Category: Top Shelf

What Am I Drinking Tonight? A Manhattan Cocktail!
Top Shelf

What Am I Drinking Tonight? A Manhattan Cocktail!

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I recently published a post that listed ten of the most iconic classic cocktails.  These cocktails have been served up and enjoyed in bars and restaurants across the country for decades, some for centuries. Tonight I’m having one of them, the classic Manhattan, at home.  

The Manhattan cocktail hasn’t changed much since the 19th century, although bourbon sometimes replaces rye. Today mixologists stir up probably as many Manhattans now as they did back in 1874. And to that I say lucky us, but you can also stir up your own Manhattan at home.

The trick to a great Manhattan isn’t a long list of obscure ingredients; it only has four. The perfection of the Manhattan lies in the selection of the ingredients that you use to make it. I prefer the spiciness of rye in my Manhattan.  Bourbon’s sweetness, for me, fights with the sweetness of the vermouth in this cocktail.  So, rye in my opinion, brings a bit of complexity to the Manhattan.

Most of the sweet vermouths are be pretty reasonably priced. A good bottle of sweet vermouth is essential but good doesn’t have to be expensive. You can purchase sweet vermouth for as little as $5 or $6 dollars up to whatever your wallet will bear. I used Gallo which is probably the cheapest you can find, because that’s what I had on hand. But, if you want to go a little higher on the food chain, Martini and Rossi is a good selection. It’s the most popular sweet vermouth that has a low-to-mid-range price tag. Cocchi Vermouth di Torino is about $15 dollars and is in the mid to high range. Finally though, it’s a personal choice thing.

A Decent Whiskey Is a Good First Step

I do recommend a good rye or bourbon, like Bulleit or Woodford Reserve. Ryemegedden, an impressive small batch rye, I think, would also make a great tasting Manhattan. Its pretty regional (Tennessee), but you can order it online. Corsair, the distillery, has generated some interesting (not necessarily the best) reviews in some corners. But, I find Ryemegeddon quite delightful.

Booze for Badasses

Whistle Pig 10 Year Old Straight Rye seems to be a popular choice for a good Manhattan and that’s high-end running about $80 dollars a fifth. If you are using a very good, expensive whiskey, I’d advise you not to compromise with the cheapest vermouth you can find. Buy the best you can afford and what tastes good to you.

A bottle of bitters is not overly expensive, but they add depth of flavor to the cocktail and you’re not going to find a good, cheaper alternative to $7 or $8 dollars a bottle. They also do last a long time.  Keep them in your refrigerator along with your sweet vermouth, by the way, to keep them fresh and extend their life.

Measuring with a bit of accuracy also goes a long way to making the best Manhattan. Use a double jigger to measure your ingredients.  Other than a jigger, a mixing glass, bar spoon and a glass are the only other items you need.  If you don’t have any of these (though of course, you have the glass), you can use a wide-mouthed glass or jar and a long spoon. It’ll get the job done just as well.

It’s Not Shaken, It’s Stirred

Shaking up a drink is fun but, all cocktails are not made to be shaken. Shaking the Manhattan adds air and dilutes the drink, totally altering the taste. This is a drink to be stirred until well chilled (about 60 revolutions) and then enjoyed preferably over big ice.  In my quest to make the perfect ice for great cocktails, I tried hot water, boiling water, distilled and spring water.  It turned out that it was more important how you make the ice than the water that you use to make it.

Without completely nerding out about all things ice, making crystal clear ice can be easy and I wanted it. Because it’s pretty. And, it’s functional.  Because of its size, it melts more slowly, keeping your drink cold longer without quickly diluting it. Pretty fancy!

I’ll do a whole post on making clear ice for the cocktail nerds in the near future.  But for now, just know that if you want beautiful ice, you can purchase an ice chest that uses directional freezing to make that perfectly clear ice we didn’t know we were pining for until recently.  Although, you can only make a few cubes or spheres at a time in most of these chests, it certainly heightens the quality, aesthetics and “fancy-assness” of all your cocktails. 

A Beautiful Finish – The Garnish

Oh and do yourself a favor, if you’re going to take the time and effort to craft the perfect cocktail, don’t skimp on your garnish.  The cherry or, maraschino cherry is the cherry on the top (yeah, I know) and it finishes off your cocktail beautifully. If you’re going to take your cocktail seriously, don’t make it to the end and get all raggedy by sticking a low rent, neon red, medicinally flavored cherry in your exquisitely crafted Manhattan. 

In my mind and in my drinks, Luxardo cherries are the best cherries to finish off that Manhattan and other cocktails that call for a cherry garnish. There are others. One that comes to mind, Fabbri Amarena cherries, is very high on the list of fancy-assed cherries and while I haven’t had them, I don’t doubt it. And, the jar can double as a beautiful vase to admire once you’ve used them up since you will have paid about $25.00 on the jar.

Sip Slow!

Oh, and I’m not being compensated my any brand mentioned in this post.  But, I like what I like and it’s also fair to at least mention options at least to the degree that will inspire you to explore items to find the best ingredients for you. 

Try the Manhattan cocktail. You’ll enjoy it.  And, I think it’s worth the small investment to get yourself an ice making chest for that beautiful ice that makes your cocktails look AWESOME! 

Sip slow!

