FRIDAY COCKTAIL - HUNTRESS WOMAN!

Yes Rachel this is for you...AND they also have a Hunter's cocktail  for Drew which is pretty much the same without the cream.  The perfect drink after a long day out in the woods and fields hunting for BAMBI!!!!!!

Ingredients:

1 oz bourbon whiskey
1 oz cherry liqueur or brandy
1 oz cream
dash of triple sec

In a cocktail shaker with ice add all ingredients..shake briefly and pour in a rocks glass with ice.


HUNTING SEASON!
ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - BELMONT BREEZE!

This is the OFFICIAL cocktail of the Belmont Stakes.  So if you have been living in a closet the Belmont Horse Race is tomorrow and for the first time in a very long time a Triple Crown opportunity exists for California Chrome!!!!  Can't wait to watch!!!

Ingredients:

1-1/2 oz whiskey
3/4 oz Harvey's Bristol Cream Sherry
1 oz sweet and sour mix
1-1/2 oz fresh orange juice
1-1/2 oz cranberry juice
1 oz 7-up
1 oz club soda
Mint sprig and lemon slice for garnish

Combine first 5 ingredients in a shaker with ice.  Pour into a tall glass and top with 7-up and club soda.  Garnish with mint and lemon.

GO CALIFORNIA CHROME!
ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - EVERYBODY'S IRISH!

HAPPY SAINT PADDY'S!

I am not sold on the olive garnish but otherwise great drink

Ingredients:

2 oz Irish Whiskey
1 Tbl Green Crème de Menthe
1 Tbl Green Chartreuse
Cocktail olive for garnish

Mix all ingredients in a shaker with ice.  Strain into martini glass and garnish - or not.  I think a green mint candy of some kind might be a good substitute!

HAPPY IRISH WEEKEND!
ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - NEW ORLEANS SAZERAC!

This is a New Orleans CLASSIC!  It is best when you make it ahead of time in a batch and let it get nice and chilled in the frig.

3 cups rye whiskey
1/2 cups simple syrup
1 tbl absinthe
1-1/2 tsp bitters
3/4 cups ice water
lemon twist

Mix all ingredients in a large pitcher.  Chill in the frig for at least 2 hours or up to a day.  Pour into rocks glasses filled with ice and garnish with a lemon twist.  This makes about 12.

LOVE NEW ORLEANS!
ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - BIRTHDAY BERNIE'S HAPPY HOUR!

ENOUGH SAID!

Ingredients:

2 oz VO whisky
1 dash sweet vermouth
cherry
1 LARGE bag donettes

Pour whisky and vermouth in a shaker with ice.  Shake and pour into martini glass and garnish with a cherry.  Serve with a bag of donettes!


LOVE YOU BERNIE - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - BLACK AND BLUE GINGER!

July is National Blueberry Month.  It seems summer leaves whisky behind and focuses on sangrias, lemonade and vodka and sweet teas.  Don't forget the whisky and the blueberries.

Ingredients:
3 oz whisky (Maker's Mark)
10-12 fresh blueberries
8-10 fresh blackberries
12 oz ginger beer
ice
mint and lime wedge for garnish

Combine whisky, blueberries and blackberries in a blender.  Puree until almost smooth.  Place a handful of ice in two glasses.  Pour half the whisky mix in each glass and add 6 oz of ginger beer to each.  Garnish each with mint and lime.

CELEBRATE BLUEBERRY MONTH!
ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - THE NEW YORK SOUR!

Bon Appetit picks this beauty as the Comeback Cocktail of the Year!  I love it because it reminds me I am getting closer to my next trip there.  It combines the style of the old whiskey sour with a new twist.

Ingredients:

2 oz rye or bourbon whiskey
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1 oz simple syrup
1/2 oz fruity red wine (Shiraz or Malbec)
Dark cherry and orange slice for garnish

In a shaker with ice, combine all ingredients except wine and garnish.  Shake until the outside of the shaker is frosty (30 seconds).  Strain into rocks glass filled with ice.  Gently pour the wine into the glass over the back of a spoon held just above the top of the glass so it floats on top.  Garnish

LOVE NYC!
ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - UK SOUR!

In honor of family crossing The Pond next week to hook up with Yanie....here's to YA!

