FRENCH CONNECTION

FRENCH CONNECTION
1 measure cognac
1/2 ounce amaretto

The FRENCH CONNECTION. It sounds worldly, sophisticated and fabulous. And the cocktail is. To make it, put on on your chicest French outfit, then simply put cognac and amaretto into a short rocks glass with plenty of ice and stir. I’d also suggest giving it a 10 minute melt.

If you like cognac and coffee, you will love the FRENCH CONNECTION cocktail. I am not a cognac lover, but I can’t live without my coffee. I found the cocktail to have a hint of yummy to it underneath the powerfully strong cognac. Hubby was the one with a craving for a cognac cocktail, and he backed up his craving by finding the recipe on his beloved iPhone and making it for me. Still, he was the one who finished it. He liked it better than straight cognac and said it would be great for the winter.

Trouble is, it was almost 90 degrees in Ohio today. Another problem is that the real FRENCH CONNECTION was not fabulous. It was a drug trafficking scheme run by the French Mafia during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Heroin made from opium grown in Turkey was smuggled from France to the U.S., providing almost all of the heroin supply in the U.S. at the time. Still, the movie was good.

Drink Up^

Cocktail Connie

THE DRIFTER

THE DRIFTER

2 ounces gin

½ ounce St. Germain

¾ ounce lime juice or sour mix

I have to confess that my work did not get 100% effort from me today. Maybe it was the Midol PM that I took last night, but I felt half-there today. It was as if I was just drifting through the Monday.

I decided to drift through my evening as well with a DRIFTER cocktail (Plus I had some fresh cucumbers looking for a home.) To make the DRIFTER, I put gin, St. Germain and sour mix into a cocktail shaker, added ice, shook and strained it into a martini glass. I then floated some thinly sliced cucumber on top.

The DRIFTER made me realize that sliced cucs really add a fashion statement to a cocktail. They also don’t get in the way of your sips and taste great after the liquid is gone. And this liquid will be gone quickly. The DRIFTER tasted like gin enhanced with the flavor of flowers and cucumber. It had a sourness to it, and is a must try for anyone that drifts towards sour drinks. I used an inexpensive gin, but a luxurious gin, like Tangueray or Bombay would surely make a big difference in a cocktail like this.

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Cocktail Connie

EAGLE'S DREAM- IT'S PURPLE!

EAGLE’S DREAM

1 ½ measure gin
1 measure Parfait Armour
Juice of half of a lemon
½ tsp. of sugar or simple syrup
1 egg white


I had a dream about eagles, I swear, a few nights before I made and drank an EAGLE’S DREAM cocktail. In the dream, I was on a speed boat next to David Beckham, just like he was in the opening ceremony of the Olympics. But, instead of going to light the olympic torch, we were following an American Eagle. The wind was flying through my hair, David was smiling, then… I woke up. I hate when that happens!

That eagle may have been a dream, but the fantasy-like EAGLE’S DREAM cocktail was not. What made it so out of this world is the Parfait Armour. The violet-colored, orange-flavored Parfait Armour was popular in ladies drinks in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, mainly because of its cool color. It is not easy to find in a liquor store — I had to buy it in Kentucky — so if you see the bottle in your travels, be sure to grab one.

To make the EAGLE’S DREAM cocktail, take that precious bottle of Parfait Armour, and put some of it into a blender in the measurement above, along with the gin, lemon juice, sugar or simple syrup, and one egg white. Add ice to the blender, blend and pour into a large wine goblet. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Thanks to the egg white, the EAGLE’S DREAM is foamy. It took a while for it to settle down after pouring. It is a sweet cocktail, with that expected hint of orange. It had a very unique flavor and a strange aftertaste that’s hard to put my finger on. The EAGLE’S DREAM is not a crowd pleaser, but those with a taste for gin and a sense of adventure — not to mention some additional ice and a melt — will come to love it. Either way, it’s a strong cocktail that comes with a ticket to dreamland. Wait for me David!

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Cocktail Connie

PINOT GRIS

PINOT GRIS

When is a wine a cocktail? When I say it is!


I took a limo ride today with my sister, some old friends and new ones, to a charming winery in Norton, Ohio, called the Winery at Wolf Creek. We whittled away the hours talking, eating, strolling through grapevines and lake trails, and playing Truth or Dare Jenga — a great drinking game. And of course, we drank lots and lots of wine.


Norton, Ohio, may be far, far away from California both in distance and wine quality, but I was impressed with all the wines that I tasted, and fell most in love with the PINOT GRIS. It was fruity, but dry, with a nice aroma and pleasant aftertaste. If you usually go for Chardonnay, I suggest trying a slightly fruitier Pinot when you want a change.