Classic Manhattan Cocktail
2 oz. Rye or bourbon
1 oz. Sweet vermouth
2 dashes Angostura bitters
1 dash Orange bitters

  1. Add all the bourbon (or rye), sweet vermouth and both bitters to a mixing glass with ice, and stir until well-chilled.
  2. Strain into a chilled coupe.
  3. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

10 Classic Cocktails Home Mixologists Should Get to Know Better
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10 Classic Cocktails Home Mixologists Should Get to Know Better

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There’s the cocktail and there’s the classic cocktail. They’re called classics for a reason – the quality of a well-balanced cocktail transcends time. Bartenders over time have riffed off these cocktails and created hundreds of variations. These ten classic cocktails have been swirling around in glasses for more than a century, some more than that and if you’re a home mixologist, you should get to know them better.

The Martini –  King of the Cocktail

At well over 100 years old, the martini is the most iconic cocktail in the world. This is in part thanks to James Bond and his vesper martini. Of course, we all know that the vesper was made up by Ian Flemming, author of Casino Royale but it sounded cool, right? Then, it became a thing and everybody wanted one. This isn’t the vesper. But it is a recipe for the perfect martini. Perfect meaning this martini includes equal parts sweet and dry vermouth. 

There have been so many variations and translations of the martini, we’ve lost count. That includes the endless array of “martinis” inspired by the world famous classic; you know, those fruity, creamy, and chocolaty ones. But, there is still the true martini and then there is the martini that best suits you.

Martini

Try this classic version then, play with it to find your own best true martini:

  • 2 ounces gin
  • 1/2 ounce dry vermouth
  • 1/2 ounce sweet vermouth
  • lemon twist (or olives), garnish
  1. In a mixing glass filled with ice cubes, combine gin and both vermouths.
  2. Stir for 30 seconds.
  3. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
  4. Garnish with olives or a lemon twist

Whiskey Sour 

The oldest historical reference to the whiskey sour was mentioned in the 1862 book The Bartender’s Guide: How to Mix Drinks by famed bartender, Jerry Thomas. Long before that though,  British sailors drank a similar concoction on the high seas to help prevent scurvy, and as a replacement for water which, in general, sucked.  It’s safe to say that the risk of scurvy today is slim to none but, this precursor to the sour cocktail, depended heavily on citrus. 

The foundational elements – spirit, sweet and sour – became the Whiskey Sour. Some people get a little weirded out by the addition of egg white which by the way, is not a part of the original recipe but, give it a chance.  The egg white while tasteless, adds a silky, luxurious mouthfeel to the drink.  Here’s the classic version of the Whiskey Sour.

Whiskey Sour
  • 2 oz bourbon whiskey
  • 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 3/4 oz simple syrup
  • 1 egg white from a small to medium egg
  • maraschino cherry
  • ice
  1. Place the bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg white in a cocktail shaker. Do not add ice yet.
  2. Shake vigorously for 10 seconds. (This is referred to as a “dry shake.” It’s good for incorporating the egg white before adding ice to the shaker.)
  3. Add ice, seal again, and shake for 7 to 10 seconds more to chill.
  4. Fit a Hawthorne strainer over the top of the shaker and pour the cocktail through a fine-mesh strainer into a coupe glass. This “double strain” catches any ice shards or pulp from the fresh-squeezed lemon juice.

The Negroni

Famed British bartender, Gary Regan’s book, *The Negroni: Drinking to La Dolce Vita, traces the Negroni back to Florence, Italy in 1919. According to the most  reliable source available, the cocktail was created for Count Camillo Negroni who had developed a taste for its predecessor while working—true story—as a rodeo clown in the American Wild West. The Negroni, obviously named after the Count, is actually a riff on the cocktail classic – the Americano – just a little stiffer. 

Negroni
  • 1 oz (1 part) Campari, 
  • 1 oz (1 part) gin, 
  • 1 oz (1 part) sweet red vermouth

Stir into glass over ice, garnish with orange peel and serve.

Margarita

Some say the cocktail was invented in 1948 in Acapulco, Mexico, when a Dallas socialite combined blanco tequila with Cointreau and lime juice for her guests. Others say that the Margarita, which translates to daisy flower in Spanish, was an inevitable twist on the Daisy, a cocktail template involving spirit, citrus, orange liqueur and soda. 

Margarita
  • 2 oz white tequila
  • 1/2 oz orange liqueur
  • 1 oz, freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1/2 oz agave syrup
  • kosher salt (optional)
  • lime wheel
  1. Add tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice and agave syrup to a cocktail shaker filled with ice, and shake until well-chilled.
  2. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
  3. Garnish with a lime wheel and rim glass with kosher salt (optional).

Tom Collins

A drink known as a John Collins has existed since the 1860s and is believed to have originated with a head waiter said to have been the drink’s namesake. He worked at a popular London hotel and coffee house. He didn’t actually invent the drink. The actual inventor was Stephen Price, an American who ran the Garrick Club, also in London. Price was foul-mouthed and an all around awful person. Collins was all personality. Moral of the story: don’t be a schmuck.  The specific call for Old Tom gin in the 1869 recipe is the likely cause for the subsequent name change to “Tom Collins” in Jerry Thomas’s 1876 recipe. The rest is well…history.

Tom Collins
  • 2 oz Hayman’s Old Tom Gin or Ransom Old Tom Gin, or gin of your choice
  • 1 oz fresh lime juice
  • .¾  oz simple syrup
  • soda water
  • lime wedge
  1. Add all the ingredients to a large, tall glass full of ice.
  2. Stir and top off with chilled soda water.
  3. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Whiskey Smash

It’s hard to think of a drink more refreshing than the Whiskey Smash, a fruity 19th-century cousin to the Mint Julep.  A smash is a julep, but a julep is not always a smash. The Whiskey Smash made its recipe-book debut in the 1887 edition of “The Bartenders Guide” by Jerry Thomas, though variations of this fruit-and-whiskey concoction were likely made for decades prior to this inclusion.

