THE THIN MINT COCKTAIL

THIN MINT COCKTAIL

1 ounce Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur

1 ounce Crème de Menthe

Chocolate syrup

Milk

Whipped Cream

It’s a long seven months until it’s Girl Scout cookie time again. For those of you who can’t wait that long for a taste of the Thin Mint cookies, there is the THIN MINT COCKTAIL. To make it, put equal parts Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur and Crème de Menthe into a cocktail shaker, add ice, a good squeeze of chocolate syrup, about ½ cup of milk and whipped cream. Shake it up and strain it into a small cocktail glass. Garnish with some more whipped cream.

The first thing you notice about the THIN MINT COCKTAIL is its weird, grassy-green color. If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought it was a shot of wheatgrass. The second thing you notice, after you take a sip, is that it tastes exactly like a Girl Scout Thin Mint cookie. It would work great as an after-dinner treat or a teeny-booper shot. It was creamy and different, but very minty too. Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur is special on its own as well, or when mixed with Baileys over ice. I used up the last of mine in the THIN MINT COCKTAIL, then cried to the blue moon.

Drink Up^

Cocktail Connie

FROZEN BROWN DERBY

FROZEN BROWN DERBY

4 cups of grapefruit juice

3 tablespoons honey

½ teaspoon orange flower water

Bourbon to taste

I’ve always been a big fan of anything good that you can make ahead of time. “Set it and forget it” is what I’m all about. The FROZEN BROWN DERBY cocktail definitely fits this description. It’s a frozen, slushy-like, version of the Kentucky Churchill Downs’ cocktail, the Brown Derby, although some Brown Derby recipes call for lime juice and bitters too.

No need for a slushy machine or a blender to make the FROZEN BROWN DERBY. You just need a Ziploc bag, a freezer and the ingredients listed above. I couldn’t find the orange flower water in my grocery or liquor store, so I had to forge ahead without it. But if you can find it, add it, lots of grapefruit juice, honey and bourbon to a Ziploc. I used one measure (1.5 ounces) of bourbon and it made my slushy very strong, so use less or more depending on how much you like bourbon. Then put it in the freezer overnight or until frozen. When you take it out, just let it thaw for a few minutes, then kneed it or smash it until it is like a slushy, then pour the pink ice into a cup and serve with a spoon.

I found that the honey stuck to the bottom of the bag, and I wasn’t sure if much honey had actually gotten into the cocktail, until I tasted it. I could taste a bit of honey in the FROZEN BROWN DERBY, along with a strong grapefruit taste and plenty o’ bourbon. Though it was a strong cocktail, I loved that it was different and fun to eat — definitely a good cocktail for the summer. Hubby didn’t like the FROZEN BROWN DERBY at first, but then it grew on him. I was the opposite. I thought it was good at first, but then it was too strong for me to finish. Bourbon lover or not, you need to sample this cocktail this holiday weekend.

Drink Up^

Cocktail Connie

NEUTRAL GROUND

 

NEUTRAL GROUND

1 ½ ounce limoncello

1 ½ ounce peach schnapps

1 ounce sour mix

 Hubby and I were chilling like Switzerland tonight with our NEUTRAL GROUND cocktails. That’s the country itself in the background in the picture. The recipe for the NEUTRAL GROUND came from In the Land of Cocktails, a book with some great cocktail recipes from New Orleans. It’s named after New Orleans’ original neutral ground on Canal Street — the grassy strip in the middle of the road. Back when the French and the Americas were fighting over the Crescent City, that grassy strip was the neutral ground where the two groups could do some business without either one of them having an advantage.

 

 

To make the NEUTRAL GROUND cocktail, start by buying some limoncello — a lemon Italian liqueur. Price can make a big difference in taste, so I suggest you don’t skimp on the limoncello. Take that limoncello, some peach schnapps and some sour mix, and put them all into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake it up and strain it into a martini glass. Garnish with a slice of lemon.

The garnish fits the lemony NEUTRAL GROUND cocktail well. Hubby thought it tasted like a perfume bottle fell into lemonade, but I liked it. Sure, it was sour, but it was also soothing and distinctively delicious. It is a cocktail you can drink all night, and if you have to pucker later, you will be all set. And, quite frankly, I just love holding a martini glass. It could be filled with M & M s, jellybeans, a dirty martini, a peach martini, whatever. And now I’ve added the NEUTRAL GROUND cocktail to the list. Good luck with hurricane Issac New Orleans - hang on tight to your cocktails!

 

Drink Up^

Cocktail Connie

 



CAMSHAFT

CAMSHAFT

1 measure vodka

½ measure Campari

1 measure passion fruit or grapefruit

1 measure orange juice

1 measure lemonade

 

 

In an engine, the camshaft is an operating valve that looks like a long steel tube. As a cocktail, the CAMSHAFT is a pretty pink drink served in a short tube. Both have a great effect on performance, and neither should be overlooked.

 

 

To make the CAMSHAFT, I put the ingredients above into a cocktail shaker, added ice, shook it with the vigor of a piston and strained the mixture into a small cocktail glass that was half-filled with ice. Those ingredients included the obscure Campari liquor, an Italian aperitif made from secret herbs and spices. It is known all over the world, and has an unmistakably bitter taste that can’t be missed in the CAMSHAFT cocktail. You either love or hate Campari. I’m in the latter group, but I still enjoyed my CAMSHAFT. It tasted like a Hawaiian punch, but less sweet, and is a different twist on the whole vodka and juice thing. It also proved to me that if you must drink Campari, orange juice is the best companion.