The Winery at Wolf Creek is perched atop a hill and provided great views. The busy crowd provided great people watching. There were many groups like ours and many who brought tablecloths, lots of food, decorations, cakes, you name it, to celebrate birthdays and other special occasions. As long as you were buying some wine, the winery didn’t care if you monopolized some tables all day. It was a great scene and a great day.

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Cocktail Connie

UPTOWN

UPTOWN

1 ½ measures Smirnoff Orange vodka

1 measure Cointreau

1 measure Fresh lime juice

1 measure Pomegranate juice

I was an uptown girl living in an uptown world tonight. Are you singing Billy Joel yet? I sure was and so was the bartender at the Red Hawk in Concord, Ohio, a charming place far from an uptown. Still the cocktails were good. I chose the UPTOWN from their impressive list of patio classic cocktails. The only problem was that I’d had most of the cocktails on the list already!

But not the UPTOWN. To make it the bartender put the ingredients listed above into a cocktail shaker, added ice, shook and strained it into a martini glass. When he asked if I wanted a lime garnish, I said “of course!” (Never turn down a garnish.)

The bartender’s cocktail — and singing — were a hit with me. Hubby took a sip and declared it a “feminine drink,” before going back to his “manly” sidebar cocktail, and our friend Richard said it tasted like JD and lemonade. I thought the combination of pomegranate and orange were fantastic. As expected, it was strong, but the cold martini glass seemed to meld with my hand and all was good.

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Cocktail Connie

BANANA DAIQUIRI

BANANA DAIQUIRI

1 ½ ounce rum

1 ounce lime juice

1 ounce créme de banana

Tablespoon triple sec

Teaspoon sugar or simple syrup

Small banana

Ice

Happy Birthday to the original second banana Vivian Vance! She’s most famous for playing Ethel Mertz on the classic I Love Lucy show in the 1950s. Surprisingly, I know a lot about Viv. I’m working on a non-fiction book tentatively titled, Difficult Child, Successful Adult. It’s about people who were very difficult and got into a lot of trouble during their childhood years, but grew up to be wildly successful. It’s a comfort book for parents whose children are driving them crazy.

Vivian Vance fit the criteria for my book and it wasn’t easy to find girls to include. Her stubbornness and rebelliousness drove her religious parents mad, but it was that same determination that resulted in a career that spanned 10 Broadway plays, 20 television shows and five movies. Viv also had a big heart and was one of the first celebrities to speak out about mental illness. More on her later. First — the cocktail.

I chose a BANANA DAIQUIRI because, even though Viv was use to being the star, she played second banana off Lucille Ball to perfection. Plus I love bananas. To make the BANANA DAIQUIRI, I put everything in the list above into a blender. I used coconut rum instead of regular rum, which I think improved the cocktail, and about two handfuls of ice to make one large drink. And boy was the result good, especially for a banana loving girl like me! I’ve always thought strawberry was my favorite flavor of daiquiri, but that has now been officially changed to banana. The one I made was like a slice of heaven. The banana flavor was “subtle” tropical, not “in your face” tropical like pineapple. The BANANA DAIQUIRI was smooth, creamy and delicious. I could have had several and I’m sure Viv would have loved it.

Just for kicks, following is an excerpt from my unfinished, unpublished book about Vivian Vance’s high school years in the 1920s:

Boys were another high school pastime of Viv’s that drove her mother to the brink of insanity.  She was very popular with the boys in her school and even dated boys from other towns — scandalous behavior in those days.  Old friends say she was boy crazy and went out with any boy who asked her, much to the shame of her parents and family.  Viv’s parents didn’t permit her to have dates for high school dances so, not one to passively accept constraints; she had lots of other dates.  Once when Mae (her mother) tried to stop her from going out on a date, she got a friend to put a ladder under her bedroom window so she could escape.  Her fascination with the opposite sex even lead her to vandalize school property:  Years after she became a television star, her name, along with that of her boyfriend at the time, was found carved into a desk at her high school. 

Vivian Vance (right) with Lucille Ball

Going out with any boy who asked her nearly got Viv paralyzed one crazy evening when she had traveled out of town to compete in a recital.  The recital was sponsored by the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and Viv’s mother was thrilled for a change.  Little did she know what Viv was up to the night before the competition.  That night, Viv was at the hotel when she took a drive with a college boy she had just met.  He parked the car somewhere out in the country, and took out a flask and a bottle of near-beer.  He poured some of the beer out, topped it off with the stuff in the flask, then turned the can upside down for a minute to make a “shot-beer.”  After drinking several shots, Viv couldn’t feel her lips.  Then she couldn’t see!  She somehow made it back to her hotel room and her friends nursed her through the night.  She was hard-headed enough to still give her recital at the competition the next day, though she was wobbly.  She even won — making her mother very proud.  Viv later learned that she had drank embalming fluid and barely missed being paralyzed for life!

