Archive for Martinis

Valentine’s Day.

When you hear those two words, what is your reaction?  Do you see hearts and flowers and eagerly anticipate the holiday that you will spend with your one true love?  Perhaps you roll your eyes back and wish that you could hide under the covers all day?  Or maybe you really have no opinion about it, it just is another day of the week?

Regardless to how you feel about Valentine’s Day, there’s no reason not to have a cocktail in honor of this day.  Even if you don’t like the day, you still can enjoy a delicious cocktail.  To help you find the perfect cocktail, Parched No More has collected a dozen recipes that will appeal to those who are in love and those who feel scorned.

Check out our Valentine’s Day cocktails, decide which you like best, and then share your thoughts.  On Friday, February 12th we will announce which cocktail was the most popular and share its exact recipe.  Being two days before the holiday, you’ll have time to gather all of the ingredients and make a drink for you (and others, if you wish). (more…)

As a best friend, you have varying responsibilities.  Being available to listen, helping when an extra set of hands is needed, remembering the little details that matter.  And sometimes you need to create a cocktail for you and your best friends to enjoy while you build the 1,000 piece puzzle that they received as a Christmas gift.  Seriously.

Last Saturday we had a date night planned with our friends, OT and Vicki.  After dinner at a restaurant we planned to return to their house and work on the thousand piece puzzle OT had received.  I asked, jokingly, if we would be having drinks while working on the puzzle.  The answer was, “It will be more fun.”  With that reply I decided it was time to concoct a cocktail in honor of puzzle making. (more…)

Two weeks ago, the editors at Parched No More posted their top ten choices for Thanksgiving cocktails.  As hard as it was to narrow the list down to ten drinks, it seemed daunting to choose one favorite.  With a variety of drinks from which to choose, including martinis, a margarita, a frappe, a cider drink, an eggnog, and a wine-tail, the options seemed overwhelming.

However, polling has ended, and our readers have spoken.  We are pleased to announce that the Pumkinlicious Martini from ECO-BAR was chosen as the favorite drink for Thanksgiving.  In order to create this delicious beverage for your Turkey Day celebration, we have posted the recipe below. (more…)

With three weeks until Thanksgiving, many people have begun planning their menus:  appetizers, dinner, and dessert.  Not to be forgotten are the beverages that you serve.  While you can’t go wrong with a bottle of Chenin Blanc or Shiraz, a little mixing, shaking, and blending can infuse a little more fun into your holiday.

We solicited recipes for Thanksgiving-inspired cocktails.  Our editors have chosen their ten favorite and now are seeking our readers’ thoughts.  Which cocktail is the most tantalizing for Turkey Day?  Read their descriptions, then cast your vote.

1. Gobble-Tini- (Smirnoff Cranberry Twist, Chambord, & cranberry juice) Courtesy of SMIRNOFF

2. Pumkinlicious Martini (TRU Organic Vanilla Vodka, pumpkin spice liqueur, butterscotch schnapps, Kahlua,  half-and-half, & crushed graham crackers for rimming) Courtesy of ECO-BAR

3. Maple Cinnamon Nog (Bourbon, clove & cinnamon infused maple syrup, spiced rum, egg white, & cream) Courtesy of Deborah Harris of Harbour Restaurant

4. Hot Rum Cider (apple cider, orange juice concentrate, lemon juice, honey, cinnamon, whole cloves, coriander seeds, whole nutmeg, & Zaya Rum) Courtesy of Zaya Rum

5. Carrot-Ginger Martini (Stoli Vodka, spiced rum, Stoli Vanilla, carrot juice, & ginger beer) Courtesy of Ben Provost of The American Bar at The Stafford

6. Feel Like a Holiday (vodka, raspberry eau-de-vie, & sparkling wine/champagne) Courtesy of Sara Gaum of VendorBar.com

7. Pumpkin Pie Frappe (Mount Gay Rum Eclipse, pumpkin puree, sugar in the raw, cinnamon, allspice, half-and-half, & vanilla ice cream) Courtesy of Jonathan Pogash

8. Holiday Pie (Canadian Club Classic 12, Tuaca, apple cider) Courtesy of Canadian Club

9. Autumn Side Car Wine-tail (Yellow Tail Chardonnay, brandy, agave nectar, orange slices, basil leaves, Grand Marnier, & orange twist garnish) Courtesy of Trudy Thomas

10. Pumpkin Margarita (pumpkin puree, agave nectar, lime, tequila, Crema’s signature spice blend, & white and black sesame seeds for rimming) Courtesy of Crema

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The winner will be announced on Thursday, November 19th!

When you travel down the juice aisle at the grocery store, it seems that there is an endless array of cranberry juice combinations. Cran-apple, cran-raspberry, cran-cherry, cran-peach, and more.  When I was creating cocktails for my husband and me recently, I decided to give a try at making my own cranberry concoction.  What I made was quite tasty but not something that you could find in the juice aisle or offer to anyone under the age of 21.

Although cranberry juice can be tart, the use of peach liqueur gave a bit of sweetness to the drink.  I think it could be changed easily to a different cranberry concoction by replacing the peach vodka and liqueur with another fruit.  I think cherry vodka and liqueur could be a great option.

If you happen to try it with other ingredients, please leave a comment and let me know what you think.  I always am looking for a new recipe to shake.

Cran-Peach Cocktail

1 1⁄2 oz. peach vodka

1 oz. peach liqueur

1 1⁄2 oz. cranberry juice*

seltzer

Fill a martini shaker with ice, and add vodka, liqueur, and juice.  Shake well.  Strain into a martini glass, and fill with seltzer.

This drink also can be served on the rocks.  Simply pour mixture and ice into a highball glass, and fill with seltzer.

*When making this recipe I would recommend using 100% juice for the cranberry portion of this recipe.  Any sort of juice “cocktail” or “drink” will be too sweet.