 

I’m not sure where the recipe for the CAMSHAFT cocktail came from. It was just scribbled on a large post-it note that was stuck in the front of my main cocktail book, 750 Cocktails. I can’t for the life of me remember why or when I wrote it. Just another day in the life…

 

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Cocktail Connie

ELECTRIC POPSICLE

ELECTRIC POPSICLE

1 measure Crème de Banana
½ measure lime juice
1 measure Parfait Armour
1½ measures vodka

 

I don’t know about electric, but the ELECTRIC POPSICLE cocktail looks and tastes exactly like a grape popsicle. To make it, I put the ingredient above — including the hard-to-find Parfait Armour — in the measurements above, into a cocktail shaker. I added ice, shook it well and strained it into a small cocktail glass that I’d filled with crushed ice. I wish I’d had a popsicle stick to use as garnish, because the ELECTRIC POPSICLE took me back to my childhood days, when a 10 cent popsicle made me happy. Crème de Banana makes me happy today and it worked well with the Parfait Armour in the ELECTRIC POPSICLE, but someday I might just put it on ice by itself and see what that is like. Hubby didn't like the strong banana taste in this cocktail nearly as much as me and thought it tasted more like a bomb pop than a grape popsicle. Whatever you think it tastes like, you won’t notice this cocktail’s strength, despite the three liquors it contains. My suggestion — give the children a popsicle from the freezer and yourself an ELECTRIC popsicle from the bar. Life is short!

 

Drink Up^
Cocktail Connie

TEQUILA SUNSET

TEQUILA SUNRISE

2 measures gold tequila

4 measures orange juice

½ measure grenadine

After a fun and adventurous weekend, the sunset has arrived. It’s my sunset on the weekend and my sunset on the summer. For though the calendar says that summer ends on Sept. 21^st, every one with kids knows that summer really ends when the school year starts. For us, this is tomorrow. Hence, I needed a simple cocktail recipe, like the one for the TEQUILA SUNSET. To make the pretty cocktail, I put gold tequila and orange juice into a tall glass that I had filled with ice. I gave it a stir, then I added grenadine by pouring it over the back of a spoon, so that it floated to the bottom like a setting sun.

The TEQUILA SUNSET is a fine way to enjoy a fine, smooth, aged, gold tequila. The OJ and tequila are wonderful together, and the grenadine an added bonus. This cocktail is fruity, light and slightly sweet. Tequila is only an occasional spirit for me, but the TEQUILA SUNSET makes me want to have it more. It would be great for sipping during a sunset, a sunrise, or anytime in between. And I especially love this cocktail’s stunning yellow color. It reminds me of the bus that is going to pull up to my house tomorrow morning and take my preteen away!

Drink Up^

Cocktail Connie

CARIBBEAN PAINKILLER

CARIBBEAN PAINKILLER

2 ounces orange juice
1 ounce fresh lime juice
2 ounces coconut rum (Malibu)
1 1/2 ounces vodka
2 ounces pineapple juice
Pinch of nutmeg

Cocktails are great, but a well-deserved cocktail after a hard day can seem especially delicious. The CARIBBEAN PAINKILLER I had today was well-deserved, delicious and aptly named, for after tackling the Sky High course at Holiday Valley in New York, something to kill the pain was needed.

To make the CARIBBEAN PAINKILLER, I first grabbed a 1/2 gallon jug, because I was planning on sharing. I just put all of the ingredients listed above -times six- into the jug, added lots of ice and stirred. After transporting it to the pool, and pouring it into individual glasses, I garnished with a little nutmeg.

The CARIBBEAN PAINKILLER was perfect for a relaxing Saturday afternoon by the pool. Everybody's glass was quickly emptied. Turns out vodka and rum together can work, especially when combined with yummy juices. The nutmeg is optional, but a glorious touch in my opinion. The others in my group were not into the brown stuff so much.

The CARIBBEAN PAINKILLER killed the pain from the very challenging Sky High course, where the zip lining was the easy part.  I was climbing near-impossible ladders, walking tightropes, and crossing bridges made of nothing but logs hanging from ropes. I had no idea how hard that was going to be and I had no idea how hard the CARIBBEAN PAINKILLER cocktail would hit me. It is one of those that sneaks up on you. Hide your keys before you begin drinking, because you won't want just one.

Drink Up^
Cocktail Connie

SALOON IN THE SKY

SALOON IN THE SKY
1 ounce Kentucky Bourbon
1/2 ounce applejack or apple brandy
1/2 ounce Grand Marnier

I've traveled to one of my favorite places today-- Ellicottville, New York -- to enjoy the mountains and to tackle the SKY HIGH zip line course. To start the theme weekend out right, I had a cocktail called the SALOON IN THE SKY. It is from my New Orleans cocktail book, In the Land of Cocktails. It is a popular cocktail at jazz funerals, celebrations of life that sound like a hell of a lot of fun.

To make the SALOON IN THE SKY, you'll need the three potent alcohols listed above. Put them in a cocktail shaker, add ice, shake vigorously, and strain into a rocks glass. Fill that rocks glass with ice and serve.

You may want to let the ice melt a bit, because the SALOON IN THE SKY is
strong enough to send you to the moon. Yet, it's also a bit of heaven. The apple and orange flavors compliment the bourbon nicely and make it tolerable - pleasurable even by the time you reach the bottom of the glass. Hubby said it reminded him of Benedictine brandy and Elisa said it smells like old feet. Have your own celebratory party and see for yourself. Don't stop until you are Sky High.

Drink Up^
Cocktail Connie

GIN FIZZ BABY!

