Piña Colada Martini →

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2020

This spirit-forward drink has all the flavor of a classic rum-based Piña Colada, but it is lighter due to the substitution of coconut rum for the heavy, sweet coconut cream. If you like the flavor combination of coconut, pineapple, and citrus, this might become your go-to piña-colada drink. It’s perfect for watching a summer sunset even if you’re not at the beach.

Yield: 2 Coupe glasses

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces Vodka

• 1 ounce Coconut Rum

• 1 ounce Triple Sec

• 1 ounce Roses lime

• 1 ½ ounces pineapple juice

• ½ sliced round of lime or orange

Preparation:

Combine the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ½ cup of ice and shake until the shaker is well frosted, about 20-30 seconds.

Serve in your favorite cocktail glass

Shogun Martini →

Shogun Martini

The Shogun Martini is named in honor of an historical event. In 1869, English Queen Victoria’s second son, Prince Alfred, traveled to Japan on an official visit to promote trade between the two countries. His arrival coincided with a crucial moment in Japanese history, for the Tokugawa shogunate had just been overthrown by a new government under the nominal leadership of the Meiji emperor. The new regime was torn between those who wished to expel the west and those who realized that Japan had to adapt itself to the modern world. The Prince’s visit was the advent of the long trade partnership between Japan and Britain. The spirits forward Shogun Martini celebrates the marriage of Sake, the national drink of Japan, and Gin, the national drink of England. What better way to stimulate trade? Kanpai! Cheers!

Serves 1
Ingredients:
3 ounces of Gin (or Vodka)
2 ounces of Sake
a few drops of lemon juice
garnish with a twist of lemon peel or a lychee

Combine the ingredients with a half cup of ice and stir until chilled. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a lemon twist or a lychee.

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2020 Martini glass by Lynn Latimer Glass

Manhattan →

According to Jim Meehan at Food and Wine, the earliest known printed recipe for the Manhattan was published in O. H. Byron's 1884 Modern Bartenders' Guide. The classic Manhattan calls for rye whiskey and a maraschino cherry. I use bourbon and a brandied cherry; you can also replace the cherry with a half-round slice of orange. For a “Perfect Manhattan”, use 50/50 dry and sweet vermouth.

Yield: 1 Manhattan cocktail

Ingredients

Photo: c. foodblogchef - Manhattan in a coupe glass

• 2 ounces bourbon or rye whiskey

• 1 ounce sweet vermouth

• 1 tsp. brandy from your jar of brandied cherries (optional)

• 2 dashes of Angostura bitters

• Ice

• 1 brandied or maraschino cherry, for garnish

Preparation:

Fill a pint glass with ice. Add the bourbon or rye, vermouth and bitters and stir well. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with the cherry or a half-round slice of orange.

Alternatively, if you don’t have a coupe glass, after you mix the ingredients, pour into any smaller-size glass with or without the ice. The glass doesn’t make a well-mixed cocktail taste better, but different shaped glasses do give more visual appeal to your mixed drinks.

Adapted from: Jim Meehan @ https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/manhattan-cocktails-2009

Cosmopolitan →

The Cosmo is one of those drinks that goes down so easily, you have to pace yourself. You get extra points if you peel the grapes. Cheers!

Yield: 1 large Cosmo, or two smaller drinks.

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2019 - Two Grape Cosmo
Copy and paste to print the recipe.

TWO GRAPE COSMO
Yield 1 large Cosmo or two smaller
Ingredients:
3 parts Vodka
1 1/2 or 2 parts Cranberry Juice (to taste)
1 part Rose’s Lime Juice
1 part Triple Sec
garnish with grapes, a half-round of sliced orange, or lime.

Preparation:
Combine the ingredients in a shaker with a cup of ice; shake for about 20 seconds; strain into a martini or coupe glass; garnish. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 3 parts Vodka

• 1 1/2 or 2 parts Cranberry Juice (to taste)

• 1 part Rose’s Lime Juice

• 1 part Triple Sec

• garnish with grapes, a half-round of sliced orange, or lime.

Preparation:

Combine the ingredients in a shaker with a cup of ice; shake for about 20 seconds; strain into a martini or coupe glass; garnish. Enjoy!



Caribbean Coconut Martini →

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2019 - Caribbean Coconut Martini
Copy and paste to print the recipe.

