White Cocorita

Cinco de Mayo is long gone but who says you have to wait another year before enjoying some of the celebratory cocktails. Don't forget to use silver tequila, it has a vivacious flavor, which is perfect for this cocktail.

1 oz. 100% Agave Silver Tequila
½ oz. Coconut Rum
2 oz. Coconut Puree or Coco Lopez
1 oz. Fresh Lime Juice, Sweetened

In a metal cocktail shaker, add all ingredients plus a few ice cubes and give 6 or 7 heavy shakes, then strain into a margarita glass. Garnish with half a lime wheel.

Sloe Cranberry Cooler

You know how sometimes you suddenly get the urge for a drink but can't decide on what to make? Next time that happens, make this drink. It's refreshing, delicious and simple, only three ingredients, cranberry juice, lemon juice and sloe gin which is a red sweet liqueur flavored with blackthorn plums.

2 oz Sloe Gin
4 oz Cranberry Juice
1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice

Build over ice in a tall glass. Garnish with a lime wheel if you like. That's it. Enjoy!

Bloody Caesar

A close relative to the Bloody Mary. It was created by bartender Walter Chell in 1969. Using Italian cuisine for inspiration, he came up with a mixture of hand-mashed clams, tomato juice, vodka, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper; then garnished it with a celery stick and named it for the Roman Emperor - a 'Bloody Caesar'. Later, with assistance from Chell, the Mott Company went on to develop 'clamato' juice.

6 oz. Mott's Clamato Juice
1½ oz. Vodka
2 Dashes Tabasco Sauce
2 Dashes Worcestershire Sauce
Celery salt
Freshly Ground Pepper
Lime/Lemon wedge
1 Crisp Celery Stalk

Rim highball glass first with the lemon slice and then the celery salt.Fill this glass with ice. Add vodka and juice to ice, and season with pepper, Worcestershire Sauce, and Tobasco. Stir, and then garnish with a celery stick.

Apple Brandy Hot Toddy

What could be better on a cold winter day than a nice toddy to warm you right up. This is the perfect drink to have after playing outside in the snow or while relaxing in front of the fireplace.

1 oz. Apple Brandy
1 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
½ oz. Honey
¼ cup Boiling Hot Water
Cinnamon Sticks

In a small sauce pan, bring the water to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the honey until dissolved. Stir in the lemon juice and apple brandy. Set a cinnamon stick or two in a mug, and pour in the liquid.

Major Bailey

A cross between a Mojito & a Tom Collins, the Major Bailey uses gin instead of rum and adds plenty of mint leaves. When it comes to mint leaves in drinks, some people are thoroughly opposed to bruising or crushing the mint. Others insist that this is the only way to do it.

2 oz. Dry Gin
¼ oz. Lemon Juice
¼ oz. Lime Juice
¼ oz. Simple Syrup
Mint Leaves

Place 10 to 12 mint leaves in the bottom of a highball glass. Add lemon and lime juices and simple syrup. Bruise mint leaves in the sweetend juice with a muddler or bar spoon. Fill with shaved ice. Add gin. Stir until all ingredients are thoroughly combined, and outside glass is frosted. Garnish with mint leaves and serve with straws.

Nouveau Black Russian

The Black Russian, a cocktail created in the 1950's and a favorite of many. A little updating adds a whole new dimension to this classic cocktail. Subsitute either vanilla or raspberry vodka for regular vodka and you have a wonderful new cocktail. Float a ½ oz. of cream on top to make a Nouveau White Russian.

1½ oz. Vanilla or Raspberry Vodka
1 oz. Kahlua Coffee Liqueur

Build over ice in an old-fashioned glass. No garnish.

Liberdade

The Liberdade is a combination of both sweet and sour, and without a doubt one of the most enjoyable cocktails you'll ever have. The sweetness of guava mixed with the tartness of lime, prepare your palate for a lively and crisp sensation.

2 oz. Guava Juice
1 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
2 oz. Absolut Citron Vodka
1 oz. Triple-Sec

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake well,strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Smoky Martini

Mixing a martini used to be as simple as vodka or gin. Nowadays, martini's come in all forms, with a myriad of ingredients. One of my favorites is the smoky martini. Simply, a smoky martini is a gin martini with scotch instead of vermouth. You can substitute the gin for vodka if you prefer.

2½ oz. Gin
Splash of Blended Scotch
Lemon Twist

Stir both ingredients with ice to chill and garnish with the lemon twist.
Recipe taken from The Craft of the Cocktail, by Dale Degroff.