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GIN FIZZ
2 measures gin
Juice of half a large lemon
1 tsp superfine sugar
Soda water

 

I’ve become a gin lover this year and cocktails like the GIN FIZZ are the reason why. GIN FIZZ is the original sweet and sour drink. It was created in New Orleans in the 1880s, way before the invention of sweet and sour mix. Back then, you took something sour, like a lemon, and something sweet, like sugar, and mixed it together. To make the GIN FIZZ, you put some high-quality gin, the juice from half a lemon (or one measure of lemon juice), and some superfine sugar, and put it all into a cocktail shaker. Mix it up with ice, and shake and strain into a frosted glass half-filled with ice. Leave some room to top it off with the club soda. The amount of soda is a matter of personal taste.

 

Sadly, my gin fizz fizzled because the only supply of club soda in the house was flat. But even though I was missing the bubbles, I found the GIN FIZZ to be surprisingly good. It was a lip-smacking cocktail that brought out the flirt in me. I love vintage cocktails and this one is a class act. The sweet and sour balance is perfect, and it reminded me of a refreshing lemonade.
Of all the gin drinks in all the world, this is a good one to wander into.

 

Drink Up^
Cocktail Connie

GOLDILOCKS

GOLDILOCKS
1 measure dark rum
1 measure Malibu coconut rum
3 measures pineapple juice
2 measures orange juice

I love cocktails named after fairy tales. I mean aren't cocktails one way to take a trip far, far away from from the reality of life? The GOLDILOCKS cocktail is suppose to have gotten its name because it is the color of the famous little girl's hair. I'd say it is more of a putrid yellow color, but it sure did taste golden.

To make the GOLDILOCKS cocktail, I put the ingredients listed above into a cocktail shaker, added ice, shook it and strained it into a tall glass that had been filled with ice. I garnished with some pineapple, but I could have used an orange slice as well.

I've tasted lots of rum and juice drinks this cocktail year. Some have been too sweet and some have been too sour, but the GOLDILOCKS was just right. It was the perfect balance of two rums and two juices. It was refreshing, light and much better than the gin and juice shot I had last night. Hubby thought the GOLDILOCKS would make a good morning drink because of its nice consistency and healthy taste. Whenever you decide to drink one, just make sure you end up in your own bed afterwards.

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Cocktail Connie

HONOLULU

HONOLULU

1 measure gin

¼ measure pineapple juice

¼ measure orange juice

¼ measure lemon juice

¼ measure pineapple syrup (from a can)

1 drop Angostura bitters

I did a shot in honor of Hawaii tonight and I think you should too. On this day, August 21^st, in 1959, President Eisenhower signed an executive order making Hawaii the 50^th state of the U.S. It’s the only state made up of islands and its capital is Honolulu. To celebrate , make a HONOLULU shot using the ingredients in the recipe above, which is enough for two small shots. Just put all those juices and gin into a cocktail shaker, add some syrup from a can of pineapple and lots of ice. Then shake and strain it into two small shot glasses. The last, and most important step, is to add a teeny tiny dash of Angostura bitters.

The bitters are vital to a proper HONOLULU shot, because they cut through the strong pineapple taste. I also liked how the dash of bitters floated on top of the shot like an island. Since the HONOLULU shot uses gin, instead of vodka or rum, it has a unique, more bracing, taste that will make you give the traditional post-shot exclamation of “whew!” Still, you’ll want more than one, for this shot was worth the effort. It was a tasty, multi-dimensional shot that will bring a little bit of paradise to your palate.

Aloha!

Drink Up^

Cocktail Connie

MIDNIGHT LIASON

MIDNIGHT LIAISON

1 ounce Blue Curacao

1 ounce Parfait Armour

4 ounces lemonade

Dash of Grenadine

For a proper midnight liaison, one should have an open heart, sexy lingerie, a clear night, a watch, and a MIDNIGHT LIAISON cocktail. For the other stuff, you are on your own, but to make the cocktail, just put the first three ingredients listed above into a tall highball glass that is filled with cracked ice. Stir, then top it off with a dash of grenadine and serve.

Just be sure that your sweetheart likes sweet cocktails, because the MIDNIGHT LIAISON is a very sugary, saccharine cocktail. It reminds me of a frozen drink that would be served at a tiki bar, especially with the bright colors. The hard-to-find Parfait Armour orange liqueur has me perplexed. I’ve loved it in some cocktails and loathed it in others. In the MIDNIGHT LIAISON, the Parfait Armour is good, though I think I would have liked it better without the equally-sweet blue curacao. I guess I’ll have to keep trying it in a variety of cocktails before I make a final judgment call on the purple stuff. In the meantime, I’ll keep enjoying my MIDNIGHT LIAISON, and looking at my watch.

Drink Up^

Cocktail Connie

HARD CASE

HARD CASE

1½ measures cognac

½ measure crème de casis

¼ measure lemon juice

A hard case saved Hubby’s iPhone this weekend after it went flying off the outside top of the trunk of his car and onto a highway median. After an embarrassing and exhaustive search along the side of the highway entrance ramp, there was his iPhone, completely unscathed.

The HARD CASE cocktail also gave Hubby great joy this weekend. To make it, I just put the items listed above — including delicious crème de casis blackcurrant liqueur — into my new Rabbit cocktail shaker, added ice, shook it well, and strained the pretty, dark purple, mixture into a cocktail glass. I garnished with a slice of orange, but a slice of lemon would have been better.

Hubby really loved the HARD CASE cocktail. That’s because it’s very close to his beloved sidecar cocktail, which has Cointreau instead of crème de casis. I love crème de casis, but only liked the HARD CASE cocktail. I don’t think I’ve developed a taste for cognac yet and I was hard pressed to finish it. But if you like cognac, the HARD CASE is a must try. Just beware that it is a strong cocktail and, unlike Hubby’s iPhone, have too many and you may not come away unscathed.