The smash is an open-ended cocktail, variable and seasonally flexible. There must be ice, though you can strain it out if you prefer. Try this Vodka Berry Smash. It isn’t whiskey but it is a smash! You can include your choice of fruit in season, simply add it as a garnish. 

Whiskey Smash
  • 3 lemon wedges
  • 2 oz bourbon
  • 3/4 oz simple syrup
  • 4 mint leaves
  • a mint sprig
  1. Muddle the lemon wedges in a shaker.
  2. Add bourbon, simple syrup, mint leaves and ice, and shake until well-chilled.
  3. Double-strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
  4. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Boulevardier

Loosely translated, a boulevardier is a man-about-town or in today’s vernacular, a dude that runs the streets. The creation of the Boulevardier, the drink, is credited to Erskine Gwynne, an American-born writer who founded a monthly magazine in Paris called Boulevardier, which was in publication from 1927 to 1932.  The drink included whiskey, sweet vermouth and Campari and is simply a variation on the classic Negroni. The difference however, between the two is anything but simple. While the gin-based Negroni is crisp and bracing, the whiskey-based Boulevardier is rich and warming.

Boulevardier
  • 1 1/4 oz bourbon (or rye)
  • 1 oz Campari
  • 1 oz sweet vermouth
  • orange twist
  1. Add bourbon, Campari and sweet vermouth into a mixing glass with ice and stir until well-chilled.
  2. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
  3. Garnish with an orange twist.

Manhattan

The Manhattan has been loved for hundreds of years because of its subtle bitterness and herbal undertones. Rye whiskey, however, is the more traditional spirit and it imparts its distinct spice and savory taste to this classic. As with many classic cocktails, the exact origin story of the Manhattan cocktail is as obscure as the other drinks on this list.. The most popular theory is that the recipe was invented by Dr. Iain Marshall in the early 1880’s for a party by Lady Randolph Churchill, the mother of Winston Churchill. And of course, there are numerous variations,

Manhattan
  • 2 oz bourbon or rye
  • 1 oz sweet vermouth
  • 2 dashes Angostura bitters
  • 1 dash orange bitters
  • maraschino cherry
  1. Add all the bourbon (or rye), sweet vermouth and both bitters to a mixing glass with ice, and stir until well-chilled.
  2. Strain into a chilled coupe.
  3. Garnish with a brandied cherry

Daiquiri

The Daiquiri was supposedly invented by an American mining engineer named Jennings Cox, who was in Cuba during the Spanish–American War. Another possibility is that William A. Chanler, a US congressman who purchased the Santiago iron mines in 1902, introduced the Daiquiri to clubs in New York. But, in 1795 the grog British sailors drank as a means of preventing scurvy while serving in the Royal Navy contained rum, water, ¾ ounce of lemon or lime juice, and 2 ounces of sugar: the basic recipe for a Daiquiri.

Daiquiri
  • 1 1/2 oz light rum
  • 3/4 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1/2 to 3/4 oz simple syrup, to taste
  1. Add the rum, lime juice and demerara sugar syrup to a shaker with ice, and shake until well-chilled.
  2. Strain into a chilled coupe.
  3. Garnish with a lime twist.

Mojito

As with so many classic cocktails, the Mojito has its share of contradictory origin stories.  From Sir Francis Drake’s scurvy crew suffering from dysentery being healed with a medicinal mixture of the juices from sugar cane, limes and mint leaves to African slaves being the creators. Even though it didn’t carry its modern nomenclature, the Mojito’s been around for hundreds of years, and your best friend’s cousin thought she was Instagramming something new!  Get a little curious and try some of the many variations like the Independence Day Mojito from The Spruce Eats.  Here is the classic Mojito recipe that anyone can add to their cocktail repertoire.

Mojito
  •  4 mint leaves
  • 1 tsp powdered sugar
  • 2 oz white rum
  • 2 oz club soda
  • 1 lime (for juicing)
  • 1 sprig of mint (for garnishing)
  • crushed ice
  1. Put the mint leaves into a Collins glass and squeeze the lime juice over them.
  2. Add the powdered sugar and then muddle the mint, lime juice, and sugar together.
  3. Add crushed ice.
  4. Stir in the rum and top off with the club soda.
  5. Garnish with a mint sprig.

This is by no means the all-inclusive list of the classics.  Pimm’s Cup, French 75, the Cosmopolitan are also included with about 60 other cocktails considered classics according to most bartenders and are worthy of a look, your favorite cocktail on the list?  As always be responsible and help those sharing adult beverages with you, drink responsibly and sip slow.

5 Basic Bar Tools to Elevate Your Cocktail Game
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5 Basic Bar Tools to Elevate Your Cocktail Game

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Having the right tools for the job, whatever that job is just makes life easier. Whether you’re building a treehouse or a whiskey sour, the right tool to get it done successfully cuts down prep time and likely some frustration.  It also gives you more time to spend being more creative in your project and it doesn’t matter if you are working with wood or whiskey. These 5 basic bar tools can’t keep a treehouse from collapsing but, are sure to elevate your home cocktail game and make you look like a cocktail mixing ninja.

Cocktail shakers

Sure, you can shake a cocktail in a jelly jar.  But! But, there are some differences between mixing your drink in a Smuckers jar (no offence to Smuckers, they make great strawberry jam) and a proper cocktail shaker.  The cocktail shaker is a tin container that while mixing ingredients, also helps to quickly cool down the liquid and keep it cold.

