Creamy Curried Coconut Frappe

inspirations from India...

To finish up this series, I've made a frozen coconut cocktail laced with curry powder. Just a little goes a long way with this drink. I was inspired in two ways when dreaming up this concoction. First, is that many Indian curries are made with coconut milk and of course curry powder. And second, I thought about chai tea and all the different spices combined with steamed milk. Chai tea also comes from India, how appropriate!

So, for this recipe I've combined toasted coconut, Bailey's, coconut rum, milk, curry powder, and ice in a blender. Whiz it up in seconds and serve with a little more curry powder and toasted coconut for garnish. Again, I'm using the curry powder I made in the first post of this series, but any will do. This drink is a fun and delicious twist on a classic creamy coconut cocktail. Try it tonight. Here's how to make it...

Ingredients - Serves 4

1/2 C Shredded Sweetened Coconut

1 C Bailey's Irish Cream

1/2 C Coconut Rum

1 C Milk

1 tsp. Curry Powder, more for garnish

2-3 C Ice Cubes

Directions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Toast the coconut: Spread the coconut onto a baking sheet. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes. Remove and cool.

Make the frappe: In a blender combine 1/3 C toasted coconut, Bailey's, coconut rum, milk, curry powder, and ice. Blend until the ice is crushed and the drink is smooth.

Garnish and serve: Divide the drink among 4, 8 oz. glasses. Garnish with a sprinkle of curry powder and toasted coconut. Serve with a straw and enjoy. Cheers!

Green Beer

luck of the Irish...

It's St. Patrick's Day and many have been celebrating since early this morning. Ah, it reminds me of my college days at Miami. Up until a few years ago we never had the chance to celebrate St. Patty's Day because our spring break always fell on that week. So, what did we do? We celebrated the Thursday before and dubbed the day Green Beer Day. It's Miami's version of today's celebration...oh, excuse me...I have to say it's Oxford, OH's version of St. Patrick's Day.

Well, as the years have passed Miami officials have tried to stop Green Beer Day by moving spring break after the St. Patrick's Day holiday. So far, it hasn't stopped the tradition of celebrating green beer on the Thursday prior to spring break. I hope it never does! This Thursday is Green Beer Day at Miami and today is St. Patty's day. So, whenever and whatever you celebrate, just drink Green Beer. Here's how to make it...

Ingredients - Serves 2
3 Light Lager Beers
Green Food Coloring
2 Large Mugs to Serve

Directions
Add 4-6 drops of green food coloring into the bottom of one of the large mugs. Tilt and pour in one and a half beers (or too the top). Repeat. Cheers. Drink!

I'll leave you with an old Irish Blessing:
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Pomegranate Sparkler

will you be my valentine?

My sister sent a picture this morning of my niece Nora and I had to share it. Isn't she so adorable? I could just eat her up! If I didn't already have a valentine, I'd choose her. Anyway, obviously it's Valentine's Day, time for my last red recipe post. For this festive occasion I've made a simple champagne cocktail. Perfect to start out a night promising to be full of love, passion, and romance.

This recipe starts with a simple syrup, which is just equal parts pomegranate juice and granulated sugar. The only other ingredients are sparkling wine or champagne and pomegranate seeds. I suggest a brut (dry) sparkling wine. The pomegranate simple syrup is pretty sweet. Toast your valentine tonight with this Pomegranate Sparkler. Here's how to make it...

Ingredients - Serves 6
1 C 100% Pomegranate Juice
1 C Granulated Sugar
1 Bottle Sparkling Wine, chilled
To Serve: Pomegranate Seeds
Optional: Love, Passion, Romance, and all that gooshy stuff...

Directions

Begin by making the simple syrup: In a small pot combine the pomegranate juice and granulated sugar. Heat over medium until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat to cool. Store in a sealed container at room temperature until ready to serve.

Make the cocktail: Pour 1 oz. pomegranate simple syrup into the bottom of a champagne flute. Top with sparkling wine and garnish with a few pomegranate seeds (and all that gooshy stuff). One bottle of sparkling wine will make 6 cocktails. Here's to Valentine's Day! Cheers!

Dirty Greek Martini

get dirty, Grecian style...

In doing research for this post, I came across many "Grecian style" dirty martini recipes. Each one simply swapped out green olives and juice for Kalamata. I was planning to do this myself, but felt that this was a little boring. So, I kept searching and found the recipe posted here. It includes pepperoncini juice, which added just the twist I was looking for.