Ingredients:

1-1/2 oz Scotch Whisky
1/2 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz cinnamon syrup*
1/4 oz apricot liqueur (substitute Amaretto if you choose)
Float of red wine

Combine all ingredients except wine in a shaker with ice.  Shake and pour into a rocks glass with ice. Gently pour a splash of red wine to float on top.

*Cinnamon syrup - place a cinnamon stick and a cup of sugar in 1 cup of wateR and boil. Let simmer for 5 minutes until sugar is dissolved.  Strain and let cool before using.  Can stay refrigerated up to 2 weeks.

ALMOST WELCOME TO UK!
ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - THANKSGIVING APPLE PIE!

Thanksgiving is just around the corner!  When you host a party as big as this one it is great to have a signature cocktail and this one Rocks!  It tastes just like apple pie!  This recipe makes two cocktails

1/2 cup good whiskey
1/2 cup apple liqueur
1 cup cranberry juice
apple slice for garnish

In a shaker with ice, combine all the ingredients and shake.  Pour into a rocks glass with ice and garnish with apple slices....yummmmmmm!

HAPPY THANKSIVING!
ENJOY!

FRIDAY FATHER'S DAY COCKTAIL - PROHIBITION LEMONADE!

Now I know all you wonderful children out there are going to cook an amazing dinner for your Father's this Sunday...and seemingly wherever you are in this country it will be warm...so this cocktail is sure to keep everyone calm and cool.

Ingredients:

1 oz GOOD Whisky
3 oz Fresh Lemonade
Splash or two of club soda
Fresh lemon slice for garnish

Mix whisky and lemonade in a shaker with ice...pour in a tall glass with ice and add soda...garnish with a lemon slice...and sip...aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh....

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO ALL!
ENJOY!

FALL FRIDAY COCKTAIL - AUTUMN DELIGHT!

A simple recipe is often a good place to start when it comes to cocktails. This recipe calls for Suntory Yamazaki 12 Year Old Whisky which has some resemblance to Scotch, but any good whisky will make this "delightful". You can also try this with warm cider for a hot drink.

2 oz good whisky
6 oz apple cider
Fresh cinnamon
Apple slices

Pour whisky, and apple cider into a shaker with ice. Shake then pour into a old fashioned glass and dust with cinnamon and garnish with 2 apple slices and a cinnamon stick.

TOAST TO A DELIGHTFUL AUTUMN!
ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - 3 SHOT FRIDAY!

I have noticed a new trend in the bar scene lately..that in itself is scary...remember the peanut butter and jelly shot? Bartenders on their slow moments tend to look at "the inventory" and start mixing concoctions in shot glasses to try to come up with the flavors we all remember. So at one of our recent visits to a local joint...we got an Oatmeal Cookie shot, Green Tea shot and the best of all Key Lime Pie shot....here goes..pretty much the ingredients are equal amounts of each liquor unless listed, but adjust to your taste....

Oatmeal Cookie

1 oz Butter schnapps

1 oz Hot Dam cinnamon schnapps

1 oz Baileys

* tastes jut like an oatmeal cookie----seriously!

Green Tea

1 oz Jameson Whisky

hint of sour apple pucker

1 oz gingerale

* a little heavy but Rachel you would love this

Key Lime Pie

1 oz Midori

1 oz Vanilla Vodka

1 oz Malibu Rum

hint of Rose's lime juice

squirt of whipped cream (YES)

*My Favorite...tastes just like the pie...could drink a whole glass of this...maybe I did????

3 SHOT FRIDAY!
ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - 46 WHISKY SMASH

Simply put - for the whisky lover in all of us! There are a few variations...but I like the one with the splash of champagne on top..of course.

Looking forward to a great week with family and friends!!!

2 oz Makers Mark

4 mint leaves

one lemon wedge

one lime wedge

splash of Pomegranate liqueur

splash of simple syrup

splash of champagne

In a glass muddle all ingredients except the champagne. Strain into a glass with ice and top with champagne. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

Happy Summer!

ENJOY!

ST PAT'S DAY COCKTAIL - JAMESON SHAMROCK

Happy Saint Patrick's Day to ALL! This cocktail can be mixed in a martini shaker with ice and poured into a martini glass of a cocktail glass with ice....OR..you can layer it in a shot like this...

Ingredients:

1-1/2 oz Jameson Irish Whiskey
1/2 oz Kahlua
1/2 oz Baileys Irish Cream

GO IRISH!
ENJOY!

