Saucy Sue Cocktail

I am late posting tonight, but we did have our cocktails at 5!  We had 3 grandchildren come over tonight for dinner and to spend the night, and they just now fell asleep.
I tried another cocktail with Absinthe since I had just splurged and bought some.  This one was better than last night, but I think I prefer my Absinthe by itself - with water - than mixed with gin and vermouth or brandy.

Tonight's cocktail, the 36th:

'Saucy Sue Cocktail'

1/2 teaspoon apricot brandy
1/2 teaspoon Absinthe
2 oz apple brandy
Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Cheers,

Bill

Piccadilly Cocktail

Our friend Worth arrived in the middle of an afternoon shower to while away some time before he met his family for dinner.  I selected a 'Piccadilly Cocktail' to mix and share with him.  I picked this one since it used Absinthe, a bottle of which had just been delivered (not a random delivery, by the way).

The recipe:

3/4 oz dry vermouth
1 1/2 oz gin
1/4 teaspoon Absinthe
1/4 teaspoon Grenadine

Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

It was not a favorite of any of the three of us. Oh, well... . Wait until tomorrow!

Thanksgiving Special Cocktail

After 34 days of mixing cocktails, we have decided that you can't go wrong with a mixture of apricot brandy, gin and vermouth.  Tonight uses all these ingredients.  By the name of this cocktail, you might suppose there would be a baked turkey around somewhere - but this was not turkey, it was good!

'Thanksgiving Special Cocktail'
3/4 oz apricot brandy
3/4 oz dry vermouth
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
shake with ice and strain into coktail glass
serve with a cherry.

To your health,
Bill

 

Eclipse Cocktail

August 28 - almost the end of the summer!
This is the 33rd cocktail we've fixed - some were good and some not so good.
This one was in the middle, a little sweet for our tastes.

This one is an 'Eclipse Cocktail'
Grenadine
1 oz gin
2 oz Sloe gin
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Put enough grenadine into cocktail glass to cover a ripe olive.
Mix the other ingredients in ice and pour onto the grenadine so that they do not mix.

This was sort of neat - the olive floated on top of the grenadine.
The picture didn't show the layers, and they were hard to see.

Cheers,
Bill

Webster Cocktail

Tonight, August 27th, we tried a Webster Cocktail (page #183 of our Mr. Boston Official Bartender's Guide). It was pretty good although not quite as good as the one last night (Royal Smile).

The recipe:

Juice of 1/2 Lime
1 1/2 tsp. Apricot Flavored Brandy (Leroux)
1/2 oz. Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1 oz. Gin (Booth's)

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Royal Smile Cocktail

August 26 - day 31 of the Bartender's Guide journey.

I picked a 'Royal Smile Cocktail' to mix tonight.
It was very good - even Olga liked it!

Recipe (page no. 150 from the Guide):

Juice of 1/4 lemon
1 teaspoon Grenadine  (I found that new,fresh Grenadine tastes much better than year old.)
1/2 oz gin
1 oz apple brandy  (Laird's Straight Apple Brandy was used tonight-50%alcohol!)

Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Enjoy,
Bill

Casino Cocktail

August 25,  our 30th day of cocktail cruising...

But first...The cocktail last night (Delmonico #2) was pretty good, more like a martini than most we've had. I enjoyed it but Olga was not very enamored.

The one tonight was quite a bit more enjoyable for both of us!

We found it on page 58 of the Bartender's Guide.

'Casino Cocktail'

2 dashes orange bitters
1/4 tsp Maraschino
1/4 tsp lemon juice
2 oz dry gin

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.
Serve with a cherry.

Salute!

Delmonico No. 2 Cocktail

Today, August 24th, we have selected a "Delmonico No. 2" to try after an uneventful day in the life of a retired couple! The recipe can be found on page 72 in the Mr. Boston Official Bartender's Guide (50th anniversary edition).

The recipe (one drink) follows:

     1 dash Orange Bitters
     1 oz. Dry Vermouth
     1 1/2 oz. Gin

As a side note, I am using Booth's Dry Gin, Noilly Prat Original French Dry Vermouth, and Fee Brothers West Indian Orange Bitters. 