When you’re mixing ingredients such as milk and cream for a thick, creamy drink or egg whites for the perfect sour, the shaker will give you the best results by aerating the milk or egg whites making a frothy drink more silky and improving the aesthetics (remember, your eyes drink first) and finesses the mouthfeel of the drink.

Cobbler Shaker

Which one to buy?  There are a couple standard shakers, the Cobbler  (which is what I use) and the Boston.  There are some differences.  Which one is best? It’s a personal preference. They both get the job done efficiently.

The Cobbler

The cobbler is a three-piece outfit: the tin shaker cup, built in strainer top and cap. This shaker is a multi-function tool that shakes to mix ingredients and strains the cocktail, and the cap that covers the strainer can also serve as a jigger measure.  This shaker eliminates the need for a strainer in most cases.

The Boston Shaker
Boston shaker

The Boston is a two-piece set that comes with the shaker tin and a pint sized glass or tin cup that is fits inside the shaker tin perfectly to form a tight seal. Once the drink is shaken to perfection, the tin gets a good smack of the palm near the bottom to release the seal.  You do need a hawthorne or julep strainer with this shaker to strain ice, and other ingredients that don’t belong in your finished drink.

 The  Double Jigger

Double jigger

Everybody loves the free pour.  You go to the bar and order your favorite drink and hope that the bartender gets a little heavy handed with their pour. Thing is however, unless you are a drink mixing ninja, and there may be a few, freestyling increases the chances of knocking off the balance of the drink. So the jigger is the humble bar tool that ensures all of the ingredients in a drink are measured correctly to make a perfectly balanced cocktail.

There are several styles but, according to Liquor.com, the conical double jigger is faster and more comfortable than the sexier (IMO), curved double jigger. Odds are you don’t have a need for speed if you’re standing at your home bar in your gym shorts mixing up a drink.  So, this is again, a matter of personal style and preference.

Hawthorn strainer

Strainer

Hawthorne or Julep? They are both functional items in your basic tool box that helps to deliver the perfect cocktail.  If you have limited space, limited funds or both and have to choose, the hawthorne strainer is more practical.  They both serve the same function however, the coil on the hawthorne extends it’s flexibility by being adaptable to different sized glasses.  Also, the julep strainer (no kin to the mint julep), has a smaller surface and if you’re using a boston shaker, it does not fit.

Muddler

Wooden muddler with teeth

Mojito anyone?  How about a mint julep?  The muddler is another necessary tool for your bar, something’s got to crush all of those ingredients that impart the unique flavors and aromas in the drinks you’ll be mixing up.

Muddlers can come with teeth or a smooth flat surface.  Some bartenders prefer not to “chew” their ingredients but rather gently smash them, coaxing the essential oils out of leaves and other ingredients.  Sugar cubes are one thing.  But herbs like mint or basil leaves are more delicate and really getting in there and smashing the heck out of some of these leaves and spices can release more than you bargained for.  Over-muddling can release some pretty bitter elements of the herb(s) you’re adding to your drink.  A couple of moderately firm twists of the wrist might be just the amount you need to unlock those flavors.

There are a few more options for you to consider: wood, plastic or metal?  Some bartenders swear by the wood muddler but it needs to be hand washed. washing in the dishwasher risks warping the wood. There are metal muddlers with a hard plastic base that can be put in the dishwasher. Then, there’s the hard plastic one-piece muddler.  It’s recommended that the non-toothy muddler will better release the oils from the ingredients without smashing the heck out of them. 

Mixing Glass

Mixing Glass with double jigger

“Shaken, not stirred” is the phrase synonymous  with the icon, James Bond.  While he may like his martini shaken, most people that enjoy a well poured, well balanced martini will appreciate it more if it is stirred. And then, even that depends on what the cocktail is composed of, especially martinis.  The simple rule is: if it has juice, puree, or sugar, it should be shaken. If it is a classic martini or other drink like an old fashioned or a Negroni or Boulevardier, these benefit much better by stirring.  Stirring these cocktails maintains the integrity of the liquor’s viscosity and allows more control over dilution. Stirring these drinks keeps them clear and sleek and not frothy.

Typically a good mixing glass is a clear glass with a heavy base and straight sides.  There are other styles of course, but this is my choice.  One that is not recommended so much is the footed mixing glass.  Sure, it’s fancy but not as practical as you might like and more prone to breaking.

These are the five most useful bar tools when beginning to set up your home bar.  There are many more tools, but unless you’re really into learning how to mix and shake up a whole encyclopedia of cocktails, these tools will get you through the basics.  But, there is one more thing you need and I’m including it as the bonus and that is the bar spoon.

Bonus – Bar Spoon

Bar spoon

Some cocktail recipes use the bar spoon as a measure.  The bar spoon’s functionality definitely exceeds one of a regular teaspoon.  It is long enough to get that good stir in in your cocktail shaker and mixing glass.  And, if your recipe include “2 bar spoons of …:”, I’m not sure what that measures up to but it is obviously a legitimate measure for some drinks.

The bar spoon is also used to help pour layered drinks.  And while not essential, you could use a regular teaspoon for that, I find that I have better luck with  the bar spoon when layering drinks.  

But Wait, There’s More!

Once the five basic bar tools have found a place in your home bar, start thinking about additional tools that can make your home bar even more functional and the envy of your friends.  Some other items to help amp things up:

The Lewis Bag

This bag is the perfect tool for crushing ice.  Of course, you’ll need a mallet to crush the ice and take out your frustrations.

Citrus juicer

Because a good citrus-based cocktail should always be made with fresh juice.

Microplane zester

A very handy tool for citrus garnishes.