IRISH WHISKY COFFEE BROWNIES

You gotta love being Irish when you can create a recipe with whisky, chocolate and coffee. These are so moist and delicious with whisky in both the brownies and the glaze topping. Makes about 36 brownies, perfect for your holiday party.

Ingredients:

1-1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1-1/2 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup Irish Whisky

2 tbl instant coffee crystals

1 cup chopped walnuts

2-1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar

2 tbl unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tbl Irish Whisky

1-1/4 vanilla

3-4 tbl brewed coffee

walnuts for topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Heat sugar, butter and 1/2 cup cocoa powder in a saucepan until butter melts. Remove from heat and add eggs and 1 tsp vanilla. Stir to combine.

Stir flour, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl. In another bowl combine milk, 1/4 cup whisky and coffee crystals. Add flour mixture and milk mixture alternately to the chocolate mixture until all combined. Stir in nuts and pour into a greased 13 x 9 x 2 pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Place on wire rack to cool.

For glaze, stir together powdered sugar, 2 tbl cocoa powder, 1 tbl Irish Whisky, 1-1/4 tsp vanilla. Stir in 3-4 tbl of brewed coffee until you get a drizzle consistency.

Drizzle over brownies and add walnuts if you like.

POT O' GOLD!

ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - GREEN DUBLIN!

I have seen that our younger generation of drinkers is preferring Whisky to our traditional Vodka..crazy I think...but it is all the rage. Here is a good one and for all of us watching our pennies, it only has three ingredients. Go Irish!

Ingredients:

2 oz Irish Whisky
1 oz Sour Apple Schnapps
2 oz white cranberry juice

Pour all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with a lemon twist.

For Whisky Rachel!
ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - MINTY IRISHMAN!!!!

Let's move on from Valentine's Day and "prime the pumps" as it were, for St. Patrick's Day. If you enjoy a minty treat, here's a great GREEN one! And as you raise the glass just remember the official toast in Ireland is "slainte" which means "To Your Health"!!!!

1 oz Creme De Menthe

1 oz Irish Whisky

Champagne

In a flute glass pour in champagne. Top with the creme de menthe and whisky....

DELIGHTFUL!

ENJOY!

VALENTINE COCKTAILS - SCARLET O'HARA AND RHETT BUTLER

Happy Valentine's Day!!!! No more glorious couple than Scarlet O'Hara and Rhett Butler. So on this Valentine's Day I will give you both recipes. They are both made with Southern Comfort - of course!!!

Scarlet O'Hara

2 oz Southern Comfort

cranberry juice

dash of lime juice

garnish with lime wedge

Pour all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a martini glass and garnish with a lime wedge.

Rhett Butler

2 oz Southern Comfort

1/2 oz orange curacao

1/2 oz fresh lemon juice

1/2 oz fresh lime juice

lemon twist for garnish

Pour all ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a lemon twist.

THEY'LL BE GONE WITH THE WIND!

ENJOY!

FRIDAY'S COCKTAIL - THE PICKLEBACK COCKTAIL

This cocktail is the NEW sensation all over the country and the internet! Said to have been "invented" at the Bushwick Country Club in Brooklyn, the cocktail is a two-shot drink. One shot of Jameson and one shot of pickle juice. Yes, I said pickle juice.

Some bars have started to make their own signature pickle juices to accompany the Jameson. A bartender in Portland, Oregon makes a pickled nectarine juice as his second shot.

One shot Jameson

One shot pickle juice

ENJOY!

KENTUCKY DERBY MINT JULEP

Happy Derby Day!

The key to a good Mint Julep is good bourbon and fresh mint. I am in on the mint...bourbon???? Frankly for me, if I need to sip a fancy beverage while wearing a big ol' hat...I'll put a cocktail umbrella in my Kendall Jackson...but for you diehard Mint Julep Derby fans here is the recipe.

First you need to make a simple syrup. So in a small saucepan heat 1/2 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water. Bring it to a boil and stir to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to low and add about 10 mint leaves. Let that simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool.

In a glass add 1 tbl simple syrup and about 10 mint leaves. Crush the mint in the glass (picture the mojito bartender) then add a bunch of good bourbon and lots of crushed ice....garnish with a nice fresh mint leaf and SIP! I'm the one in the corner with the wine.

Have fun watching the race!!!!

ENJOY!