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Cocktail Connie

GRAND HOTEL

The bee liked it!

GRAND HOTEL
1 ½ measure Grand Marnier
1 ½ measure gin
½ measure dry vermouth
Dash lemon juice

Just as every type of cookie has a martini, every classy hotel has a signature cocktail. There are many Grand Hotels in the U.S. There are Grand Hotels in Mackinac Island, Michigan, Ocean City, Maryland, and Sunnyvale, California, just to name a few. But the GRAND HOTEL cocktail is named after the Savoy Hotel in London, England. It was often referred to as the Grand Hotel in the 1920s when this unique cocktail was invented.

To make the GRAND HOTEL cocktail, put the ingredients above into a cocktail shaker, add ice, shake and strain into a short cocktail glass. Ice is optional, but garnish with a lemon slice if you have one, squeezing in a bit of the juice first.

My first sip of the GRAND HOTEL made my lips pucker and my head shake. It was very strong. I would describe the taste as lemon and orange and woo woo! Thank goodness for the lovely flavor of the Grand Marnier or I don’t think I would have given this cocktail the time it needed to get better. Though the recipe doesn’t call for ice, the GRAND HOTEL definitely got an upgrade with the addition of lots of ice and a melt. The watered-down version of this cocktail was more lemony with a pleasant aftertaste. A nearby bee sure liked it and kept following Hubby’s glass every time he moved it. He’ll be buzzing all night.

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Cocktail Connie

CARIBOU LOU

CARIBOU LOU

1 ½ measure 151 Bacardi Rum

1 measure Malibu rum

5 measures Pineapple juice

“.. 151 rum, pineapple juice, and Malibu, get them all numb…" 

I got hip tonight with a CARIBOU LOU cocktail. For those of you not as in touch with the youth of America as I, the CARIBOU LOU is both a cocktail and a rap song by TechN9ne. Tech didn’t invent the cocktail, but he raps about it in a song that came out earlier this year.

My 19-year old, OU-student niece Margo clued me in on the song and said I should make a CARIBOU LOU for my blog. I don’t like rap, but this blogging experiment is all about trying new things, so I checked the song out on YouTube. It has lewd lyrics and is not for the easily offended. Still, it’s catchy and at one point, TechN9ne raps that “he likes it big and juicy, so don’t pilates nothing,” and with that line, I liked him despite all the filthy other lines.

The song also made for good jamming music as I mixed a CARIBOU LOU cocktail. The song doesn’t give a recipe for the cocktail. There’s only vague references to making a jug of the stuff. The recipe above is the correct measurements for one. To make it, just put the two kinds of rum and the pineapple juice (a 6 oz can is the same as 5 measures) into a cocktail shaker, fill with ice, shake and strain into a large glass filled with ice.

In the song, the CARIBOU LOU is called the ultimate party favor. This is likely because of the Bacardi 151, one of the scariest liquor bottles I’ve ever read. At 151 proof, it came with a large warning label detailing how easily it could burst into flames. This is not a cocktail to sip by the fire. But it is a good cocktail. The pineapple and Malibu cover the powerful punch of the 151 well, and it tastes of a summer porch party. As the ice in the cocktail melted, so did my tension. But I had to stick to one or I “might see double, might see triple.”

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Cocktail Connie

PLANTERS PUNCH

PLANTERS PUNCH

1 measure fresh lime juice
1 measure orange juice
2 measures dark rum
½ measure grenadine
Dash Angostura bitters
Soda water or lemonade

The PLANTERS PUNCH cocktail originates from the sugar plantations in the West Indies during colonial times, when something tall and refreshing was needed. These plantations were where 90% of Western Europe’s sugar came from in the 19^th century and nearly every island in the British West Indies was dotted with sugar plantations back then. Unfortunately, it was slavery that made these plantations so successful. These plantations are also one of the reasons that blacks make up the majority of the population on these islands today.

OK, enough with the history lesson. How was the drink? Well, it was sweet and tart, and tasted like something you would drink on a sugar plantation. To make it, I put the first four ingredients listed above into a glass pitcher and stirred it well with ice. I then put a few dashes of Angostura bitters into the bottom of some highball glasses and half-filled them with ice. I strained the pink mixture from the pitcher into the glasses and topped them off with some ice-cold lemonade. Lastly, I garnished with a slice of lime, though an orange or peach would do as well. The PLANTERS PUNCH cocktail is not tops on my list. Though I enjoyed the combination of all the juices, the cocktail had a bitter aftertaste, and was just so-so. Still, it reminded me of Jamaica and that is never a bad thing.