Drink Up^

Cocktail Connie



WILD TEA COSMO MARTINI

WILD TEA COSMO MARTINI
2 measures Absolut Wild Tea Vodka
1 measure orange liqueur
1 measure cranberry juice
Splash of lime juice

I found myself back at a Panini’s restaurant again tonight. We were looking for a place to eat dinner on the way back from Wildwater Kingdom waterpark in Aurora, Ohio, and a Panini’s caught my eye. I knew they had a cocktail or two that I wanted to try, and I was driving, so the others had no choice. This time, I went for the WILD TEA COSMO MARTINI made with Absolut Wild Tea Vodka. I’m not a big tea drinker, but sometimes tea sounds comforting, especially after a long day of body slide and lazy river rides.

To make the WILD TEA COSMO MARTINI, the nice bartender at Panini’s put the ingredients above into a cocktail shaker, added ice, shook it well, and strained it into a martini glass with a stem just right for holding. There were little shards of ice floating on the top that helped to keep the cocktail cold. But it wasn’t in the glass for long, because I loved it.

“Cocktails Perfected” is Absolut brand’s tag line for this vodka and I’d agree that it is a subtly perfect blend of tea, elderflower, red apples and citrus. The wild tea vodka had a pleasantly fresh aroma that gave this martini a real summery feel. It would be a great vodka to use for lighter vodka cocktails, like mojitos, tonics, long island ice teas and, of course, martinis. As hoped for, I was comforted by my WILD TEA COSMO MARTINI. In addition to the delicious vodka, it had a great blend of juices that weren’t too citrusy. It tasted like raspberry tea with a kick, despite the fact that there was no raspberry in it. I only wish I could have enjoyed it on the lazy river. Are you listening Wildwater Kingdom?

Drink Up^
Cocktail Connie


BLOOD ORANGE FIZZ

BLOOD ORANGE FIZZ

Vodka
Lemon Juice
Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur
Blood Orange simple syrup

Small and bloody oranges are in season right now. They look normal on the outside, but when you cut into them, they are bright red, extra juicy and sweet. As I found out tonight at Flemings Restaurant in Woodmere, Ohio, they also make pretty good cocktails. To make the BLOOD ORANGE FIZZ cocktail, the Flemings’ bartender put the ingredients above into a cocktail shaker, filled it with ice, and strained the pretty mixture into a short cocktail glass half-filled with ice. He topped it off with a lemon slice for garnish.

Key to the BLOOD ORANGE FIZZ cocktail was the Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur. It’s a clear, premium liqueur made with blood oranges from Sicily, picked at the peak of ripeness. I’ve discovered that there are lots of orange liqueurs out there. Still, the Solerno had its own unique flavor. It was more complex than Cointreau, my favorite orange liquor, and had a fresher orange essence. At about $45 for a 750 ml bottle, it is also more expensive than Cointreau. Still, it is worth the splurge if you are a fan of blood oranges. It mixed wonderfully with the other ingredients in the bittersweet BLOOD ORANGE FIZZ cocktail. The citrus was too strong for me at first, but after a little melt, it was just right. I enjoyed the cocktail and the company, and the beautiful night. Hope you bloody-well did too.

Drink Up^
Cocktail Connie

BLUE SUEDE SHOES

BLUE SUEDE SHOES

½ ounce Jim Beam whiskey

½ ounce blue curacoa

3½ ounce lemon-lime soda

1½ ounce lemonade

The BLUE, BLUE, BLUE SUEDE SHOES cocktail was the cocktail of choice tonight in honor of the 35^th anniversary of the death of the late, great Elvis Presley. “Blue Suede Shoes” was written by rockabilly great Carl Perkins and was one of Elvis’ first big hits. The BLUE SUEDE SHOES cocktail was a hit in my house tonight, starting with how effortlessly it was to make. I just put the ingredients above into a glass that was filled with ice, stirred and added a slice of lemon.

In my experience, a blue cocktail simply screams “fun” and I always gets an “Oh, it’s blue!” when I serve one to guests. The bright blue BLUE SUEDE SHOES cocktail is no exception. Like Elvis, it’s a bit flashy. It’s also tasty, thirst-quenching, and as soft and comfortable as a favorite pair of shoes. The lemonade and soda hide the Jim Beam well. In fact, whiskey-loving Hubby asked what was in the cocktail. If you are looking for a light, fun, cocktail, give this a try.

Drink one for the money, one for the show. Three to get ready, now go cat go.

 

Drink Up^

Cocktail Connie

GIN GIMLET- WATCH OUT FOR THE SOUR BELLY!

GIN GIMLET

2 ounces gin

1 ounce Rose’s lime juice or lime cordial

The GIN GIMLET cocktail was invented in the 1920s, but it had a resurgence in the disco era of the early 80s. I was too young to be cocktailing then, but Hubby took one taste and said he remembered it well. He had overdosed on GIN GIMLETS back then and recalled the sour belly they could cause the next day. That’s not a ringing endorsement, but remember, he overdosed. The GIN GIMLET, or just Gimlet, is a very sour drink, but on a summer night, having just one can feel just right.

To make the GIN GIMLET, you’ll need just gin and lime juice. However, you can’t use just any lime juice. A true GIN GIMLET uses Rose’s lime juice or Rose’s lime cordial. I’m not sure what the difference is and I’ll never know, because, even after a searching a couple of stores, I could not find lime cordial. I did find Rose’s lime juice and I put it and the gin into a cocktail shaker. I added ice, gave it some shakes, and strained it into a short cocktail glass that was half filled with ice. For a more pure taste, you could also strain the mixture into a martini glass. I garnished with a slice of lime, and could have added some club soda as well.

