Retta Cooked It!

Valentine’s Day falls on Friday this year, yay! Do it big! Go ahead and slip into that sexy arm candy dress or side piece skinny suit and make the evening sparkle and turn it up with a fun night out. Or, wind it down with a romantic evening at home and a scrumptious meal.

And then, what’s Valentine’s night without a sexy cocktail or two, or a few? Why not spice it up and give your partner a reason to Put a Ring On It, no?  Can’t go wrong.

Whatever your thing is, do you, and end the night with a Kiss on the Lips or maybe Sex in the Driveway?

I’ve curated a list of sensual sips that’s fun for 50 people or just for two.  Whether you end your evening with a Goodnight Kiss or a Kinky Hookup, any one of these 10 cocktails has the power to make things happen.

1. Kiss on the Lips

1 1/2 ounces peach schnapps
5 ounces frozen mango mix (or mango chunks, if you can’t find mango mix)
1 tablespoon grenadine
2 cups crushed ice

Put the peach schnapps, frozen mango and crushed ice into a blender and pulse until smooth. Pour the grenadine into the bottom of a cocktail glass and then pour the blended mixture in over the top of it. Garnish with a pineapple slice and a cherry.

2. Quickie on the Beach

1 part vodka
1 part peach schnapps

Pour over ice and enjoy.

3. Good Night Kiss

1 oz. Campari
4 oz. champagne
1 sugar cube
1 dash angostura

Add 1 dash angostura bitters onto 1 sugar cube and drop it into a champagne flute. Add 4 oz. champagne and top with 1 oz. Campari.
Recipe excerpted from Romantic Cocktails by Clair McLafferty

4. Very Sexy Martini

3 Raspberries
5 Mint leaves
1 oz. Simple syrup
1-½ Citrus vodka
1 1⁄2 oz Moët & Chandon Rosé Imperial Champagne

In a shaker, muddle the raspberries and mint. Add the remaining ingredients except the Champagne and fill with ice.  Shake, and strain into a Martini glass. Top with champagne and garnish with a mint spring and a raspberry.

5. Pink Silk Panties

1 oz. Absolut Vodka
1 oz. Svedka Raspberry vodka
1-½ Peach schnapps
2 oz. Cranberry juice

Garnish with: choice of o lemon wheel, strawberry or cherry
Add all ingredients into a mixing glass and fill with ice.  Stir for 30 seconds. Double strain.

6. Punch Drunk Love

JIMMY at James Hotel’s Punch Drunk Love by mixologist/partner Johnny Swet

1 oz. Jim Beam bourbon 
1 oz. Blackwell Rum
.75 oz. Carpano Antica Formula
.5oz.  Amaretto
1 oz. Orange juice 
3 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters 

Mix in a wine glass: Stir with cubed ice. Grate fresh nutmeg on top. Garnish with ½ an orange slice.

7. Put A Ring On It

1 oz. Hpnotiq
1 oz. Whipped Cream Vodka
Splash of Peach Schnapps
Splash of Lemon-Lime Soda

Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Shake well and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a blinking ring.

8. Kinky Hookup

2 oz. KINKY Pink Liqueur
2 oz. KINKY Blue Liqueur
Lemon-lime soda or club soda

Pour KINKY Pink Liqueur and KINKY Blue Liqueur into low-ball glass and top with lemon-lime soda or club soda.

9. Tie Me To The Bedpost

1/2 oz. each of: Midori, Absolut Citron, Malibu Rum. Shake with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

10. Sex in the Driveway

1 oz. Blue curacao
1 oz. Peach schnapps
2 oz. citrus vodka
6 oz. Sprite or 7 Up

Pour ingredients over ice and garnish with a lemon wheel.

Sip slow! Happy Valentine’s Day and you’re welcome!