Star Cocktail

Today we chose a 'Star Cocktail' to enjoy. Since the weather was very nice ... short sleeve and shorts nice ... we even enjoyed it on the patio.

The drink was very good, a tasty blend of sweet and tart, well worth a repeat.

The recipe (page 164 from Mr. Boston Official Bartender's Guide):

1 oz Apple Brandy (Laird's)
1 oz Sweet Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1 Dash Bitters (Angostura)

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

Perfect Cocktail

On this date (December 18th ... I was late posting the description), I mixed a 'Perfect Cocktail' from page no. 135 in Mr. Boston's Bartender's Guide. The drink was far better than the Homestead Cocktail we had earlier which contained a lot of Sweet Vermouth. This cocktail contained smaller amounts of Sweet and Dry Vermouths. I garnished with an olive stuffed with anchovy.

The recipe:

1 1/2 tsp Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1 1/2 tsp Sweet Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1 1/2 oz Gin (Seagram's Extra Dry)
1 Dash Bitters

The drink was fairly enjoyable, better suited to my taste than a very dry classic martini. Try it! The Christmas glasses helped also.

Salut!

Homestead Cocktail

On this day, we had a 'Homestead Cocktail', on page 98 in Mr. Boston's Bartender's Guide.

The recipe:

3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1 1/2 Gin (Seagram's Extra Dry)

Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass. Serve with a slice of orange.

Just when I thought all cocktails were tasting (disturbingly) good, I found one that I do not care for. To me, the vermouth was just overpoweringly sweet and cloying. Oh well... . And I used the Christmas glasses.

Leave-It-To-Me Cocktail No. 2

Today I selected a 'Leave-It-To-Me Cocktail No.2' for our drink. It turned out to be another very tasty drink. Since I had no raspberry syrup, I used Chambord Raspberry liqueur, which may have enhanced the taste somewhat! Anyway, we liked it.

The recipe (page 113 from Mr. Boston's Bartender's Guide, publ. 1985):

1 tsp Raspberry Syrup (Chambord Liqueur)
1 tsp Lemon Juice
1/4 tsp Maraschino (Luxardo)
1 1/2 oz Gin (Seagram's Extra Dry)

Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass.
Actually, I used a shaker since the drink contained lemon juice.
Garnish with cherry and an orange section.

Vampire's Kiss Cocktail

Today we shared a special drink with our neighbors, a 'Vampire's Kiss  Cocktail'. I departed from our standard Mr. Boston's Bartender's Guide for another reference, the Obituary Cocktail, the Great Saloons of New Orleans, a book by Kerri McCaffety just recently republished. The cocktail, according to the book, is from 'The Fatted Calf', a New Orleans bar sporting an upstairs room decorated in gothic. Anyway, I recommend the book and find it (and the drinks therein) very interesting.

The recipe (from page 105):

1 oz Vodka (Absolute)
1/2 oz Raspberry Liqueur (Chambord)
1/2 oz Cranberry Juice
Splash of Grenadine

Shake with ice and strain into a martini glass. I garnished with a cherry and an orange slice.

The four of us agreed that the drink was excellent and well worth having again, an excellent holiday drink.

Sante!

Fairy Belle Cocktail

Today, December 6th, we chose a 'Fairy Belle Cocktail' from Mr. Boston's Bartender's Guide. It was another very attractive drink as most containing Grenadine are, especially enhanced by our Christmas cocktail glasses, a gift from neighborhood friends last year, who also enjoy the occasional cocktail.

This is the first cocktail I have mixed since August, being on a rigorous diet, which is mostly over now!

It is a very good drink, maybe made better from abstinence. I omitted the egg white from the recipe. For my taste they do not add much.

The recipe (page 79):

1 Egg White (left out)
1 tsp Grenadine
3/4 oz Apricot Brandy (LeRoux)

                                              1 1/2 oz Gin (Seagram's Extra Dry)

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. I garnished with an orange slice.

Daiquiri Cocktail

We enjoyed a 'Daiquiri Cocktail' tonight - found on page 71 of The Bartender's Guide. It has become one of our favorite cocktails. We've also discovered that bartenders seem to have no idea how to make one. I also found that using 1 oz each of light and amber Bacardi make it tastier. Good luck ordering it!

For one drink:

Juice of 1 Lime (around 1 1/2 to 2 oz)
1 teaspoon Powdered Sugar (I use 2 tsps)
1 1/2 oz Rum (I use 2 oz of mixed Bacardi's)

Muddle the sugar in the lime juice to dissolve it before adding the rum. Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with citrus peel or fruit if desired.