CARIBBEAN COCONUT MARTINI
Yield: 1 drink
Ingredients:
2 parts Vodka
1 part Coconut Rum
1 part Rose’s Lime
squeeze of fresh lime to taste

Preparation:
Combine the ingredients in a shaker with a cup of ice; shake for 20-30 seconds; strain into a martini or coupe glass. Garnish with a half-round of sliced fresh lime.

Here’s a refreshing, summer drink, or one to enjoy anytime when you’re dreaming of the beach.

Yield: 1 drink

Ingredients:

• 2 parts Vodka

• 1 part Coconut Rum

• 1 part Rose’s Lime

• squeeze of fresh lime to taste

Preparation:

Combine the ingredients in a shaker with a cup of ice; shake for 20-30 seconds; strain into a martini or coupe glass. Garnish with a half-round of sliced fresh lime.

Classic Martini Redux →

The classic Martini uses 2 or 3 parts Gin to 1/2 or 1 part dry Vermouth; garnished with an expressed twist of lemon, a pickled onion, or a pimento stuffed green olive. The Redux adds a bit more Vermouth, a few drops of capers brine, and a few drops of lemon juice, and your garnish of choice. The result is slightly softer and a bit more complex than the traditional classic martini. Make one to suit your taste and enjoy.

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2019 - Classic Martini Redux

Yield: 1 martini

Classic Martini Redux

Ingredients:

• 2-3 parts good quality Gin (to taste)

• 2 parts dry Vermouth

• a few drops of brine from bottled capers (*Note: if you don’t have capers on hand, substitute the brine from a jar of olives.)

• a few drops of fresh lemon juice

• garnish with a pimento stuffed green olive, or a twist of lemon zest (no white pith), or your garnish of choice.

Preparation:

Combine the all the ingredients (omit the garnish) in a shaker and shake or stir to chill. (If you shake it too much, the water from the ice will dilute your drink.)

Strain into a martini glass. For a more briney martini, garnish with a large green, pimento stuffed olive; for a drink with more of a hint of citrus, express a lemon twist over the drink to release the oils and garnish with a lemon twist.

Watermelon Agua Fresca →

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2019 - Watermelon Agua Fresca

makes 6-7 cups

Ingredients:

• about 7 cups of cubed, seedless watermelon flesh

• 1/3 cup sugar

• ¼ cup lime juice

• 1 cup of ice makes 6-7 cups

“Licuados” or “aguas frescas” are popular drinks in Mexico. Pineapple, melon, watermelon, papaya, mango, or strawberry licuados and agua frescas are sold on the streets and in the markets all over Mexico. The difference between a “licuado” and an “agua fresca” is milk or water. A “licuado” is a Mexican smoothie with milk and fruit, and an “agua fresca” uses water and fruit. Since the purity of water and ice can be suspect in many parts of Mexico, I usually prefer to make my own agua fresca at home. Easy to make and refreshing served over ice with or without alcohol...add a shot of Vodka and a splash of seltzer for a cool, easy sipping summer beverage.

Preparation:

1. Add all the ingredients to a full size blender, cover and blend until smooth.

2. Add more or less lime or sugar to taste.

3. Serve over ice.

Negroni →

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2019 - Negroni Cocktail
Copy and paste to print the recipe.
THE NEGRONI
Ingredients: (Rule of Thirds)
1 or 1 1/2 parts good quality Gin
1 part Sweet Vermouth
1 part Campari

Preparation:
1. Add the ingredients to a glass with ice.
2. Stir until blended and chilled.
3. Add 3-4 drops of fresh orange juice and stir (optional)
4. Garnish with an expressed (squeezed) orange peel (zest, no white pith) or an orange round.

Enjoy!

“The Negroni was created in Italy, likely in the early 1900s,” says bartender Dylan Knox of Vol. 39 in Chicago. “The story goes, Count Camillo Negroni asked a bartender to strengthen his favorite cocktail, the Americano—which called for using vermouth, Campari and club soda—and the Negroni was [born].” As they say, enjoying bitterness is an acquired taste. This colorful, bitter favorite is a classic aperitif cocktail recipe. I prefer 1 1/2 parts Gin to 1 Campari and 1 Sweet Vermouth and 3-4 drops of fresh orange juice to soften the bitterness of the Campari.

Source: https://www.liquor.com/recipes/negroni/#gs.f8n276