Garnish Tongs and Tweezers

More a luxury than a must-have.  No tongs or tweezers?  Use your fingers, they do the same thing!

Paring knife

Necessary for citrus wheels and other garnishes.

Atomizer

Think of the Sazerac.  Sometimes a sprintz of absinthe is preferable over a wash.

Bitters bottles

Purely esthetic.  Absolutely nothing essential about these bottles, but they sure are pretty.

So, there you have it!  Go forth and mix, shake, stir and roll.  This is by far not the ultimate list of bar tools. These are the tools I suggest to start building your home bar. Most of the items listed are reasonably priced. I’d recommend taking a look at Cocktail Kingdom for a wide selection of bar tools. I am not being paid to promote Cocktail Kingdom, by the way, but they have some really cool stuff.

As always, drink responsibly and ensure your guests drink responsibly as well and if they go a little overboard, steal their keys and pull out the air mattress.

Dirty Horchata
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Dirty Horchata

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I’ve been wanting to make you a dirty horchata for a long time. I figured it was about time to get around to it because it looked sooo yummy. When I read about the dirty horchata a few years ago, making horchata just seemed like so much work, I just preferred to have someone else do the heavy lifting.  You’re soaking the rice and cinnamon, and blending and straining, aye-yie-yie! I’ve had “clean” horchata from time to time but only when someone else fixed it. When it’s good, it’s really good, the last time I had it though, I got it from a food truck. It was so sweet I couldn’t even drink it. 

Making horchata is really not as difficult as I built it up to be, however. So now, instead of being a drama queen about it and going all the way across town for one, now I make it myself. The upside of making your own horchata is that it is so versatile and YOU get to have total control over how it’s going to taste. You can add as much or as little sugar or any of the other ingredients that works for your taste. And, the ingredients are so basic; rice, sugar, cinnamon, and not to mention, water, there’s no doubt you already have them. That jar of cinnamon that’s about to celebrate an anniversary in your cupboard, you now have something to use it in. You’re welcome!

How Dirty Can it Get?

It only makes sense that the natural elevation of horchata was to booze it up, right? I made my dirty horchata really dirty. Based on my experimentation, it can get pretty dirty still and not lose it’s distinctive horchata flavor. It’s standard practice to use rum in a dirty horchata. I like bourbon so that’s what I used. I also added a shot of Bailey’s Irish Cream. For kicks and giggles I stirred in a dollop of whipped (dalgona) coffee instead of espresso and a little whipped cream. Whipping up the coffee and cream was a low bar and an easy addition and it added body to the drink. And I’ll tell you what, it was pretty boozy but it was also lip smacking good. The next time I mix one up though, I will use a little less bourbon and a little more whipped cream.

Still, the result was a great tasting, albeit strong drink with the consistency similar to a shake. Another adjustment I’ll make net time is to add crushed ice and frozen whipping cream to make an actual shake. Yum!

Because making horchata is so easy, I have no objection at all to making a pitcher of it occasionally. If you plan to give it a try just keep in mind that your horchata mixture will need to soak overnight. If you’re planning to serve it to a crowd, it does take a tiny bit of preplanning otherwise, it’s a snap.

Iced Dirty Horchata Coffee with Espresso

Horchata’s Many Variations

If you’re not the biggest rice milk fan, never fear. There are so many variations of this drink. Of all the horchata variations I’ve read about, so far I’ll be sticking with the rice based horchata for now. It can also be made with almonds and almond milk, coconut milk or tiger nut milk .Horchata has a centuries long history. As I researched horchata the modern form seems to have originated in Spain. The drink also sometimes called horchata de chufas[7] or, in West African countries such as Nigeria and Mali, kunnu aya is the original form of horchata.

Tiger Nuts

It is said that it may have originated at least around the 13th century and is part of a family of plant-based beverages. In West Africa, it’s also made with tiger nut milk and is known as kunnu aya. I’ll be trying the tiger nut version since they can be ordered online. I love the rice milk version, but I am curious to try the tiger nut version, too.

Have it Your Way

The endless variations makes horchata such an awesome drink base, both alcoholic or non-alcoholic. Make it vegan by replacing whole milk with almond milk.  Make it a little skinnier by replacing the granulated sugar with maple syrup or even stevia or monk fruit.  

The horchata recipe I use as my base for the cocktail is a version adapted from Charbel of My Latina Table, minus the almonds. Unlike many horchata recipes I’ve found that were in my opinion, unnecessarily complicated, hers is simple, yet very delicious. I’ve been making horchata quite a bit lately because it’s so refreshing. It’s also a nice change from carbonated drinks.

Leave a comment to let me know if you tried it and if you experimented with any variations.

Dirty Horchata

Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 hours
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Dessert, Drinks
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 4 servings

Equipment

  • large bowl with lid or cling wrap, measuring cups, blender, pitcher

Ingredients
  

Horchata

  • 1 cup White rice, rinsed, uncooked
  • 1 stick Cinnamon
  • 1 cup Suger, or less if you want it less sweet
  • ½ cup Chopped almonds
  • 1 tbsp Vanilla
  • 12 oz Evaporated milk
  • 1-½ cup Whole milk or almond milk
  • 4 cups Water
  • Ice

Dalgona Coffee

  • 2 tbsp Instant coffee
  • 2 tbsp Coffee
  • 1 tbsp Hot water

Whipped Cream

  • 4 oz Heavy Whipping cream
  • 1 tsp Sugar
  • ¼ tsp Cream of tartar

Alcoholic Add ins

  • 1 oz Bailey's Irish Cream
  • ½ oz. Bourbon

Instructions
 

Horchata

  • Start by soaking the rice, cinnamon, and almonds in a bowl of water all night, or at least for 5 hours so that the rice softens slightly.
  • Strain the water from the cinnamon, rice, and almond mixture that were soaking, disposing of water.
  • Blend the cinnamon, rice, and almond mixture with evaporated milk until a smoother mix is formed and the grains of rice are completely ground.
  • Strain the resulting liquid into ra pitcher, and add the sugar, vanilla, and milk. Mix well until everything is well combined. Add a liter of water, and serve with ice.

