at Easter time and sitting on my counter ever since. I mixed the port with the other ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. I then strained the lavender-colored, frothy mix into a cocktail glass. None of these old-time cocktails seem to have used garnish. I’m sure fresh fruit wasn’t readily available a century or more ago, and while in general, that must have sucked, at least a bartender’s job was a little easier.

You will love the CHATHAM HOTEL SPECIAL. It is like a port milkshake, but lighter and is definitely more of an aperitif than a starter cocktail. The creamy taste shouldn’t fool you, the CHATHAM HOTEL SPECIAL is especially strong and likely ensured that hotel guests enjoyed a good night’s rest. Hubby says it is the best cocktail I’ve made in a week and I agree.

Drink Up^

Cocktail Connie

JUPITER COCKTAIL



Jupiter

THE JUPITER COCKTAIL
1 measure gin
½ measure dry vermouth
1 teaspoon Parfait Amour
1 teaspoon orange juice

Vintage cocktail week continues with the JUPITER COCKTAIL. Not only is the recipe from the book Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails, but the name is a fit for the United Nation’s World Environment Day, which is today. If we don’t all start treating our own planet with more tender loving care, we may need to move to Jupiter.

To make the JUPITER COCKTAIL, you will need Parfait Amour. It’s a purple liquor from France made from oranges, which I’m discovering is a very popular flavoring for alcohol. The only place I was able to find it was at Kentucky’s Party Source store, but I know you can also order it over the Internet. Parfait Amour is often mixed with gin and the JUPITER COCKTAIL is no exception. To make the cocktail, put the ingredients above into a shaker with ice, shake and strain into a cocktail glass. No ice or garnish required.



Jupiter Cocktail

The cocktail named for the fifth planet from the sun and the solar system’s largest planet oddly tastes a bit like cream soda. It is an interesting gray color, and despite the JUPITER COCKTAIL’s plain looks, it has a very un-plain, strong taste. The vermouth is a little overwhelming, and I would have liked more of the Parfait Amour and orange juice for balance. Still, I enjoyed this cocktail’s refreshing quality and I would recommend it to anyone looking for something different to drink while staring through their telescope.

Drink Up^
Cocktail Connie



THE CALVADOS COCKTAIL

THE CALVADOS COCKTAIL
1 measure Calvados
1 measure orange juice
½ measure Cointreau
½ measure orange bitters

It’s vintage cocktail week! The next five days, I will be making cocktails from a great little book called Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails by Ted Haigh, a.k.a. Dr. Cocktail. It’s a book of original, classic, cocktail recipes from the nineteenth century to the golden age after World War II. These cocktails pre-dated artificial mixes and sugary sweet additions. I may get to all 100 recipes in the book before this year is done, but tonight I tried the CALVADOS COCKTAIL. It uses Calvados, a French apple brandy that should be easy to find in any well-stocked liquor store.

 

To make the CALVADOS COCKTAIL, I put the ingredients above into a shaker, added ice, gave it some shakes and strained it into a small martini glass, though a larger one would have been better. I then added a lemon slice for garnish, slitting it for proper placement. An orange slice could have been used too.

The fruity tasting CALVADOS COCKTAIL will brighten up your glass and brighten up your day. It was created during the depression and it may have been the original Prozac. It has a strong taste and a bit of a back bite to it, but also a strong orange flavor that makes for wonderful drinking. It didn’t need ice and it wasn’t just a sipping cocktail. The recipe’s description says that it is a cocktail that has largely been forgotten. That’s a shame. Help me revive it and give it a try.

Drink Up^
Cocktail Connie