 

 

The creation of the GIN GIMLET was based on the belief that nothing goes better with gin than lime. If you agree with that statement, you will love this cocktail. It’s a cool, clear electric green color and I was glad I added ice. Maybe I should have added the club soda too, because the strong lime taste was a bit bracing. But it was also a refreshing, very classic ,cocktail that I believe everyone should try at least once in their lives. Don’t like gin? Use vodka for a Vodka Gimlet cocktail, and…Drink Up^

Cocktail Connie



ANGEL FACE

ANGEL FACE

1 measure gin

1 measure apricot brandy

1 measure calvados

Hubby and I celebrated Assumption Day —- the religious celebration of when the Virgin Mary ascended into Heaven — a day early by sharing an ANGEL FACE cocktail with our friends George and Valoree before going to Cain Park for a $2 Tuesday band.

To make the ANGEL FACE, I put equal measures of gin, apricot brandy and calvados, a French apple brandy, into a cocktail shaker. I added ice, shook it well, and strained the potent-smelling mixture into some highball glasses, while reciting the Hail Mary . Garnish was a slice of lemon.

One doesn’t have to be a saint to know that a cocktail that consists solely of three types of alcohol is going to be lethal. The ANGEL FACE is very strong. Everybody you see will have an angel face if you have too many. But the apple and apricot brandies gave it a nice flavor and I had no trouble drinking it. I asked Hubby and our friends to rate the ANGEL FACE from one to five, with five being the best. The ratings and comments are below, and they give a good glimpse into the different reactions to this very different cocktail.

George — I’d give it a three. It doesn’t have a bad flavor. It is just too strong. But I actually really like it. It’d make a good after dinner drink.

Valoree — I’d give it only a one. It is not for me.

Hubby — Whew baby that is strong! I’d say it is a three, and that is being generous. It is too sweet for me.

Cocktail Connie — I’d give it a two. It’s also not for me, but I could easily grow to like it. Finish up everyone and the band will be better!

Drink Up^

Cocktail Connie

WATERMELON CAIPIRINHA

WATERMELON CAIPIRINHA

½ lime, quartered

2 teaspoons sugar

2 ounces cachaca

1 cup watermelon pieced, pureed in a blender

The CAIPIRINHA is known as the Spanish margarita and is the national cocktail of Brazil. It is also known as my one of my BFF’s favorite cocktails. Since today is her birthday — Happy Birthday Stephanie! — I had to celebrate with a CAIPIRINHA cocktail. Making it was a little involved, but also fun. I first took a lime, quartered it and put half of it into a cocktail shaker. I then added sugar to the shaker and muddled it with the lime. I put some watermelon into a blender and purreed, then put that into the cocktail shaker as well. Lastly, I added the cachaca, a sugar cane rum from Brazil. I had a little trouble finding cachaca in the liquor store, but then I found it with the help of the manager, hidden behind other rums. After giving the cocktail shaker some hard shakes, I strained it all into a tall glass.

Both Steph and Hubby have had a real-deal CAIPIRINHA in Brazil. Steph lives eight hours away and, sadly, that prevented her from trying my CAIPIRINHA, but Hubby was here of course. He said the one he had in Brazil was very different than this one. In Brazil, they use a key lime, which is native to Southern climates. Key limes have a more sweet and distinctive flavor. My CAIPIRINHA was very sweet, so I can only imagine how syrupy they are during Carnival in Rio. I could easily see drinking several sugary CAIPIRINHA cocktails as I partied until dawn though. The watermelon added some nice flavor and I’d like to try this cocktail with other fruits in the future. I’ll definitely be making one for Steph next time I see her. The CAIPIRINHA doesn’t replace the American margarita for me, but when looking for something different, I say “Nos e’ que bebemos!”

Drink Up^

Cocktail Connie

SONOMA CUP

SONOMA CUP

3 measures dry white wine

½ measure Cointreau

3 measures orange juice

4 measures soda water

If you are looking for a mimosa alternative and dream of a life lived on a Sonoma County, California, winery, then the SONOMA CUP cocktail is for you. To make it, start with your favorite or most handy California chardonnay or other dry white wine. I used a chardonnay from California’s “Middle Sister” winery. It was given to me by my big sister ages ago and it seemed like the right Sunday night to break it open. I am a poor deprived middle sister, with an older sister and a younger brother. But, as much as being the baby of a family seems like fun sometimes, I wouldn’t trade my lot in life for anything.  

Take the wine, and mix it with Cointreau and orange juice in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake well, then strain into a tall glass. Top it off with the soda water. To me, four measures of soda water is too much, and I used about two measures. I finished my SONOMA CUP off with an orange slice garnish. I immediately regretted that I hadn’t started my day with this cocktail, because it would have made for great sipping on a Sunday morning. It is an exceedingly light orange juice drink, and would have been even more so with the prescribed amount of club soda. The Cointreau is subtle, but it gives the SONOMA CUP some thickness and strength. The Middle Sister wine bottle says that middle sisters are smart girls, and smart girls are the luckiest girls there are. I fully agree and would add that smart girls drink SONOMA CUPS.

Drink Up^

Cocktail Connie



PEACH MARTINI

PEACH MARTINI
Malibu rum
Peach nectar
Crème de Peche


Tonight’s cocktail was a real peachy treat from Chez Francois, a French restaurant where I had the finest dining experience I’ve ever had in the Cleveland area. The charming, high-end restaurant is in Vermillion, Ohio, a place I have visited my whole life. Yet, I have only been to Chez Francois once, when I was about 14 and nowhere near cocktailing age.