Dalgona Coffee

  • Mix instant coffee, sugar and water in a bowl. Mix on medium high with electric mixer until light and fluffy.

Whipped Cream

  • Combine heavy whipping cream, sugar, vanilla, and cream of tartar. Mix on high with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.

Dirty Horchata

  • Mix horchata, dalgona coffee and half of the whipped cream. whipped cream. Add alcohol, stir well. Pour into glass, garnish with remaining whipped cream and ground cinnamon.
Keyword alcoholic drink, cinnamon, cocktail, dalgona coffee, dirty horhata, horchata, rice milk, rice milk beverage

What am I Drinking Tonight? Raise a Glass to Sazerac!
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What am I Drinking Tonight? Raise a Glass to Sazerac!

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Welp, today is Mardi Gras and I am raising a glass to toast Sazerac and NOLA because they are not letting a pandemic shut down a centuries-old tradition. NOLA! Things are looking a little different this year for sure, but nothing stops Mardi Gras! It’s gonna be a cold day in NOLA today.  There will be no parade floats and there will be no overflowing crowds lining the streets all over the city dancing for beads. The bars are ordered to be closed. Krewes will still have their celebrations but the parties will tend to be more private.

That sounds depressing, but people are very creative and I have little doubt that people will still find a way to celebrate Mardi Gras in grand style.

The Darling of Mardi Gras

Though there will be more private parties this year and in observance of Mardi Gras, the drinks will still flow as they’ve done since forever in celebration of the end of Carnival although much of it will be carry-out. 

Carry-out, dine in, drink in, or at home, New Orleans has a proud reputation for interesting cocktails. Many of these iconic drinks; Sazerac, King Cake shots, Ramos Gin Fizz and Frozen Milk Punch, one of my favorites, to name a few, have been around for many decades but, during the season of Carnival and Mardi Gras is when they take center stage. But, of all these cocktails, the Sazerac wears the crown as the official drink of New Orleans and the darling of Mardi Gras.

Sazerac was made popular around 1830 and then went through a period of evolutionary rejiggering. A cognac shortage in France made it necessary to substitute with rye and then the banning of  absinthe, as a poison, was replaced with Herbsaint. Sazerac finally found its groove and in 2008, the Sazerac took its place as the official cocktail.

 I use the recipe for Sazerac from Liquor.com.  There’s also a little interesting history about the drink and alternative Sazerac recipes at Liquor.com.

Sazerac

Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Course Drinks
Cuisine American
Servings 1

Equipment

  • Mixing glass, muddler, bar spoon, hawthorne strainer, 2 rocks glasses

Ingredients
  

  • Absinthe to rinse or spritz inside of glass
  • 3 dashes Peychaud's bitters
  • 2 dashes Angostura bitters
  • 1-1/4 oz. Rye
  • 1-1/4 oz, Cognac
  • 1/2 tsp Cold water
  • 1 Sugar cube
  • Lemon peel for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Rinse and discard excess or spritz glass using a fine mist sprayer with Absinthe.
  • In a separate mixing glass, muddle sugar cube, water, Peychaud's and Angostura bitters.
  • Add rye, cognac and ice into mixing glass and stir until chilled.
  • Strain into Absinthe-prepared glass.
  • Squeeze lemon peel into glass to extract the oils and garnish with the peel.
  • Sip slow!
Keyword absinthe, rye, sazerac
What am I Drinking Tonight? B-52 Shots!
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What am I Drinking Tonight? B-52 Shots!

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The question behind this drink was whether it was named for the B-52 bomber or the B-52s, the 80’s/90’s alternative rock band (Love Shack, Rock Lobster).  Personally, either one would be awesome. The B-52 shot was however, named for the band by Peter Fich the head bartender at Banff Sprigs Hotel, Alberta, Canada in 1977. Does it matter really how it got it’s name, though? I’m glad it’s here so thank you, Pete!  I do like the B-52’s though, the group, and Love Shack is one of my all-time favorite songs.  

The B-52 shot is now a part of my drink repetoire! I have to admit, the idea of mixing Kaluah and Grand Marnier weirded me out a little at first. Orange liqueur isn’t my thing, but the marriage coffee, cream and citrus is a celebration of flavor! It’s only a shot, and until you master the layering of each liqueur it can be a little tricky to make, but it’s so easy to get a little carried away and drink a few of them before you know it. It’s very delicious.

This Is How You Start the Party!

The B-52 has only three ingredients. They each stand very well on their own strength. Together, they hit the “damn that’s good” trifecta of well…goodness. The hook, the thing that makes this such a great party drink and makes you look like a bartending wizard is the layering, the alchemy that makes it so f’n cool. It’s all about the specific gravity of each liqueur. Cocktail Hunter has a useful chart that gives a brief explanation and a specific gravity chart chart that’s helpful if you’d like to experiment and create your own layered drink.

The New York Sour is another layered drink that floats red wine on a sour cocktail. This classic cocktail is awesome in its own right, but it doesn’t have that same vibe you get from the B-52.