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Cocktail Connie

VAN CRAN PEACH

VAN CRAN PEACH
1 1/2 measure Van Gogh Vodka
3 measures Ocean Spray White Peach Juice
1 measure 7 Up

Sunday nights are turning into improv cocktail nights around the Cocktail Connie bar. After a busy weekend, I need a cocktail that is easy to make and easy to drink.

The VAN CRAN PEACH cocktail is all that and more. The idea for it came from two purchases I made in Maryland that I wanted to try - Ocean Spray Brand White Peach Juice and Van Gogh Brand Vodka. I've always loved the artistic Van Gogh bottle and have caught myself admiring it while shopping at the liquor store. I finally bought a bottle. I wanted to see if Van Gogh, a vodka made in Holland, tastes as good as it looks. I don't know why I haven't bought it before. At about $24 for a 750 ml bottle, its price is only slightly more than other vodkas and not as much as Absolute or Grey Goose brands. And the white peach juice called to me from the grocery store shelf.

To make the VAN CRAN PEACH, I put the ingredients above into a tall glass with ice and stirred well. I wish I'd had a slice of fresh peach to use as garnish, but I had to make due with a lemon.

I love peaches and the VAN CRAN PEACH cocktail is one more way to get in a peach fix. It has a deliciously mellow vibe and was soft on the lips. The juice softens the yummy vodka perfectly, and the 7-Up breaks it all up nicely. The Van Gogh vodka was as good as it looked. It was smooth and had no bite to it whatsoever. It tasted on par with Grey Goose to me. Next up is a cocktail made with one of the Van Gogh flavored vodkas. This spirits company likes to paint with a broad brushstroke. PB & J, expresso, dutch chocolate and acai-blueberry are just a few of their flavors I'm hoping to try one starry night.

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Cocktail Connie

HEMINGWAY HAMMER

HEMINGWAY HAMMER
1 ounce Bacardi 151

1 ounce white rum

1 ounce blackberry brandy

1 ounce strawberry liqueur

1 ounce banana liqueur

Man’s man Ernest Hemingway was born on this day in 1899 in Oak Park, Illinois. Sure, Robin Williams, Don Knotts and Cat Stevens were all born today too, but they don’t have a cocktail named after them (that I know of anyways.) But Hemmingway? He has multiple cocktails and cigars named after him.

The cocktail I chose for tonight is the HEMINGWAY HAMMER. You can find it at Sloppy Joe’s in Key West or at your house bar after a trip to the liquor store that will be heavy on the arms, but not on the wallet. The HEMINGWAY HAMMER has five kinds of liquors, but none of them are expensive. To make the cocktail, combine all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and pour it into a highball glass filled with ice and serve with a lime wedge.

I served a round to friends in the hot tub at our weekend retreat in Deepcreek Lake, Maryland, and true to its name, the HEMINGWAY HAMMER got a few of them hammered. Because even though it is concocted of five alcohols, it is mysteriously and magically sweet and fruity. Cieren, a Hemingway fan, could see why he would have liked it, but he still didn’t believe Hemingway would have drank anything other than brown liquor. Joe, who is strictly a wine and scotch man, said it was the first drink he’s every liked. But Robin, she didn’t like it and thought it tasted like children's cough syrup. I shut her up with some pineapple and rum, and she was happy. And Hubby simply said, "Now that's a man's drink."

In The Snows of Kilimingaro, Hemingway said he likes to drink a warm beer at sunrise, because that is the coldest the beer will ever be. But the HEMINGWAY HAMMER may have been a close second for him and it definitely beats a warm beer! Give it a try.

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Cocktail Connie

ALGONQUIN

ALGONQUIN

2 measures rye whisky

1 measure dry vermouth

1 measure pineapple juice

Lemon garnish

Former redneck country, Deepcreek Lake of Maryland, met upper-crest New York City when I drank an ALGONQUIN cocktail on the porch of a friend’s lakehouse tonight. The ALGONQUIN cocktail is the former signature cocktail of the classy Algonquin New York Hotel in Midtown Manhattan that set the standard for luxury. Around since 1902, it is still one of the best places to stay in the city, but it will set you back about $450 a night.

Fortunately, the cocktail is a lot cheaper. To make it you’ll need rye-bread whiskey, dry vermouth and pineapple juice. Put the three of them into a cocktail shaker, fill it with ice, shake and strain it into a glass filled with ice. Garnish with a lemon slice and drink under a fancy chandelier if possible.

Robin and I, both pineapple lovers, thought the ALGONQUIN cocktail was smooth and not very "alcoholly." We had a long discussion on how we loved it much better than yesterday’s cocktail, but not as much as tomorrow’s. Then we sang “More Today than Yesterday,” the 1969 song by Spiral Staircase. The menfolk in the group did not like the pineapple so much, but said it did hide the whiskey well and that the cocktail was just “so-so.” It was an exploratory cocktail for all of us and topped off a good day exploring Deepcreek Lake — one of my new favorite places.