This dirty martini recipe is not only briny from the Kalamata olive juice, but spicy too from the pepperoncini. Of course, I'm garnishing with the olives and pepperoncini, but I couldn't help but add feta cheese too. Even better would be feta cheese stuffed Kalamata olives! Make this drink when you need a change from the plain old dirty martini. Here's how...

Ingredients - Makes 2 drinks

3 oz. Vodka (or Gin)

1/2 oz. Dry Vermouth

1/2 oz. Kalamata Olive Juice

1/2 oz. Pepperoncini Juice

Garnish: Pitted Kalamata Olives, Cubed Feta Cheese, & Pepperoncini

Directions

In an ice filled shaker, combine the vodka, dry vermouth, Kalamata olive juice, and pepperoncini juice. Shake until well chilled. Strain into chilled martini glasses. Garnish with the olives, feta, and pepperoncini. Cheers! Or, as they say in Greek "yiamas".

Toasted Almond Cocktail

night cap tonight, late night tomorrow...

I had this cocktail for the first time last year during the holiday season and I've been itching to share it. My Aunt Tonia introduced this drink to me and my mom. I'm so glad she did as it's quite tasty! This cocktail really has that cherry-almond flavor thanks to the amaretto liqueur and it's so easy to make.

I consider this cocktail a night cap mainly because it contains Kahlua and is quite sweet. As today is New Year's Eve, Eve it might be smart to have one of these around 10 pm and then head to bed. We will all be up late tomorrow night to ring in the New Year! So, here's how to make it...

Ingredients - Makes 1 Drink
2 oz. Amaretto Almond Liqueur
2 oz. Kahlua Coffee Liqueur
2 oz. Light Cream (suggest half-and-half)
Optional Garnish: Whipped Cream & Whole Almonds

Directions
Fill a shaker with ice. Add the amaretto, Kahlua, and cream. Stir until well chilled and then strain into a glass filled halfway with ice. Garnish with whipped cream and a whole almond. Cheers to the New Year! Enjoy!

Feliz Navidad Punch

Feliz Navidad...I want to wish you a Merry Christmas!

'Tis the season for being merry, experiencing joy, spending time with friends and family, and hearing every Christmas song possible. This is one of my favorites - I can't help but sing along! I've deviated from Brussels sprouts for this final series post (I hope you are thanking me!) as I couldn't imagine creating a drink or dessert with them. So, instead, I'm celebrating the season with a rainbow drink. It's perfect for the Christmas holiday.

This punch combines pomegranate, orange, and lime juice with tequila and orange liquor for a festive mix of citrus and salt. I say salt because tequila has a nice briny quality to it (hence why we add salt to margaritas) and it's noticeable in this cocktail. Hearkening back to earlier times I serve this drink in a punch bowl with a citrus ice ring. And, finish it off with a lime-sugar rim. I suggest serving this up in a margarita glass. Cheers to a happy holiday season and Merry Christmas!

Ingredients - Serves 10-12
Punch:
2 (32 oz.) Bottles 100% Pomegranate Juice
1/2 C Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice (2 oranges)
1/4 C Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice (2 Limes)
1 1/2 C Silver Tequila
1/2 C Orange Flavored Liquor (suggest Cointreau)

Ice Ring & Garnish:
1 Orange, sliced into rings
1 Lime, sliced into rings
Garnish: granulated sugar & lime zest

Directions
Make the ice ring: Place the sliced orange and lime into a bundt pan. Fill halfway with cold water and freeze.

Make the punch: Combine the pomegranate, orange, and lime juice in a pitcher. Add the tequila and orange liquor, stir. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Note: Zest the lime prior to juicing to use for the garnish!

Serve: Pour the punch into a bowl and carefully add the ice ring. Mix the sugar and lime zest in a shallow dish. Wet the rim of a margarita glass (or other), press into the lime sugar, and ladle in the punch. Cheers to the holiday season! Enjoy!!

Dry Martini w/ Antipasto Garnish

all in one drink + app

I'm bringing a whole new meaning to drinks and appetizers with this recipe. I've made a simple and straight-forward drink and jazzed it up with a fun antipasto garnish. In essence, this recipe serves as both drink and appetizer all in one! This would be an easy and different way to start a dinner party. With the holidays coming, easy is the key word.

I've made a dry martini with vodka here, but you can make a dirty martini or use gin instead of vodka. The star here is the antipasto garnish (not so much the drink). For the antipasto garnish I've skewered cheese, meat, olives, and a piece of roasted red pepper. Make this all in one drink + app as the holidays roll around. Here's how...

