Announcements

First cocktail of the week dedicated to V-Day is called "Forbidden Love"...Here is my twist on the recipe -

2 oz. Hendricks gin or Bloom Strawberry Gin
1/2 oz Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur
3/4 oz. blood orange juice (freshly squeezed or bought)
1/4 oz simple syrup (equal parts sugar to water boiled)
2 strawberries (sliced, remove stem)
4 slices of English hothouse cucumber (keep peel on)

I have been very busy lately putting together specialty cocktail menus for clients. We now have over 25 events for 2015 and 4 more events already booked for 2016. My cocktail menus have been a real difference maker for clients wishing to have something extra, special, and unique for themselves and their guests. Below you will find a collection of cocktails with recipes that we are serving right now for the winter and early spring months. This is the time of year when darker spirits are in vogue and can make some really good cocktails.

Hot Buttered Rum is a favorite winter drink because it is both sweet and warm, which is just the kind of comfort we gravitate toward on the coldest days of the year. It is celebrated nationally on January 17th. It is an easy drink to make (main recipe below), though does take a little bit of time. This is where making the Hot Buttered Rum Mix ahead of time comes in handy.

There's a new kind of Gin on the block and they are not your dad's or grandfather's elixir. These gins are produced like all gins, but with subtle changes, that is, with unusual flavors.

January 11th is "National Hot Toddy Day". This post is meant to celebrate this classic wintry cocktail when we need it most.

Warm and toasty and just in time for winter, the Hot Toddy is a classic hot drink and it is very simple to make. The basic recipe only requires a base liquor, honey, lemon, and tea, though some people prefer to skip the tea bag.

It will be a matter of personal taste as to which of the liquors you choose for your toddy. Brandy, rum, and whiskey each bring their own characteristics to the drink and make great drinks.

Champagne should be an all-the-time drink. But it’s especially appropriate this time of year, as everyone jolts from holiday party to holiday party. It’s time to get some expert advice on the sparkly stuff. A few myths debunked and some surprising tidbits from the correct glassware (hint - it’s not a flute) to why popping a cork should be graceful.

This post is dedicated to my childhood friend and awesome gal, Colleen McCollum, who is a big champagne fan and asked me to do this post. These champagne-type cocktails are perfect for the holidays and for celebrating special occasions. Champagne/Sparkling Wine is synonymous with celebrations, but has become an all-season and all-occasion drink of choice for many people.

Fittingly, the day after National Repeal Day is Bartender Appreciation Day, started by Sailor Jerry Rum to pay homage the hard work behind the bar.

December 6th marked Bartender Appreciation Day, a celebration to honor the guys and girls who spend time all year long listening to our woes, giving us advise and of course, a great pour. Sailor Jerry Rum started the holiday to pay homage to the great service of bartenders around the country and they have released this special toast for Bartender Appreciation Day below -

While I work on my next award-winning book, blog posts will be limited, but I will be offering up a 'cocktail and a mocktail of the week' for all you avid cocktail enthusiastsand non-drinkers. The featured cocktails and mocktails will be seasonal as well as some of my personal favorites that are proven and stood the test of time...Happy Mixing!