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Cocktail Connie

CHOCOLATE MARTINI

CHOCOLATE MARTINI
2 ounces vodka
½ ounce crème de cacao
Garnish with chocolate


Took my unpacked bags on another road trip to another lake house today. This round it’s Deepwater Creek Lake, Maryland. I never knew this before, but there is a little strip of Maryland that goes over West Virginia and borders Ohio. It contains pretty mountains and a deep lake that I can’t wait to explore on the boat tomorrow.

We have a styling pad and are with styling friends. The only downside of today is that I’m not with my big sis’ Kari. It’s the 17^th anniversary of her 29^th birthday and whatever she’s doing, I hope she is having fun. I will celebrate with her next weekend. But in the meantime, I celebrated our shared love of chocolate with a CHOCOLATE MARTINI.

To make it, I put vodka and crème de cacao into a cocktail shaker. I filled it with ice and shook it up, then strained the potent mixture into a martini glass and garnished it with shaved chocolate. Thank God for that shaved chocolate, because, initially, that was the only thing that made this very strong cocktail drinkable.

But then, like my sister, it grew on me. Some ice added, some melt, and about an hour’s time and I started to enjoy the cocktail more. Friend Robin never got that far with her CHOCOLATE MARTINI. In fact, the one I made for her got passed from her to her husband, and it still stayed half-full. I choose this simple recipe because it was a classic and because it meant bringing less bottles. But it was not very chocolately. When I indulge in a CHOCOLATE MARTINI again, I will add some heavy whipping cream. Or better yet, I’ll have one made for me at a martini bar and I’ll go with my sister.

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Cocktail Connie

RYE LATTE

RYE LATTE
1½ ounce Rye Whiskey
1 ounce Kahlua
2 ounce heavy whipping cream

“Goddamn that's good,” said Hubby after one sip of the RYE LATTE cocktail. “It tastes like an Arby's jamocha shake on steroids.”

I think any whiskey or jamocha shake lover would have this reaction to the creamy martini made with rye whiskey. To qualify as rye, whiskey must be made with at least 51% rye mash, giving it a heavier, grainer taste. For the RYE LATTE, I used 80 proof Old Overholt Straight Rye Whiskey, which is probably available in most liquor stores. Around since 1810, Old Overholt is a rare survivior of prohibition and the bottle looks like something right out of a western saloon. To make the RYE LATTE, I put the whiskey, Kahlua and heavy whipping cream (milk could also be used) in the measurements above into a cocktail shaker. I filled it with ice, shook it well and strained it into a martini glass. Simple and delicious.

I know the mixture of whiskey and kahlua doesn’t sound appealing, but somehow it works. Maybe it’s the heavy whipping cream, but the RYE LATTE tastes more like a chocolate shake than a cocktail. Hubby didn't even add ice like he usually does to martini cocktails. It’s strong to be sure, but the more I drank, the more I liked it. Give it a try. No drive-thru needed.

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Cocktail Connie

PINK ELEPHANT

PINK ELEPHANT
1½ measures strawberry vodka
3/4 measure peach schnapps
Pink Lemonade
Sprite or 7-Up

"Pink Elephants, Pink Elephants, Pink Elephants on parade."

One of my favorite scenes from a movie is in the Disney classic Dumbo. The scene where Dumbo hallucinates after drinking one too many cocktails (it is suppose to be water with absinthe accidentally spilled in) is silly, scary and fun all at the same time. The song "Pink Elephants on Parade" plays while pink elephants dance across the screen. Now that I've drank a PINK ELEPHANT cocktail, I can relate, because it is so good that you could drink a bucket full.

The recipe for a PINK ELEPHANT cocktail was given to Hubby by a downtown Cleveland bartender that was as flamboyant as Timothy Q. Mouse. To make it, just put vodka and peach schnapps into a tall cocktail glass filled with ice, stir, then fill it almost the rest of the way up with pink lemonade, leaving a little room for you to top it off with 7-Up or Sprite.

I was really impressed by how good this cocktail was. The PINK ELEPHANT is light, crisp, and very, very good. Even if you don't like any of the ingredients separately, they combine to perfection in this cocktail. Don't let another summer day pass you buy without trying one.