Ingredients - Makes 1 Drink
Dry Martini
2 1/2 oz. Vodka
1/2 oz. Dry Vermouth

Antipasto Garnish
Assorted Cheeses (suggest provolone & fresh mozzarella)
Assorted Meats (suggest prosciutto)
Large Green Olives
Red Bell Pepper

Directions
Preheat the broiler to high. Cover a baking sheet with foil and set aside.

Begin by roasting the red bell pepper: Cut the top off the pepper. Cut it in half and remove the seeds and ribs. Press flat, cut side down, onto the prepared baking sheet. Broil for 8-10 minutes, or until the skin is charred. Carefully remove the pepper to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to steam for 10 minutes. Peel off the charred skin, discard. Cut the peeled pepper into wide strips and set aside.

Make the garnish: Using skewers or stir sticks (I found plastic ones at Meijer that were perfect), skewer the cheese, meat, olives, and roasted red bell pepper as desired. Customize the antipasto garnish to you and your guests liking. Set aside.

Make the drink: Fill a shaker with ice. Add the vodka and dry vermouth. Shake until the drink is well chilled. Pour into a chilled martini glass. Top with the antipasto garnish. Cheers!

Wine Pairing: Tarima Monastrell

a perfect pairing...

For this post I'm doing something a little different. I'm posting a perfect wine paring for my previous dish Eggplant Rollatini with Easy Arrabiata Sauce. This red wine is one that I discovered at Awakenings in Hyde Park. Steven and I frequent this coffee and wine bar. We've made friends there and brought many friends there as well. It's a great little place, most popular for it's coffee, but we love Jeremy (our resident wine connoisseur) as he's introduced us to many different wines. This wine is no exception. The perfect pairing for my previous post is a Monastrell by Tarima.

This is a Spanish wine that I'm pairing with my Italian inspired meal, but it really does work well. This wine is smooth and easy drinking, which is great with the spicy arrabiata sauce. It also has a dryness (not too much) that's really nice with the earthiness of the eggplant. Plus, it has a beautiful dark purple hue. All around this wine works well with my dish. It's available at grocery stores such as Whole Foods, but can also be found at W.G. Kitchen & Bar for a better price. Make my eggplant dish and try this wine. Cheers!

Basil Mojitos

a labor of love...

Yesterday was Labor Day. I spent most of it in the car coming back from a trip to Pittsburgh (posts to come on that visit). But the time I spent at home that evening was filled with laundry, dishes, and various preparations for the week. I also spent time on this post. I researched it in the car, stopped at the store to grab a few things on the way home, and then made the recipes (yep, their are two!). So many things in life require labor - mental and physical - but we rarely stop to notice it.

This drink, while quite easy, still requires time and energy. It was tough to muster it yesterday after the drive. But, isn't it always worth it? Some things you have to show for the labor you do - money, a clean house, a bountiful garden. And, others you don't - relationships, success, happiness. Or, at least not physical things. Let's raise a glass (a basil mojito perhaps) to all our hard work. Here's how to make this drink...


Ingredients - Makes 2 Drinks
10 Large Basil Leaves, more for garnish
1/4 C + 4 tsp. Granulated Sugar
2-3 Limes
4 oz. White Rum
Cold Club Soda

Directions
Zest one of the limes. Then juice the limes to 1/4 C.

Begin by making the basil-lime sugar: In a small processor combine the sugar, lime zest, and 2 basil leaves. Process and put on a plate.

Make the drink: In a cocktail shaker combine the remaining basil, sugar (4 tsp.), and lime juice. Muddle until the sugar dissolves and the basil is well bruised. Add the rum and some ice. Shake until really cold and mixed well.

Serve: Rub a lime wedge around the edge of a tall glass. Press into the sugar. Add a few ice cubes to the glass and divide the drink between two glasses. Top off with a little club soda. Cheers!

Variation: Lemon-Basil Mojito
Make this fun variation for something even more different. I found this recipe on Cookie + kate, a blog that I've found inspiration on a time or two. Here's how to make it...

Ingredients - Makes 2 Drinks
10 Large Basil Leaves, more for garnish
10 Fresh Mint Leaves, more for garnish
2 tsp. Raw Sugar
3 oz. White Rum
3 T Lemon Juice
Cold Club Soda

Directions
Divide the basil, mint, sugar, and lemon juice between 2 low-ball glasses. Muddle each until the sugar dissolves and the herbs are well bruised. Top with some ice, 1 1/2 oz. each rum, and a little club soda. Stir and garnish with a sprig each of basil and mint. Cheers!