Cheers!                                                                                          

Joulouville Cocktail

Day 28!!
It was a beautiful day today and I got some Mahi Mahi to grill for diner.
Before diner I mixed a 'Joulouville Cocktail'
(for one cocktail)


1 oz gin
1/2 oz apple brandy
1 1/2 teaspoon sweet vermouth
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 dashes Grenadine

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Our ranking was a 6/10 for this cocktail - not much taste...but good.

Cheers,
Bill

Favorite Cocktail

Note from Olga:  The flower arrangement is in a Limoge bowl and was given to us 30 years ago for the dining room in our new house in Smyrna Ga .













27 days.....
Olga and I just got back from the tennis courts - our community has a tennis round robin on Sunday afternoons at 4PM. It sure was hot and sweaty out there.

Jim and Ruth are coming over tonight to enjoy cocktails at the cove.

I picked a 'Favorite Cocktail'  (Page 80)  to mix.

3/4 oz apricot brandy
3/4 oz dry vermouth
3/4 oz gin
1/4 tsp lemon juice

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

To Your Health,
Bill

We liked this one!

Frankenjack Cocktail

 We bought this wooden shepherd in Germany some years ago and thought he would fit into the picture.








Here we are at the 26th day at the cove

My outside thermometer says it's 104 degrees on my back patio! - so we are still inside. (the sensor is in the sun)

Tonight it will be a 'Frankenjack Cocktail'
It is another gin based drink.

The recipe from the Bartender's Guide (page no. 84):

1 oz gin
3/4 oz dry vermouth
1/2 oz apricot brandy
1 teaspoon Triple Sec

Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass
Serve with a cherry.

It is very good - try it sometime.

Prosit!
Bill

Martinez Cocktail

Day 25 at the Cove

Olga and I played tennis this morning - before the rain came back.
The rest of the day, after lunch at a restaurant, was spent recovering from tennis!
It really is good exercise for us.

Tonight I selected a 'Martinez Cocktail' to mix.
  (found on page 120)

1 dash orange bitters
1 oz dry vermouth
1/4 tsp TripleSec
1 oz gin

Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass
Serve with a cherry
Olga didn't like the bitters so much, but I liked this cocktail.

We had a wonderful guest to join us tonight, and she loved the Martinez ( and an after drink liquer-Anisette)!  She can come back anytime.


Enjoy!

Wilson Anniversary Cocktail

The 24th day at the cove!

I fixed an original cocktail today - 'The Wilson Anniversary Cocktail'.

1/2 Oz St. Germain
1/2 Oz Mathilde Pear Liqueur
3 Oz Champagne (well-chilled)

Serve in a champagne flute.

We departed from Mr. Boston's Bartender's Guide for a day to celebrate our 49th anniversary 
(those don't come around very often).

My lovely daughter gave us a bottle of Poire William, which I refused to use in a mixed
drink, so we made do with the pear liqueur.

The champagne (Mumm's Cordon Rouge )was provided by a couple of tennis friends. It
 was excellent.

Salud.

Bill

Xanthia Cocktail

23 days into our adventure.....

More rain almost all day, now it's stopped so we got to sit outside for a while.

Page 191 has 3 cocktails starting with X.  I decided to make a 'Xanthia Cocktail'
(I wonder if you can find this one in Jamaica? it's pretty good!)

3/4 oz cherry  brandy
3/4 oz yellow Chartreuse
3/4 oz gin

Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Cheers...

Tango Cocktail

22 days and counting

Rain, rain tonight...
I picked out a 'Tango Cocktail'

1 tbsp orange juice
1/2 oz dry vermouth
1/2 oz sweet vermouth
1 oz gin
1/2 tsp Triple Sec

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

A little disappointing - not big on taste; perhaps when you mix so many tastes, it gets muddy ---or too much orange juice......We did have some camembert and goat brie to enjoy with the cocktail - with french bread, of course!

Good Health to You

After Diner Cocktail

Day 21 -
Check back later, I'm fixing an after-dinner cocktail tonight.
(We were invited out for an early dinner tonight, so didn't have time for the before dinner cocktail.)
Will post more later....

It's now 8PM in Zachary, Louisiana
We're back from dinner.
Our after dinner cocktail is 'After Dinner Cocktail'  (page 28)

Recipe:
1 oz apricot brandy
1 oz Triple Sec
juice of 1 lime

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.
Leave lime in glass.
I liked this one.