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Cocktail Connie on Parade

CHAMBORD VODKA SODA

CHAMBORD VODKA SODA
1 ounce vodka
1/2 ounce Chambord
Club soda

In my continuing quest to try vodka and soda with a variety of different liqueurs, tonight I tried one with one of my all-time favorite liqueurs, Chambord. Chambord is a raspberry liqueur and when I first tasted it, it made me realize that I like raspberries in both my cereal and my cocktail. I got the recipe for the CHAMBORD VODKA SODA cocktail from the Chambord bottle's label (it is a Monday.) To make it, you put the vodka and Chambord into a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice. Shake and pour it into a short cocktail glass. Then top it off with the club soda and a slice of lemon for garnish.

The CHAMBORD VODKA SODA will not weight you down. It is so light, it borders on water. In fact, it reminds me of the times I have I put vodka in vitamin water. Hubby said it reminded him of vanilla-flavored water. The hint of raspberry is just right though and this cocktail fits a hot day nicely. Go buy some Chambord and give it a try. You'll want a bottle of the delicious stuff in your liquor cabinet anyways.

Drink Up^
Cocktail Connie

ITALIAN WINE SPRITZER

ITALIAN WINE SPRITZER
Red wine
7up

Had a great day in New York's Finger Lakes. After a morning of swimming and waterskiing on a day with perfect weather, it was time for one of my most favorite activities in all the world- wine tasting. The gals in the group hit five wineries on Keuka Lake, including McGregor's where you get get to keep your glass.

We wandered back to the house and I promptly filled my McGregor's glass about half-way with red wine, then added ice and 7up. Without even knowing it, I had made myself an ITALIAN WINE SPRITZER. It was like a bubbly, lighter red wine. One could call it a low-maintenance Sangria or one could say that it is a way to ruin good red wine. It may all depend on your mood.

I used a Cabernet Sauvignon, but a lighter red wine, like a merlot or pinot noir, would be good to use as well. Just don't use a rose or white wine or it won't be an ITALIAN WINE SPRITZER. Salute!

ROB COLLINS

ROB COLLINS
2 measures gin or vodka
1 measure St. Germain
Lemon juice
Club Soda

Fabulous, wonderful, great for outside, light and refreshing. These are just some of the comments I heard from the group of fabulous friends that I have the pleasure of spending the next three nights with in the New York Finger Lakes. And as long as we don't screw up the asshole owner's deck we'll have a good time.

To make the ROB COLLINS I decided to use gin, but vodka would be just as good and it is on the agenda for the next time. I put gin and St. Germain into the glasses that were half-filled with ice and topped them off with lemon juice and club soda.

Stephanie, a distinguished American Airlines fight attendant proudly served as my model. Her husband Scott said the ROB COLLINS made his nipples hard, yet he wouldn't let me take a picture. Maybe tomorrow. St. Germain has rocked my world in the past and it's legend continued tonight. And honestly, who doesn't want hard nipples.

Drink Up^
Cocktail Connie

SEVEN & SEVEN

SEVEN & SEVEN

1 measure Seagram’s 7 Whiskey

7-Up

Ahh… SEVEN & SEVEN, my old friend. How perfect you are for a night like tonight, when I need an easy cocktail for a busy night of shopping and packing to take a trip with some other old friend.

I use to order you all the time when I was young and wanted to sound sophisticated. I’m sure I didn’t even know what your ingredients were back then. I only knew that, even though you contained brown liquor, I still liked you. Now I know that you are made with Seagram’s 7, an American whiskey and I like you even more because you are a patriotic drink that helps the economy. As my sips turn to slurps, I realize that, like yesterday' grapefruit juice, 7-Up is a great companion for any cocktail. I enjoy your strong, yet pleasant, aftertaste and your fun bubbles SEVEN & SEVEN. Glad your back.

 

Drink Up^

Cocktail Connie

MONKEY WRENCH

Monkey Wrench Cocktail




Actual Monkey Wrench

MONKEY WRENCH

1½ measures white rum
2 measures grapefruit juice lemon juice
Lemonade

A MONKEY WRENCH was thrown into my cocktail plans tonight when I didn’t have the dark rum I needed to make the cocktail on the calendar. But I did have white rum and the ingredients for a MONKEY WRENCH, and the title seemed to fit my dilemma.

Making the MONKEY WRENCH took no time at all. I just put the rum into a tall glass half-filled with shaved ice, added the grapefruit juice and topped it off with lemonade. I finished with a lemon garnish, but an orange or grapefruit garnish would be really cool, especially if you made an artistic arrangement with it.

The MONKEY WRENCH was more fun than a barrel of monkeys and more refreshing than the view from a tall tree in the jungle. I learned that grapefruit juice is the ultimate cocktail companion, and goes well with vodka, rum, gin, just about any alcohol you choose to mix with it. The MONKEY WRENCH cocktail would be great for a sunny afternoon spent in the garden or the hammock. Just beware that it will disappear quickly from your glass and one too many could easily throw a monkey wrench into your gearbox. Be careful and don't strip your nuts.