Long Island Peach Iced Tea

cheers to my 100th post...

Summer is coming to a close. The kids are going back to school, the weather is changing, and the days are getting shorter. It's amazing just how quickly summer flies by; and just time in general. Sitting on the front porch is a pass-time few can enjoy these days. It's a luxury really. But, if you can find the time, this is the perfect cocktail.

My Long Island Peach Iced Tea should be enjoyed in these final weeks of summer. A fruit forward, chilled drink, perfect for relaxing and sipping, this cocktail is like summer in a glass. The peach flavored vodka, schnapps, and nectar take this classic cocktail to the next level. Make this drink to relax, reflect, and slow down for the final bit of summer. Here's how...

Ingredients - Makes 2 Drinks
1 oz. Peach Flavored Vodka (suggest Pinnacle)
1 oz. Gin
1 oz. White Rum
1 oz. Sliver Tequila
1/2 oz. Peach Schnapps
2 T Peach Nectar
1/2 C Cola, to taste
Garnish: 1 Peach, cut into wedges

Directions
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in the vodka, gin, rum, tequila, schnapps, and nectar. Cover and shake vigorously to mix well and chill. Divide the mixture between two glasses (ice too) and top off with the cola and more ice, as needed. Garnish with a peach slice. Serve and slowly sip. Cheers!

Puerto Rican Pina Colada

I like pina coladas and gettin' caught in the rain...

About 30 years prior to that song the pina colada was born in Puerto Rico. There is a debate about who created and branded the drink first. The Caribe Hilton, specifically Oasis Bar, claims to have created the original pina colada. We actually stayed at this hotel, it was beautiful, but didn't have an opportunity to try the drink. We did however try it on our food tour at the other place who claims to have created the drink - Barrachina. No matter it's origins, one thing is for sure, I like pina coladas...

When we visited Barrachina our tour guide, Victor, explained that what makes their recipe different than others is the way the drink is prepared. Barrachina prepares their drink in a "slushy" machine, thus never adding any ice, which they claim dilutes the drink. Most pina colada recipes call for blending the ingredients with ice. This is not so at Barrachina. I also attempted that with my recipe, but had to add some to get the right consistency. Also, I'm using an aged Puerto Rican rum - Don Q. This is what Barrachina uses (not Bacardi). I found it at Party Source in Kentucky. Make the most original pina colada you can, follow my recipe...

Ingredients - Makes 1 pitcher (serves about 4)
8 oz. Aged Rum (suggest Don Q Anejo*)
12 oz. 100% Pineapple Juice
6 oz. Cream of Coconut
Scant 1 C Ice
To Garnish: Fresh Pineapple Wedge and Leaf, Maraschino Cherry, a Little Umbrella, and a Straw (all optional)
*If you can't find Don Q Anejo, use another aged Puerto Rican rum such as Mount Gay.

Directions
The night before serving, freeze the pineapple juice in an ice cube tray. When ready to use, pop them out. This is one way I tried to cut down on using ice. I was semi successful.

Combine the rum, pineapple juice ice cubes, cream of coconut, and the scant cup of ice into a blender. Process until smooth and icy. Pour into glasses and garnish as desired. Let me know if you like my pina colada recipe, leave a comment. Cheers!

Sparkling White Sangria

bubbles, bubbles, bubbles, bubbles...

I don't suppose anyone would want me to make a drink or dessert out of mussels. So, instead, I've made a drink that will pair well with mussels. My Aunt L made this delicious Sparkling White Sangria for my wedding shower a couple years ago. It's crisp and clean allowing the mussels to shine through even as you enjoy this drink. And, just as so many other recipes I've posted, it's super easy to make!

This drink can be made up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerated. It's great for a party or half the recipe for a smaller group - say 2 (ha!). As summer is just around the corner, I'm sure you'll find plenty of occasions to make this drink. Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 8-10
2, 750ml. Sparkling White Wine (suggest Prosecco)
1 1/2 C Cointreau
1 C Apple Juice (light okay)
1/2 C Orange Juice (no pulp)
1 Orange, thinly sliced
1 Red Apple, thinly sliced
1 Green Apple, thinly sliced
Fresh Mint for Serving

Directions
Combine all ingredients, except for the mint, in a large service. Chill for 1-4 hours. When ready, serve over ice with torn fresh mint. Cheers!

Hard Raspberry Lemonade Swirl

the beach is calling...