Thankfully, I’m a bit above 21 now, because the PEACH MARTINI I was served at Chez Francois was one of the finest cocktailing experiences I’ve ever had. Our informative and helpful waiter, Jim, recommended it and even brought out the ingredients so I could take a picture. I’m not sure of the measurements, but to make the PEACH MARTINI, the bartender put Malibu coconut rum, peach nectar and Crème de Peche into a cocktail shaker, added ice, shook it well and strained the fruity mixture into a martini glass. He then added some thin slices of in-season fresh peach to garnish. The result was a beautiful sight with a beautiful taste.

The key ingredient was the Crème de Peche, a high-quality peach liquor from France, of course. It tastes like peaches themselves, not like sugar. You can buy a good bottle for about $20. In the PEACH MARTINI, the Crème de Peche came alive with the addition of rum and nectar. The cocktail was very fresh and just exquisite tasting. It didn’t taste like any martini I’ve ever had before, and I was sad to see it end as the fresh peach slices slide down my throat.

Unlike last night’s Butter Cream Martini, I could have had 10 PEACH MARTINIS. But since I want to be able to return to the restaurant one day, I moved on to wine and an elegant meal of hog snapper, where more peaches were layered on top. The Crème de Peche made an appearance later as well, when it was served with my dessert of Bananas Foster. It’s a bottle that will be making an appearance on my bar from now on.

Drink Up^
Cocktail Connie

BUTTER CREAM MARTINI

BUTTER CREAM MARTINI

1 ½ measures Pinnacle Chocolate Whipped Vodka

1 measure butterscotch schnapps

Splash of half & half

Hubby and I went out to dinner at Paninis in Concord, Ohio, tonight, to visit our hard-working niece Margo, who is a waitress there. I always love to sit back and watch a child I know — someone you once had to wait on and open juice boxes for — work their butt off and serve others. Circle of life kind of thing.

Something else I’ve always loved is butter cream frosting, and tonight I found its cocktail equivalent in the BUTTER CREAM MARTINI. To make it, the bartender put the ingredients above into a cocktail shaker, added ice, shook it well and strained it into a martini glass. It was also suppose to have chocolate drizzled on the sides of the glass, but that didn’t happen. Oh well. That is to be expected in a sports bar on the night of the Browns’ first pre-season game (which they won, woof! woof!)

The BUTTER CREAM MARTINI lives up to its name. It is buttery, creamy and very rich. Very good, but also very filling. The taste of butter cream frosting is there, along with the taste of butterscotch ice cream. The strength of the vodka is well hidden in the sweet of the cocktail. Although I took great pleasure in every sip. I couldn’t image drinking more than one. It would make a good dessert though. Panini’s cocktail list was full of other good–looking dessert cocktails too, with great names like the Desperate Housewife, the Forbidden Love and the Panini-Tini, which is made with secret ingredients. I’ll be back and I’ll get the recipe out of them. Or my name isn’t Cocktail Connie.

Drink Up^

Cocktail Connie

ARCTIC SUMMER

ARCTIC SUMMER
1½ measures gin
¾ measure apricot brandy
¼ measure grenadine
4 measures sparkling bitter lemon (I used lemonade)

Like the Aurora Borealis northern lights that light up the arctic sky, the refreshing ARCTIC SUMMER cocktail will light up your summer. One of my favorites so far this summer, it is also a cocktail that is very easy to make. No cocktail shaker, or even a spoon, is needed. What you do need are the ingredients above. Just put them in the order and measurements as listed into a tall glass filled with crushed ice. Pour them in layers and don’t stir. Garnish with a slice of lemon, a maraschino cherry, or both.

Unlike other layered drinks I’ve had this year, I had no desire to stir the one-of-a-kind ARCTIC SUMMER cocktail. The layers were the best thing about the cocktail. Every couple gulps was something new. The first few were lemonade, then I tasted the gin, then the apricot… The grenadine settled at the bottom, so the last few sips were sweet, ending it on a perfect note. You really have to drink the whole cocktail to appreciate it. Don’t skimp on the ice and don’t quit early. But do drink the ARCTIC SUMMER in the sunshine, while savoring the last of summer.

Drink Up^
Cocktail Connie

THE MARY ALICE SPECIAL

THE MARY ALICE SPECIAL
2 measures gin
1 measure St. Germain
¾ measures grapefruit juice
½ measure lime juice

I’m always up for cocktail suggestions, and I’ve heard “have you ever had this one drink?” many times so far this year. Sometimes — like last night and tonight — the person has the recipe memorized, but no idea what the cocktail is called. Thankfully, the recipe, and a ringing endorsement, is all I need. The name of the cocktail falls back on the suggestee and I mix on.

The recipe for the MARY ALICE SPECIAL came from my friend Mary Alice who is lucky enough to live in Telluride, Colorado. She said she craves this cocktail and couldn’t live without it. To make it, I put the ingredients above into a cocktail shaker, added ice, gave it some shakes and strained it into a glass that was half-filled with ice.

I liked the MARY ALICE SPECIAL from the get-go, and could easily see why it is crave-worthy. It had that addicting combination of sweet and sour, and I couldn’t decide which taste bud got tickled the most. The unique characteristics of the St. Germain elderflower liquor come through in perfect fashion. Hubby, who is not a sweet cocktail fan, had to add water to his MARY ALICE, even after I called him a lightweight. He said he just didn’t want to wait for the melt. And as an added bonus, Jennifer, the friend who introduced me to MARY ALICE stopped by. She passed on a cocktail at first, saying she doesn’t drink gin, but one look at my beautiful drink, and she gladly took a glass — it was that good. Jennifer said it tasted like a lime pixie stick, in a good way, and she could see how easily it could lead to intoxication. I can only hope MARY ALICE isn’t driving in the Rockies after having her craving fulfilled.