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Cocktail Connie

CHAMBORD FLUSH

CHAMBORD FLUSH
½ measure Chambord liqueur
1½ measure grapefruit or citrus vodka
½ measure lemon juice
Muddled raspberries
Lime garnish

From an Irish bartender to my kitchen counter in Ohio came the idea for a CHAMBORD FLUSH cocktail. My Dad had gotten the cocktail’s list of ingredients from a bartender on his recent trip to Ireland, but not the measurements. No problem I figured. My growing expertise in the field of cocktails would allow me to make some educated guesses on the measurements for what sounded like a very yummy treat featuring the black raspberry liqueur Chambord.

To make the CHAMBORD FLUSH, I started by muddling about 4-5 raspberries in the bottom of a round glass using a wooden muddler. A short cocktail glass and a spoon would work too. I then put the first three ingredients above into a cocktail shaker, added ice, shook it well and strained it into the glass with the raspberries. I finished by adding ice and a lime garnish to the glasses.

The CHAMBORD FLUSH tastes as pretty as it looks. As expected, it was a treat and it became even more delicious after a significant ice melt and the adding of a few more cubes. Though fruity-flavored and made with citrus vodka, the acidity was surprisingly low. As usual, the Chambord, a new favorite, did not disappoint and if I was to make this cocktail again, I would use less vodka and more Chambord.

Perhaps the words of Hubby sum it up best:

“Wow, this is awfully good,” he said. “Was it hard to make? It tastes like it was hard to make.” It was Hubby, but you’re worth it (most days anyways.)

Drink Up^
Cocktail Connie

BOURBON ROCKS

BOURBON ON THE ROCKS

2 ounces good bourbon
Ice
Peel of lemon

Happy Birthday to my rockin’ pal Cindy (a.k.a. Fish!) In the 20 plus years that I’ve known Fish, the variety of alcohol that she has digested has been commendable. Unlike me, Fish has never been afraid to try new cocktails and blaze new trails. These days, she’s a little more meticulous, but no less fearless. Her cocktail of choice is BOURBON ON THE ROCKS.

As you can read above, the recipe couldn’t be easier. Still, this cocktail will take over 10 minutes to make. Start by putting lots of ice into a short rocks glass. Let it sit for a few minutes, then pour in the best bourbon you can afford almost to the rim. I used Knob Creek Single Barrel Bourbon and Fish’s favorite is Basel Hayden. Other good choices include Woodford Reserve and Old Grandad. The last two steps of making this cocktail are adding a peel of lemon and letting it sit for at least 10 minutes.

This “letting it sit” part is called the melt. Fish loves her BOURBON ON THE ROCKS, but it has to have the melt. Without it, you will be choking this down. With it, smooth sipping. The length of the melt is directly proportional to the proof of the whiskey. The Knob Creek that I used is a whopping 120 proof, so I really needed 20 minutes before I could enjoy my cocktail. On the other hand, 90 proof Woodford Reserve may only need a 5 minute melt. Either way, if doing it on the rocks, don’t forget the melt.

Drink Up^
Cocktail Connie
(a.k.a. Roz)

KEMPINSKY FIZZ

KEMPINSKY FIZZ

1 ½ measure vodka
½ measure crème de cassis
¼ measure lemon juice
4 measures ginger ale

I don’t know if this cocktail is Polish, but the KEMPINSKY FIZZ made me want to polka. The fizz from the ginger ale was fun and it tasted so good that I drank a cask full. To make the KEMPINSKY FIZZ, no shaker was needed. This was good, since my favorite shaker’s lid has gone missing. I just put the first three ingredients listed above into a tall glass filled with shaved ice, gave it a stir, THEN added the ginger ale. I didn’t stir the cocktail anymore and I added a slice of lime for garnish.

Polish or not, the KEMPINKSY FIZZ is no joke. It is wonderful and, if you make it for your next guests, they will love you. It is not too sweet and is pleasantly refreshing. This is probably due to the crème de cassis, a blackberry liqueur that makes any cocktail combination delicious. The interesting color combination in the KEMPINSKY FIZZ is mauve on bottom and pink on the top. Likewise, it’s taste is strong on the bottom and light on top. Time to “roll out the barrel.”

Drink Up^

Cocktail Connie

SEA BREEZE

SEA BREEZE
1 1/2 ounces vodka
4 ounces cranberry juice
1 ounce grapefruite juice

Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, is the number one rated amusement park on the planet.  It has some of the world's tallest, fastest and best roller coasters and rides, and I love it there so much that I worked there one summer in college. But it was hard to love on a day like today, where it reached 98 degrees. I was looking for any breeze I could find --a Lake Erie Breeze, a breeze from going on a ride, a breeze from standing near a ride, heck even the breeze from stiff drink would have been good. But there were no cocktails inside Cedar Point. So after a two hour ride home that involved dropping off two kids, a cocktail was needed to go with my cold shower.