My husband and I are going on a Caribbean cruise in about 2 weeks. We are SO excited and ready to go! We are porting out of Puerto Rico and will be visiting the islands of St. Maarten, St. Kitts, Antigua, St. Lucia, and Barbados. This will be our second cruise (first was to Alaska), so we have a lot to look forward to even in terms of what the boat has to offer. I suppose the only caveat (mostly in my husband's mind) is that we are going with my family. Don't get me wrong! We love my family, but we will be on a boat with them for 7 days. I know it will be perfect...there's always alcohol if not every moment is.

So, in terms of preparing us for this trip I've created this drink. Yes, there's alcohol. Yes, it's beachy. Yes, we will have something similar as soon as we get to Puerto Rico. Make this frozen, fruity cocktail before your next tropical trip. Or, maybe it's just in your mind, let's go there. Here's how...

Ingredients - Makes 4 Frozen Cocktails
1 (12 oz.) Frozen Lemonade Concentrate, slightly thawed
1 C Vodka (suggest Chopin)
1 (12 oz.) Bag Frozen Raspberries, slightly thawed
1 C Chambord
Ice
Optional Garnish: Fresh Raspberries, Lemon Wedges, and/or Little Umbrellas

Directions
In a blender, combine the lemonade concentrate, vodka, and 4-5 C ice. Blend until smooth. Pour into a pitcher and set aside.

In the same blender (no need to rinse out), combine the frozen raspberries, Chambord, 1 C water, and 2-3 C ice. Blend until smooth.

Swirl the drinks by layering the two frozen cocktails together. In a tall glass (maybe a hurricane), pour the frozen lemonade 1/4 the way up. Spoon in the frozen raspberry mix about 3/4 the way up the glass. The raspberry mix is more dense, so it will sink to the bottom, but that's what creates the swirl. Top the final 1/4 of the glass with the frozen lemonade and a spoonful of raspberry mix. Serve with a colorful straw and garnish as desired. Sail away with me to the Caribbean. Enjoy!

Extra Dirty Vodka Martini

vodka martini, shaken, not stirred

Just like James, James Bond, I prefer my martinis shaken, not stirred. I've also confessed to you in an earlier post that my first martini was indeed a dirty martini and I fell in love with it's briny flavor. I always order this drink extra dirty, so naturally my recipe is just that. One of the other things that I love about this martini in particular are the blue cheese stuffed olives that typically accompany it. Just thinking about the combination now makes my mouth water.

Usually when I post drink recipes, I tell you that the garnishes are optional. In this case I'm telling you it's not. If I order one of these when I'm out and it's served sans blue cheese stuffed olives I'm always a little bit disappointed. So, one extra dirty martini with blue cheese stuffed olives shaken, not stirred coming right up...

Ingredients - Makes 1 Drink
3 oz. Vodka (suggest Chopin)
1 1/2 oz. Blue Cheese Olive Brine
1/2 oz. Dry Vermouth
Garnish with 2-3 Blue Cheese Stuffed Olives

Directions
In a shaker filled with ice add the vodka, olive brine, and vermouth. Shake vigorously until well chilled, then strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with 2-3 blue cheese stuffed olives. Sip to enjoy!

Thin Mint Martini

A St. Patrick's Day Toast
Here's to a long life and a merry one.
A quick death and an easy one.
A pretty girl and an honest one.
A cold beer - and another one!

As has been the theme of my last two posts, it's amazing how many ways the potato has been used by different cultures, and in this instance it's no different. Potato vodka is made primarily in Poland and Russia and as you would guess, it is made by the distillation of fermented potatoes. Most vodkas today are made by the distillation of wheat, rye, or sometimes fruits or sugar. There are few potato vodkas accessible here in the US, but one that's popular is Chopin. It's my choice vodka in any cocktail.

Vodka is a blank canvas in terms of creating a cocktails, so I thought it would be fun to make something for St. Patrick's Day and the up-coming selling season of Girl Scout Cookies. For this post I've transformed the (dare I say most) popular Thin Mint cookie into a drink. This drink could sub for your dessert certainly and it tastes just like the real thing. Make this for your St. Patty's party or to stave off that craving for a Thin Mint cookie (until they are available of course). Here's how...

Ingredients - Makes 1 Drink
1 oz. Potato Vodka (suggest Chopin)
1 oz. Godiva Chocolate Flavored Liqueur
1 oz. Creme de Menthe
1 oz. Whipping (Heavy) Cream
Optional Garnish: Whipped Cream, Mint, and/or a Thin Mint cookie

Directions
In a shaker filled with ice add the vodka, chocolate liqueur, creme de menthe, and cream. Shake vigorously until well chilled. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish as desired. Here's to the girls, cheers!