Drink Up^

Cocktail Connie

THE AMY POMEGRANATE CHAMPAGNE SPECIAL

THE AMY POMEGRANATE CHAMPAGNE SPECIAL
1 measure vodka
1 measure pomegranate juice
1 tbsp. lime juice
Champagne
Maraschino cherry

It takes a village. My sister-in-law Amy was a real peach today. Not only did she let my preteen sleep over last night so she could drive him to and from boat camp, she also took pity upon me and made me a cocktail when I came to pick him up. I love drinking my daily cocktail (most days anyways), but always making them can wear on a gal.

Amy had the cocktail recipe found above laying around, but she forgot where it came from and its name was unknown. So we improvised by calling it the AMY POMEGRANATE CHAMPAGNE SPECIAL. Her lack of a cocktail shaker (I think I feel a birthday gift idea coming on) also had us improvising. She put all of the ingredients above, except for the champagne, into a large, fast-food like, drink container. She then added ice, stirred it well and used a spoon to strain the mixture into some wine glasses. Amy then topped the cocktail off with about ½ measure of champagne and plopped a cherry in the bottom with the finesse of a former bartender.

The AMY POMEGRANATE CHAMPAGNE SPECIAL looked like hose water, but tasted like lurid champagne. It works well as a champagne alternative. It had the bubbles — which looked especially cool rising from the cherry on the bottom — but not the sweet. The vodka and lime were barely detectable, yet the cocktail had a citrus taste. Amy used a low-cal pomegranate acai berry juice instead of regular pomegranate juice, which would have doubtlessly made it a darker and less acai cocktail. Probably better too. Still, the Amila way was better for my figure and one does not complain to one’s village.

Drink Up^
Cocktail Connie

JUST CLOSE THE DOOR

JUST CLOSE THE DOOR
1 ounce Chambord
1 ounce Licor 43
Fresh raspberry
Lemon twist

In the Land of Cocktails by Ti Adelaide Martin and Lally Brennan, proprietors of the famous, fancy Commander’s Place restaurant in New Orleans, is an entertaining cocktail book. I’ve made a number of the cocktails in it and, though I haven’t liked every cocktail, I have loved the stories they tell about them.

JUST CLOSE THE DOOR, the cocktail on Page 125, is a funny story about a private party room where they sometimes have to just “close the door” and let their patrons party on. The JUST CLOSE THE DOOR cocktail would be a perfect cocktail for that part of the evening, when you are winding down and getting wild. And putting it together is as easy as closing the door. Put equal parts Chambord and Licor 43 into a cocktail shaker, add ice, shake robustly and strain it into a snifter glass. Garnish with lemon and raspberry.

JUST CLOSE THE DOOR harnesses the magical powers of Licor 43, a vanilla-flavored liquor so tasty you could put it on shoe leather and it would taste good. When combined with Chambord, a raspberry liquor, you have a delightfully delicious and smooth cocktail. It is on the sweet and sticky side. I suggest breaking it out when you want an impressive dessert drink, and watch it magically disappear.

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Cocktail Connie

BASIC FORMAT:

A MÉNAGE-A-TROIS FOR FRIENDSHIP DAY

MéNAGE-A-TROIS

1 measure vodka
4 strawberries
1 measure coconut cream
2 tbsp. rich chocolate ice cream

“Ménage-a-trois” is a French term for a household of three where the sexual duties are shared. I think for that kind of arrangement to work, you would all have to be really, really good friends. Hence the drinking of the MéNAGE-A-TROIS cocktail on international Friendship Day.

I am very lucky to have great friends in my life, like my BFF Stephanie, who helped me to create this blog, and all my friends who read it every day and make me feel good with their comments. Most of my friends share my love of chocolate and therefore would love the chocolately MéNAGE-A-TROIS cocktail.

To make it, you’ll need a blender. Put vodka, strawberry, chocolate ice cream — the richer the better — and coconut cream (I used a coconut-flavored heavy whipping cream) into the blender, along with about a cup of shaved ice. Blend and pour into a glass, then garnish with a strawberry and serve to a friend (or two.)

The MéNAGE-A-TROIS cocktail is a creamy delight. The vodka is tasteless. The coconut is barely detectable. But the chocolate and strawberry flavors take over. As I sit here and sip it, it’s hard to even call it a cocktail, because it tastes more like a chocolate-strawberry shake. Life is short. If you are considering a MéNAGE-A-TROIS, I’d say go for it.

Drink Up^

Cocktail Connie

THE BOCCE BALL

THE BOCCE BALL

1 ½ ounce vodka
½ ounce amaretto
Orange juice
Splash of soda water
Orange slice for garnish

The Annual Benko Bocce Invitational is a great party hosted by my sister-in-law’s family. It attracts serious bocce players and people like me, who just want to spend a Saturday partying instead of doing domestic duties. The yearly tournament is in its 34^th year, but for the first time it included the BOCCE BALL cocktail. Since I made enough cocktails for about 50 people, it was also the largest Cocktail Connie tasting in this blog’s long, illustrious history.

The BOCCE BALL contains orange juice, so I consider it a morning cocktail. Good thing the Bocce Tournament started at 11 am and the drinking started at 10. The ingredients for a single BOCCE BALL cocktail are listed above. Simply put them all into a tall glass half-filled with ice and stir. To make the 3 gallon jug version, use one 1 liter bottle of amaretto, one and a half of two 1.75 liter bottles of vodka, about half of a large 128 ounces jug of orange juice and one 1 liter bottle of club soda. Stir well and add ice. Garnish with orange slices.