An easy SEA BREEZE fit the bill nicely. To make it, I simply put the three ingredients above into a tall glass filled with ice, gave it a stir and garnished with a slice of orange. A slice of lime or lemon would have worked good as well.

I've ordered many a SEA BREEZE at a bar during the summer, especially if I was at a pool or beach. This refreshing refreshment is a classic and I now know why. Though it is mostly juice and vodka, it feels healthy and calming. The grapefruit and cranberry juice are parceled out nicely so that they compliment eachother, and neither one overwhelms the cocktail. I don't know how anyone could not like it. Mr. Penguin, which cost me $10 to win at a classic Cedar Point Guessing Game and is probably worth $1, sure did. I must be really tired because I decided to give him a sip after I thought I saw him giving me the evil eye because he was jealous of my delicious SEA BREEZE cocktail.

Drink Up^

Cocktail Connie

TEXAS MARGARITA

TEXAS MARGARITA
1 measure gold tequila
1 measure rum
½ measure Cointreau
1 measure lime juice
Salt for rim

Two of my favorite past vacation spots — Jamaica and Mexico — met in tonight’s cocktail. Called a TEXAS MARGARITA, it was served to me by the Spanish speaking bartender at Don Tequilas in Mentor, Ohio. I asked him for a special margarita and this was his answer. To make it, he just put the ingredients above into a shaker, gave it some shakes and strained it into a glass with a salted rim and lots of ice.

The TEXAS MARGARITA was basically just a regular gold margarita with a shot of rum added to make sure you have a nice siesta later on. I was a little leery of the rum, tequila combo, but facing my cocktail fears is what this year is all about, so I went for it. I didn’t regret it either. Tequila is not one of my favorite liquors, and the rum covered it up nicely and took some of the bite out of it. It wasn’t a big taste difference from a regular margarita, but if you are looking for something different to go with your chips and salsa, go big or go home and go for a TEXAS MARGARITA.

Speaking of big, the cocktails were followed by the movie “Magic Mike.” It was funny, corny and full of male eye candy doing dance moves that border on the illegal. My siesta is going to be extra special tonight.

Drink Up^

Cocktail Connie


LIBERATOR

LIBERATOR
1 1/2 measures vodka
1/2 measure Midori or other melon liqueur
2 measures mango juice
1/2 measure lime juice
Mango garnish

Cocktail Connie is taking the day off to celebrate the fourth of July. Her guest columnists are a drinking committee made up of family and friends sitting around a pool, telling stories, and waiting to be served a LIBERATOR cocktail. To make it, Cocktail Connie put the ingredients listed above into a glass filled with ice, gave it a stir and garnished with mango and lime. You could also shake and strain it first, but the way she did it was easier.

Drinking Committee Comments:

Johnny Steele said "It splashes down the back of my palate with a summery tingle. It makes me want to have fun."

"I like anything you make Cocktail Connie. I always look forward to seeing you. The mango is delightful."

"This melon mango cocktail is awesome and very refreshing for a hot day."

"It's citrusy and refreshing in the 95 degree heat. And as always with your cocktails, it is strong."

"Not too fruity, crisp, perfect summer drink."

"Light, but flavorful. I really taste the mango and it gives that hawaiian feeling."

"Delicious. It makes me want to be on a beach."

"Honestly, the first real drink I like."

Drink Up^
Cocktail Connie

BANANAS FASTER

BANANAS FASTER

2 teaspoons dark brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 orange wedge

½ cup vanilla ice cream

2 ounces dark rum

1 ounce crème de banana

½ banana (peeled)

Ever since I flipped through the book In the Land of Cocktails, I was sure that one day I would make the BANANAS FASTER cocktail. As a lover of milkshakes, it sounded like a splendid drink to me. And it was. It was also a pain to make. But if you have the time, the inclination and a taste for alcohol and bananas, follow the directions below.

Put the sugar and cinnamon on a saucer, and mix it up. Rub the juice from the orange wedge on half of the rim of a brandy snifter. Then put the ice cream, dark rum and crème de banana into a blender. Blend for about 30 seconds, then pour into the snifter.

The BANANAS FASTER went fastly down Hubby’s throat, while I preferred to sip, but we both loved this different take on dessert. Be warned that the BANANAS FASTER is an extremely potent milkshake. It is also creamy and delicious. If they served these banana-flavored delights at Dairy Queen, not only would they be a hit, but my high school years employed there would have been a lot more fun!

Drink Up^

Cocktail Connie