Enjoy

What The Hell Cocktail

The 20th day

After playing a little tennis this afternoon - got chased away by rain, we had friends over tonight to enjoy cocktails with us. 

I picked 'What the Hell' (page 184) to make tonight....
-Fitting for a rained-out tennis match!

1 oz gin
1 oz dry vermouth
1 oz apricot brandy
1 dash lemon juice
stir in old-fashion glass over ice-cubes

(I judged this a 6 out 10 - not much taste)

Good Health!

Alaska Cocktail

Day 19

I picked out an 'Alaska Cocktail'  (page 28 in our 1985 bartender's guide)

Olga's sister and husband just took a cruise to Alaska - I wonder if they tried one of these? --nah.

Recipe:

2 dashes orange bitters
1 1/2 oz gin
3/4 oz yellow Chartreuse

Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass (I shook gently, instead).

The taste of Chartreuse was reminiscent of  Suze that I tried in France years ago.

Encore pour la bonne route!

Bill

Gilroy Cocktail

Here we are at day 18.
It's Friday (the 13th)  I hope it's a good night for all.

I picked a 'Gilroy Cocktail' for tonight.
It is gin based and good for the summer evenings.

Recipe (page no. 88 from our Guide):

juice of 1/4 lemon
1 tablespoon dry vermouth
3/4 oz cherry brandy
3/4 oz gin
1 dash orange bitters

Shake with ice and and strain into cocktail glass

We had to miss a good party we were invited to tonight, but the cocktail hour was good.

Pour la bonne route!

Bulldog Cocktail

17 days into our grand journey.

I think today is the day for a 'Bulldog Cocktail'  (page 52)
This cocktail commemorates our 25 years in Georgia.  Go Bulldogs - (however we are really Auburn fans! ).

Recipe


1 1/2 oz cherry brandy
3/4 oz gin
juice of 1/2 lime

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Last night's cocktail was very good, and this one is too, although a sweet one.

Cheers, Enjoy

Warsaw Cocktail

The 16th day

We took grandkids to the park, cooked waffles for lunch and had doughnuts for desert!  What a day.
It's quiet now, and in our bartender's guide we selected a vodka cocktail to try.

It is a 'Warsaw Coctail'  and is found on page 181.

1 1/2 oz Vodka (Smirnoff)
1/2 Blackberry Brandy (LeRoux)
1/2 oz dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1 tsp lemon juice

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.


Slainté

Spencer Cocktail

Day 15 is here -

We spent the day in Baton Rouge getting the car worked on and shopping in the Mall of Louisiana.  We got some new glasses!  Also found a jigger at Albertson's that had 1/2, 1 and 1 1/2  oz markings - it really helps when doubling these recipes.

Tonight we have a 'Spencer Cocktail'  (found on page 164):

3/4 oz apricot brandy
1 1/2 oz gin
1 dash bitters
1/4 tsp orange juice


Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.
Add a cherry and twist of orange peel.

I cut down on the bitters and  omitted the orange peel (I didn't have an orange and the bitters make it too bitter for us!)

Cheers!

Angel Face Cocktail

14th day into my journey
After enjoying grandchildren today and finding a geocache at Port Hudson, I was ready to fix a cocktail.

Tonight's pick was 'Angel Face'  (found on page 31)

1 oz gin
1/2 oz Apricot Brandy (LeRoux)
1/2 oz Apple Brandy (Laird's)

Shake well with cracked ice and strain into cocktail glass

I garnished this one by putting sugar on the rim and a small lemon twist in the drink.
I found the sugar made the drink too sweet.

Skoal!

Prince's Smile

Day 13

Just got back from the tennis courts - time for a drink!

We are having a 'Prince's Smile' tonight.  (page 141 in the Guide)

The recipe:

1/2 oz Apricot Brandy
1/2 oz Apple Brandy
1 oz Gin (Booth's)
1/4 tsp  lemon juice

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass

Wonderful taste ...  It gets an A+++
Notice the different glasses, I think these are more a cocktail shape than the others I was using.

A votre santé

Judgette Cocktail

Day 12
Home Sweet Home

Got home about 5:20 then unloaded car - so I missed the 5 o'clock cocktail hour - but it's never too late.