Flaming B-52 layered cocktails

There are many variations of the B-52 using a variety of swap outs, the B-53 calls for replacing Bailey’s for Sambuca, or the B-54 switching out the Grand Marnier for Amaretto. Or, you could set the B-52 aflame in which case, it is now called appropriately a Flaming B-52.  Though I would venture a guess that by the time you’re ready to start putting fire to the B-52, you’ve probably already had too many.  So, don’t try that.

How to make a B-52 Shot

The B-52 is a layered drink, but it’s not rocket science and it’s fun getting there. It tastes better cold, so I recommend chilling the liqueurs.

Ingredients

⅓ oz Kahlua
⅓ Bailey’s Irish Cream
⅓ Grand Marnier

You’ll also need a shot glass and a spoon.

Pour Kahlua as your first layer.  For your second layer using  a bar spoon, if you don’t have a bar spoon, any spoon will do. Place the spoon in the glass, bowl side facing down and close to the glass, slowly pour the Bailey’s Irish Cream over the spoon. The Bailey’s Irish Cream should lay on top of the Kahlua creating the second layer.  Finally, repeat the process topping off the shot with Grand Marnier slowly pouring it over the spoon. Click here to visit Tip Hero’s You Tube video to see it done.

Enjoy and sip slow!

What am I Drinking Tonight? Hot Chocolate, Because Well, it’s National Hot Chocolate Day!
Desserts

What am I Drinking Tonight? Hot Chocolate, Because Well, it’s National Hot Chocolate Day!

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Whew, can’t believe I almost missed it! It is National Hot Chocolate Day everybody, and who hasn’t been waiting all year for this? It only comes once a year.

When the temp falls on the wrong side of the 20’s, what’s better than curling up with a steamy cup of hot chocolate? It can definitely hit the spot. Add a good book or your favorite show to binge on and you’ve got the beginning of a relaxing evening.

Over the holidays I made countless hot chocolate bombs as gifts for my family and friends and I had a few left. To celebrate National Hot Chocolate Day, I exploded one of the bombs and transformed it into a delectable libation with a shot Smirnoff Vanilla vodka and a shot of Wave Whipped Cream vodka. Toasty and tasty!

Hot chocolate bombs, an alternative.

A hot chocolate bomb is a fun way to warm up on a chilly day. Just drop into a cup and add hot milk. Even a packet of powdered hot chocolate mix is fine, I’m not one to judge. While generally my hot chocolate bombs include marshmallows, sometimes crushed peppermint, and powdered hot chocolate mix (just so much easier to work with), the real stuff is the best.

Sometimes a cup of hot chocolate is a great treat for a cool evening. This recipe is easy and a just reward for the end of the day. For a lovely, thick, rich and silky cup of hot chocolate that’s worth savoring, try this recipe. I recommend at 70% cacao for the a richer, deeper chocolate flavor.

Take it over the top with a shot of vodka or better, vanilla vodka or your favorite libation. Of course, if you’re watching calories, try 2% as an alternative to whole milk. Add a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. There’s no limit to how you can dress up a cup of hot chocolate!

Old Fashioned Hot Chocolate

Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Drinks

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups Half and half
  • 1 cup Milk
  • 6 oz. Semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • Sugar, to taste
  • ½ tsp Vanilla
  • dash Cayenne
  • dash Salt
  • 1 shot Vanilla vodka optional
  • Whipped cream or marshmallows

Instructions
 

  • In a medium saucepan, heat half-and-half and milk until foamy bubbles form around the edge of the pan.
  • Add chopped chocolate and sugar, whisking constantly. As chocolate begins to melt, add vanilla, cayenne pepper and salt; whisking constantly until Warmed through. Optional: add shot(s) of vanilla and/or whipped cream vodka. Serve immediately.
What am I Drinking Tonight? Birthday Cake Martini! Salut, Virgos!
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What am I Drinking Tonight? Birthday Cake Martini! Salut, Virgos!

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Happy Birthday, Virgos! Let’s have cake! You do have birthdays coming up, don’t you? And you thought I forgot? Well, if you’re in the mood to celebrate, I’m raising a glass to celebrate you, and I’m also raising a glass because I just like to drink! Ok, let’s qualify that.  I like drinking fun, interesting and tasty cocktails that are worth the time and effort to shake or stir. What better time to shake up a fancy new cocktail and pour one up for your friends and fam? Two birds and a stone and stuff, right? So, Salut!

Because I can’t actually make all of you cakes, we can enjoy a Birthday Cake Martini in your honor! I have a lot of friends and family born in August and being generous in spirit, I don’t want anyone to feel like I skimped on them. We’ll have none of that, so I’ll have one and another one,  just to cover all bases.

Ah Vodka!…Again.

Of course it’s a novelty drink. This is definitely not one of the classics and doesn’t even rely on a classic cocktail as a base. It, like most novelty drinks default to gin or vodka and then runs off the rails from there.

It’s summer though, and lightening up a little can be good change of pace. I continue to surprise myself lately turning to vodka and gin drinks again and again. And why not? I’ve been stubbornly wedded to brown liquor for so long I can afford to shift gears. Since vodka and gin mix so well with so many things especially fruity bases, I’ll chalk it up to a summertime thing and have another.  

Cocktail, Schmocktail…It’s a Glass of Cake!

I try to never disappoint when it comes to cocktails and I’ll admit, this one is a little different for me. But, for creamy cocktail lovers, you’ll love this tasty martini, I think this is delicious!  Really, it’s like a friggin’ glass of cake but, not in a gross way, and goes perfectly with actual cake. Not weird. I’m always on the hunt for the perfect cocktail to try and share and if I go to the trouble to find the ingredients (because I never seem to have everything at my fingertips) my expectations for an awesome reward for my efforts are going to be high.