Mere seconds after I finished putting the jug together, a line for the BOCCE BALL cocktail was forming. Everyone who tried it liked it, and this was early in the day, before everyone’s taste buds had become comfortably numb. The BOCCE BALL was like a screwdriver on steroids, much like the Bocce Tournament is a game of bocce on steroids. The usual orange juice and vodka combo gets the added benefit of coffee flavor from the amaretto, and the soda water ensures that the cocktail is not too strong or acidy. These ingredients are also easy to remember when you have a taste for something different and interesting.

Me and my teammate Carolyn, seen in the picture, had a blast in our Cocktail Connie t-shirts, which declared that it was day 218. We told all of our opponents about the blog, and some of them had great cocktail suggestions. But the tasty BOCCE BALL cocktail spoke for itself. Though team Cocktail Connie had a disappointing 2-6 losing record, at least it was a hit. And, yes Carolyn, we’ll get them next year!

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Cocktail Connie

OLYMPIC TORCH

OLYMPIC TORCH

2 ounce sake
1 ounce Amaretto or coffee-flavored liquor
1.5 ounce cream
1 ounce dark rum (or Bacardi 151 if you really want some flames)
Cinnamon

Tonight’s cocktail was so special, video was required. The OLYMPIC TORCH, sent to me by my friend Kathi, attempts to recreate the lighting of the Olympic coldron. For those of us who didn’t make last week’s opening ceremony in London, it’s a way to bring a little bit of the Olympics to your own living room. I can attest that this yummy cocktail makes watching them better too.

The variety of the ingredients for the OLYMPIC TORCH is a nice representation of the variety of the world’s population. You can find sake in your store’s wine section, and the rum can be as flammable as you are brave. To make the cocktail, put sake and Amaretto into a cocktail shaker, add ice, shake and strain it into a martini glass. Then, summon your patience, and pour the heavy whipping cream, then the rum, very slowly on top, one at a time, so that they float in two layers.

Then the fun really begins. Grab a match, a lighter or a blowtorch, and light the rum on fire. Let it burn for a few seconds while you sprinkle in cinnamon, then clap your hands above the flame to put it out. We tried just dark rum first, but it didn’t light. Hubby thought to try highly-flammable Bacardi 151 and we almost had to call the fire department. When the excitement died down, we found that the layers looked cool, but tasted bad. For the OLYMPIC TORCH to pass the qualifying round and become drinkable, we had to mix it and add ice. After some melt, the OLYMPIC TORCH became more than drinkable — it became a medal contender. The burnt cinnamon had a nice flavor, and the cream and rum tasted decadent. In the end, I’d give it a silver. The taste was bronze, but the fun factor moved it up the podium one spot.

Drink Up^

Cocktail Connie

SUMMER RYE

SUMMER RYE
1 1/2 ounce rye whiskey
3/4 ounce St. Germain
1/4 ounce simple syrup
3/4 ounce lemon juice
1 ounce apple juice
3/4 part champagne

I just had to try a SUMMER RYE on this fine summer night and I'm glad I did, because it was a mighty fine cocktail. I know the list of ingredients is long, but they are nothing you can't find at your closest friendly liquor store and the effort will be worth it. To make a SUMMER RYE, put all of the ingredients above - except the champagne - into a cocktail shaker. Add ice, shake and strain the mixture into a collins glass that is half-filled with ice. Then add the champagne on top and garnish as you please.

Somehow the SUMMER RYE gets taken over by a lemonade flavor, despite all the other ingredients. Personally, I'm a fan of well-hidden whiskey, so I had no problem with that.
The champagne on top sold me as well. It gives the unique cocktail some bubbles and some much needed sweetness, since it is a sour drink. It is especially swell to sip while singing along to "Summertime" by Janis Joplin. And your singing will improve the more SUMMER RYES you have.

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Cocktail Connie

GRATEFUL DEAD DRINK

GRATEFUL DEAD DRINK
1 ounce vodka
1 ounce gin
1 ounce Chambord raspberry liquor
1 ounce tequila
1 ounce light rum

Today is Jerome John “Jerry” Garcia’s birthday. If he was still alive, he would have been 70 years old and no doubt still Truckin’. I’ve always been a big fan of the legendary guitarist and leader of the Grateful Dead. I saw my share of Grateful Dead shows while in college in the late 80s and I’m glad I had a chance to experience the Deadhead life before it died with Jerry.

I have such great memories of my time dancing to the Dead that I just had to honor Jerry Garcia with a GRATEFUL DEAD DRINK. To make it, I put that long, scary list of ingredients above into a cocktail shaker with ice, shook and strained it into a large highball glass half-filled with ice. I topped it off with a little bit of sour mix (which the recipe said was optional) and a raspberry.

 

The idea behind the GRATEFUL DEAD DRINK is that it is like a Long Island Ice Tea, only better. But, as much as I love the Dead, I think the GRATEFUL DEAD DRINK would only be enjoyed by the tripping. It is way too much booze, with nothing to balance it except the Chambord. It is probably the first Chambord cocktail I’ve had that I didn’t like. Honestly, what kind of drugs was the creator of this cocktail on? Gin and vodka? Tequila and rum? On their own these combinations would be bad, but putting them all in one cocktail is like putting Jerry Garcia and Pat Boone on the same stage — so wrong. I think the next time I want to honor Jerry, I’ll put on one of his ties and eat some Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia.

Drink Up^
Cocktail Connie