Tonight it's a 'Judgette Cocktail'  ( on page 108)

Like others before it, this is a gin based drink.

Recipe:

3/4 oz Peach Brandy (LeRoux)
3/4 oz Gin (Booth's)
3/4 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
juice of 1/4 lime

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.
Serve with a cherry.

It's good - another keeper!

Enjoy!

Golden Dawn Cocktail

Day 11 is here

Cocktail for tonight's cocktail hour is:
'Golden Dawn' (found on page 92, if anyone is looking for it)

Ingredients:

1 oz Apple Brandy (Laird's)
1/2 oz Apricot Brandy (LeRoux)
1/2 oz Gin (Booth's)
1 oz orange juice

Shake with ice and strain into old-fashioned glass filled with ice cubes.
Add 1 teaspoon grenadine.

I have decided I don't like too much grenadine in drinks, so I used about half the amount.
This is a pretty drink to look at.  It comes out layered, with the grenadine at the bottom.
Olga and I enjoyed this one very much!

I wasn't sure these were old-fashioned glasses - but it was the closest I could find in our beach house.
We'll be home tomorrow night!

Cheers!

London Cocktail

Day 10....
This is a day for a 'London Cocktail'

Recipe for one drink (page no. 115):

2 oz Gin
2 dashes Orange Bitters (Fee Bros.)
1/2 tsp sugar syrup
1/2 tsp Maraschino (Luxardo)

Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass.  Add a twist of lemon peel.

Very tasty - being on vacation, we substituted a sugar cube and some water for the sugar syrup.

English Rose Cocktail

Day 9 of my adventure...
Tonight it's an 'English Rose Cocktail' - found on page 77 in the Bartender's Guide.

My assistant is my eldest grandson; he reads the recipes for me!

We're still at the beach, and I found a great lemon squeezer at the house we are renting.  It is an antique - made by Irvin Company.  I found it on E-bay and will try to buy one when we get home.

Back to the important stuff:
Recipe for English Rose:

1 1/2 oz Gin (Booth's)
3/4 oz Apricot Brandy (LeRoux)
3/4 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1 tsp Grenadine (I used slightly less)
1/4 tsp lemon juice

Prepare rim of glass by rubbing with lemon and dipping in sugar.
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into cocktail glass.
Serve with a cherry.

This one was good. I rated it 8 out of 10, a keeper.

Paradise Cocktail

It's Tuesday night, day 8 of our adventure through the Mr. Boston Bartenders Guide.
We spent the afternoon fishing in the surf, but with no success.  However our grandson caught a pompano in a throw net.  You can see it in the picture at the bottom of one of the glasses.

Our cocktail tonight was found on page 134. It is a 'Paradise Cocktail'.
Since it is summer time, gin drinks do seem to get the preference.

Recipe for 1 drink - (we usually triple the recipe for 2 drinks):

1 oz Apricot flavored Brandy
3/4 oz Gin
juice of 1/4 orange

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

We only have blue cocktail glasses here at the beach, so you can't see the color of the cocktails.
The good side of this, these glasses do not spill as easily as the cocktail glasses we have at home.

We'll do this one again!  It gets a rating of 8 out of 10.

Boston Cocktail

Robby was just an observer - not a participant! - (his mother wanted me to tell you this)

The week flew by fast - this is the 7th drink that we've fixed.
Tonight I picked 'Boston Cocktail' (page no. 46):

The recipe:

3/4 oz Gin (Booth's)
3/4 oz Apricot flavored Brandy (LeRoux)
juice of 1/4 lemon
1 1/2 tsp Grenadine

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

Cindy is joining us tonight - so there are 3 of us.

Cocktail was very good!  Next time - perhaps less Grenadine - drink was a little sweet.

Golden Daze

After a day of sightseeing and then sitting on the beach and trying a little fishing-we're back at the house.

I picked out a 'Golden Daze' to try tonight from page 92 of our Guide.

The recipe:

1 1/2 oz Gin (Booth's)
1/2 oz Peach Brandy (LeRoux)
1 oz orange juice.

This is one of the best drinks we've fixed yet.  Yum!


We got a few minutes of internet access today, so here's the view from our front porch.
More tomorrow.