Locating Ingredients During Lockdown

Although it seems like all of these are basic items that you can easily find at your local liquor store, it was hard finding a few things being in lockdown. I guess liquor is not a priority item during a months-long quarantine. But with so many people becoming home bartenders now, it should be. I had the hardest time finding whipped cream vodka in the middle of this quarantine and finally found it three stores and two towns later. It’s what you do for the quest! But, you can be efficient and just go to Instacart’s website and get what you need to finish your perfect cocktail in just a couple of hours.

I joke around about drinking more than I actually drink so I promise, I’m at the end of this post and I’m still sober. The birthday cake martini is a great diversion from a standard cocktail. It’s not an everyday cocktail to be sure, but, this is really very good and I highly recommend it. It’s sweet and creamy and if you like that kind of thing, you’ll enjoy this martini. It’s colorful. It packs a bit of a punch. And yeah,…ooohhh, sprinkles

Birthday Cake Martini

Ingredients:

1 part Smirnoff ® Iced Cake Vodka
1 part Smirnoff ® Vanilla Vodka
1 part Half & half
Vanilla frosting to rim edge of glass
Sprinkles

Instructions:

Dip martini glass in frosting and rim with sprinkles.
Combine vodkas and half & half in a cocktail shaker.
Add ice to cocktail shaker and shake well.
Strain into sprinkles decorated martini glass.

Tip: try adding a bit of white chocolate’ or cream de cacao liqueur. You can’t go wrong!

Happy Birthday and sip slow!

What am I Drinking Tonight? A Purple Rain Cocktail!
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What am I Drinking Tonight? A Purple Rain Cocktail!

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…I only wanted to see you bathing in the purple rain…

Today, vodka was my friend. We hung out together for the entire evening. We we did that. We bathed in a Purple Rain cocktail, oops…a couple of Purple Rain cocktails!

It was great. For vodka.  I was amazed at the number of variations of this drink. My Purple Rain cocktail ended up being a loose interpretation of a few recipes.  One recipe called for grape juice (that seemed to make sense visually, but I didn’t want it to taste like Koolaid), another called for cranberry juice and most all called for Blue Curacao. 

Blue + Red, Right?

In elementary school we learned that blue and red makes purple, so I swapped out the grape juice for grenadine to create the perfect purple and because honestly, I was freestyling, it took a little time to get the purple I wanted.

I tried one with pineapple juice.  It tasted great but aesthetically, it looked like a royal hot, muddy mess.  So, I played around until I landed on the clear, royal purple.  If you try it and don’t care so much about looks, try it with the pineapple juice,. I have to admit, it’s tasty. Although it’s not a fruity drink, it kind of reminds me of the Berry Vodka Smash.

I also happened to have blue sanding sugar (seriously, who has blue sanding sugar hanging around in their cabinet?). I tinted the blue sugar with a few drops of grenadine and got a shade of purple close enough to match the drink that was a beautiful royal purple. It was so pretty, I didn’t want to drink it. Ok, that’s not true and boy I’ll tell ya, for a vodka drink, it was really good!

Homemade Food Junkie created a stunningly beautiful Purple Rain cocktail. Here’s my version of the Purple Rain cocktail.

Ingredients

2 oz. vodka
¼ oz grenadine
½ oz. blue curacao
2 oz. club soda
Juice of ½ small lime

Optional to rim glass:
3 TBSP White sugar
1 TBSP Simple syrup
Few drops of grenadine
Few drops of blue curacao
Lime wheel

Mix sugar, grenadine and blue curacao well until you reach the desired shade of purple.  Dip the rim of a glass in simple syrup and roll the rim in the sugar until the entire rim is coated. 

In a cocktail shaker, fill halfway with crushed ice, add vodka, grenadine, blue curacao, club soda and lime juice.  Shake until well chilled.  Pour into glass garnish with a lime wheel and sip slow!

What I’m Drinking Tonight: Angel’s Delight
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What I’m Drinking Tonight: Angel’s Delight

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I guess the only downside to blogging for Retta Cooked It is that eventually, I’m going to wind up becoming a fat, drunk.  

I have to taste everything I cook and every cocktail I mix to be sure I’m posting the best recipes. I enjoy that. A lot. And, I like playing with my bar tools.

I haven’t posted in a good while, but when I ran across this drink it was so pretty I had to give it a try.  I won’t lie, I’m not a fan of white liquor so I am always skeptical of cocktails that include them.  But, not everyone is in love with whiskey and while I like living on the dark side  sometimes you have to go to the light. So, I gave it a try.

If you like gin and creamy drinks, you’ll like Angel’s Delight. Gin pairs well with hard cheeses, and chocolate and if you want to try Angel’s Delight, in my opinion, you’ll want to try it with an appetizer. Because of the cream, Angel’s Delight is a thick, dessert-like cocktail. I don’t recommend having it during dinner, that’s too much. 

One tip, don’t overdo the grenadine! More than two or three dashes is more than enough to get the pale pink hue characteristic of this drink.  Any more and it will look like a glass of Pepto-Bismol and who wants that!

Angel’s Delight

Ingredients:
  • 1/4 oz Triple Sec
  • 3/4 oz Gin
  • 1 oz Cream
  • 2-3 Dashes Grenadine
Directions:

Combine all ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake well, strain into chilled martini glass. It doesn’t get any easier than this.  Check out other great drink recipes in the Weekend Water section of Retta Cooked It. Sip slow!