White Chocolate Martini

Just when you thought your relationship with chocolate couldn't get more thrilling and exhilarating, the white chocolate martini comes along. White chocolate with just a hint of banana. The moment this alluring gem glides down your throat you'll know your in for a truly special treat.

Maraschino Cherry Juice
Bittersweet Cocoa Powder
1 Strawberry
1 oz. Vodka
¾ oz. Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur
½ oz. White Creme de Cocoa
¼ oz. Creme de Banana

Dip the rim of the cocktail glass ½" into maraschino cherry juice. Shake off excess and gently dip into the cocoa powder. Slowly turn glass till you have a ½" rim of chocolate around the cocktail glass. Place strawberry on rim of the glass.

Combine vodka, white chocolate liqueur, creme de cocoa, and creme de banana in a shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously. Pour into the prepared cocktail glass.

World's Best Egg Nog

Christmas is my favorite time of the year. It's a time when nostalgic feelings and memories come alive. Memories of childhood days, having family close and just being there for each other. It's also a time to enjoy those simple pleasures that come around only at this time of the year. One of those pleasures is drinking egg nog. Drinking egg nog is a tradition that forms a basic part of the Christmas festivities. A few days ago I came upon a wonderful recipe that I'm sure you will enjoy. Thanks to Molly at Orangette for providing her great-grandfather's recipe and for the great photograph.

6 Large Eggs
1 cup Granulated Sugar
2 ½ quarts (5 pints) Half-and-Half
1 750ml Bottle of Brandy
1 cup Dark Rum
½ cup Bourbon
½ cup Dry Sherry
½ tsp Nutmeg

In a very large mixing bowl, beat the eggs to break up the yolks. Add the sugar, and beat on medium speed until the mixture is foamy and lightens a bit in color. Add the half-and-half, whisking to combine. Add the brandy, rum, bourbon, and dry sherry, whisking to mix thoroughly. Add the nutmeg, whisk to distribute it evenly, and chill until serving.

The Jamaican Ten Speed

I was thumbing thru the pages of New Classic Cocktails and came across this gem of a recipe. I know it's the holiday season, and it's cold outside, and a warm inviting drink would be better suited, but this drink is just too good to wait for the warm weather to get here.

1 oz. Vodka
¾ oz. Midori Melon Liqueur
¼ oz. Creme de Banana
¼ oz. Malibu Coconut Rum
½ oz. Half & Half

Fill a shaker half full of ice. Add all of the above ingredients and shake until creamy and well chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

The Godiva Truffletini

You might as well give in now. This cocktail is simply irresistible. Two different Godiva liqueurs infused with vanilla vodka create a chocoholic's fantasy come true.

1 oz. Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur
2 oz. Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
1 oz. Vanilla Vodka

Place ice in a cocktail shaker. Add the liqueurs and vodka. Shake vigorously until well blended. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with chocolate shavings. Enjoy!

Tiramisu

The tiramisu is a rich, tantalizing, and oh so luscious drink. Several liquers combine effortlessly with vanilla ice cream to form a positively distinguished libation. I came upon this recipe through a good friend who tends bar at a local restaurant, she was kind enough to pass it along, and now I'm passing it along to you. Enjoy!

1 oz. Amaretto Liquer
1 oz. Kahlua Liquer
1 oz. Godiva White Chocolate Liquer
6 oz. Milk
3 to 4 Scoops of Vanilla Ice Cream
5 Ice Cubes

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until desired. Top with whipped cream and white chocolate shavings :)

Daiquiri

This is another Cuban classic named after the town of the same name. The recipe was created by a Cuban engineer named Pagliuchi and an American engineer named Jennings Cox in the late nineteenth century. The story goes that in Cox's storeroom there were only rum, limes and sugar. They mixed these elements in a shaker with ice and thus a classic was born....

1½ oz. Light Rum
1 oz. Simple Syrup
¾ oz. Fresh Lime Juice

Shake all the ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

A Peach Surrender

Ok...sorry for the long delay :) Here is a nice little drink to get us back on a roll..It's sort of like a cross between a Tequila Sunrise & a Fuzzy Navel.... It's got a nice taste to it and I'm sure you like it. You can vary the amount of orange juice to suit your taste.

2 oz. Peach Flavored Vodka
½ oz. Peach Schnapps
4 oz. Orange Juice
1 oz. Grenadine

Add grenadine to an empty collins glass and add ice. Add the liquor and then the orange juice. Garnish with a maraschino cherry. Enjoy!