Archive for Mixed Drinks

I know, it’s November and chilly, or at least it is in New England.  However, I was reviewing our sister site, Tasty Thoughts, and I found a recipe that my girlfriend and I created a couple summers ago.  Reading it lead me to thinking about how tasty this drink was.  And even though it is chilly here, it seemed to be too good of a recipe to keep from Parched No More readers.

So, whether you save this lemonade-based drink for a hot summer day or decide to try it today, you will need to visit Tasty Thoughts to gather the recipe.  I guarantee you that this recipe’s worth the click!

Obrycki’s is a Baltimore restaurant icon that was established in 1944 to serve great seafood in a low-key, blue-collar Baltimore style.

So when I was killing time waiting for a flight at BWI, I went in to see what I could find to drink.  And being near noon, but still morning, I decided the world called for a Bloody Mary.  Obrycki’s has its own spin on the Mary, and it is called the Crabby Mary.  I ordered a double and watched the bartender make it:

• 3 oz. of Absolut Peppar
• 2 oz. of Bloody Mary Mix
• Ice

The ingredients are shaken and then poured into a tumbler that has Obrycki’s Spicy Seafood mix on the rim.  The drink is garnished with a celery stalk.

It was the perfect late morning drink.

If you read the previous post, you’ll see that my adoring husband recently made a drink for me.  While I found the drink to better than cognac straight from the snifter, it still wasn’t quite my sort of drink.  However, with him away on a business trip this week, I was able to create my own cognac-based drink without him knowing that I was tinkering with his recipe.  I really didn’t want to burst his bubble, but having enjoyed my cocktail, I just had to share my version of a French Connection.

1 shot cognac (still Hennessy)

1 shot Amaretto

splash seltzer

splash gingerale

Pour all ingredients into a low ball glass filled with ice.  Stir well, and enjoy.

I love cognac.  This has been a taste that I have acquired over the last 10 years.  But for many people, like my lovely bride, cognac has too much bite.  The aromatic liquor is strong and can burn going down.  So I am always on the lookout for a mixed concoction that will soften the harshness.

So the other night I put together the French Connection:

• 1.5 shots of a middle-of-the-road cognac (I used Hennessy)
• .5 shots of amaretto
• ice cubes
• Splash of seltzer

Place the first three ingregients in a shaker, and shake.  Pour in a cocktail glass over ice cubes and add a splash of seltzer.

My darling bride described the drink as a “warm cold drink”.  But she liked it, and it made me smile that we can now share cognac.

Sometimes the simplest cocktail recipes have the greatest names and the best results.  That is exactly what you get with the Woo Woo:

• 1 shot of Vodka
• 1 shot of Peach Schnapps
• Splash of Cranberry Juice
• Ice, divided

Put ice in shaker, and add liquid ingredients.  Shake well, and then pour it into a highball glass filled with ice.

Great for a late night refreshment.

The Sidecar may be one of the oldest and most varied cocktails in the world.  The origins of the sidecar are murky, but it is considered to be one of the classic mixed drinks from the early part of the 20th century. It can have  brandy or cognac, orange liqueur, and some kind of citrus juice.

Well, at one of our favorite haunts, Michael Timothy’s in Nashua, NH, they just put a Classic Side Car in their new drink menu.  Last week, I tried one out.  It was listed to have the ingredients:

• Remy Martin VSOP
• Grand Marnier
• Sour Mix

Served over ice it makes a strong but flavorful cocktail.

Everyone knows Emeril Lagasse for his food. And on a recent trip to New Orleans, my wife and I went to his restaurant for dinner (Read the review at our sister publication Tasty Thoughts). While waiting at the bar for our table, I ordered a signature drink from their beverage menu, a Creole Collins.

Ingredients:

• 1 Part fresh lime juice
• 1 Part Cognac
• 1 Part spiced rum
• Splash of simple syrup

Combine all the ingredients in a martini shaker filled with ice and shake well. Serve over ice in a highball glass garnished with fresh mint.