At its core, though, the Cosmo is a model of the blueprint we use to create just about every flavored martini. There’s a long pour of a base spirit (in this, and many cases, it’s vodka.) There’s a smaller pour of a liqueur to add or change the flavor, and a splash of one or two juices — enough to change the flavor and color of the drink without diluting its strength. The same model, with a couple of tweaks, can give you a peach martini, a sour apple martini, a chocolate martini, and countless other derivations. (In fact, by this model, just about any cocktail — Sex on the Beach? Bay Breeze? — could be made into a martini by doubling the amount of liquor and reducing the amount of juice added.)

Cocktail purists could argue (quite successfully) that none of this should be called a martini. They’re certainly not the same as a classic 5-1 gin martini. You can even argue that flavored martinis are ruining their namesake. Witness the rise of the dirty martini, a “standard” martini with a measure of salty olive brine added. (Depending on the customer, most bars now carry much bigger martini glasses to accommodate cocktails with a decent portion of juice added to them, and many customers (especially younger ones) are used to the idea that they should be able to drink martinis that taste like candy. (I’ve had customers send back actual martinis — as in, martinis with vodka and vermouth as the only ingredients — complaining they taste too much like alcohol, so something must be wrong.)

But enough of all that — the Cosmo. So long as you use quality ingredients, it’s a good cocktail. That means more than just springing for good vodka. Make sure you’re using a quality cranberry juice, along with a good orange cordial like Cointreau instead of triple sec. (You can substitute fresh-squeezed lime for the Rose’s lime juice if you like a drier cocktail.)

Cosmopolitan

• 2 oz. vodka
• 1 oz. Cointreau or triple sec
• 1 oz. cranberry juice
• 1/2 oz. Rose’s lime juice, or, the juice of 1/4 lime.

A few of the martinis that I have ordered at restaurants have been presented in a cocktail glass with a sugar coated rim.  To make the same presentation at home, can I use regular white sugar?  Also, what would I use to make the sugar stick?

You can use plain sugar — most bars do as well. The fancier bars use superfine sugar, a granular sugar with a thinner consistency than “regular”‘ white sugar, that is also known as “baker’s sugar.” Superfine sugar is still granular, so it’s not quite as thin as powdered sugar, but the smaller granules stick to the lip of a glass much more easily, and they look better, too. (Superfine is available at the grocery store for about the same price as regular sugar. Aside from working well to rim cocktail glasses, it also dissolves in liquid much more easily than table sugar. If you picked up a box, it wouldn’t go to waste.)

Sugar (and salt, for that matter) sticks to wet glass. When we rim a glass with either, bartenders moisten the lip first one of two ways; we either run a fresh slice of citrus around the lip once or twice, or we dip the lip in a liquid — usually Rose’s sweetened lime juice, but regular lime juice, lemon juice, or even water would work just as well. Once the glass’s lip is wet, we dip that in a salt or sugar cellar, let it set for a second, then shake off the excess and pour the drink into the glass.

Having one of these salt/sugar cellars makes the whole process dirt simple, but all you really need is a pile of sugar in a bowl, on a plate, or even on a napkin. Moisten the rim of the glass (either with a slice of fruit, or by pouring a small amount of lime juice or other liquid into a bowl or onto a plate wider than the rim of the glass, then dipping the glass into it), and then roll the lip through the sugar. Shake off any excess, set the glass down right-side-up, and pour your drink as you normally would. While you can rim glasses right before serving them, you can also do it well ahead of time — so if you’re planning a party, and you want to prepare a dozen sugared martini glasses a few hours before to serve your favorite sour watermelon margaritas, go right ahead. I won’t stop you.

Sugared rims are used both to accentuate the sweet taste of certain drinks and to offset the sour bite of  drinks like a lemon drop or a sidecar. A salt rim is de rigueur for margaritas, and is also used for the mysteriously named Salty Dog (simply a Greyhound — vodka mixed with grapefruit juice — with salt on the rim). Salted rims can occasionally be used elsewhere — a salt rim would work for a Bloody Mary, and if you mixed up a caramel martini and gave it a salty rim, it could be fun. (Oddly, while superfine sugar is used to rim glasses, salt for cocktail rims should actually be coarse kosher salt, rather than fine table salt.)

I’m still not a believer in the vodka martini (what’s the point, other than “We’re out of gin, and we have to drink something, so here it is”?), but vodka can still help to highlight liqueurs and ingredients that are too rich and sweet on their own (kind of like adding salt to baked goods.) While it’s often mixed with ungodly things (Gatorade, Mountain Dew, Crystal Light), vodka can be part of pleasant cocktails as well.

For example, today’s cocktail, the French Martini, mixes it with the flavors of pineapple juice and Chambord (a sweet French liqueur infused with black raspberries.) Those two things together would be a bit cloying and syrupy-thick. Add vodka, though, and the same combination becomes smooth, nuanced, and very satisfying. I wouldn’t make this for myself very often, but for someone with a sweet tooth — or someone who was big fan of raspberries — this one’s great.

French Martini

• 2 oz. vodka
• 1 oz. Chambord
• 1 oz. pineapple juice

Combine ingredients in cocktail shaker over ice, and shake thoroughly to combine. Strain into martini glass and serve.

There’s a slight variant of this drink called a flirtini, which substitutes champagne for the Chambord. Whatever your opinion of the French martini, you’ll think the flirtini is even more so. If you think the French martini’s a great brunch cocktail to sip while you catch up with your girlfriends, you’ll love the flirtini. If you’re rolling your eyes at this whole post, convinced that I’m pandering to the Sex-and-the-City crowd… chill out, man. Next week, I’ll write about tequila.

So what does that mean to you, the home bartender? It means more than just splurging on good colas, tonic waters, and seltzers. It means checking labels on your juices to see if you’re getting 100 percent cranberry juice, and not some sort of sugared-up “juice cocktail”. It means leaving the pre-bottled sour mix at the store and making your drinks with sugar and fresh-squeezed lemons.

To that end, we have this week’s recipe, which will get you one of the more basic cocktails served at bars today. (Alongside the dirty martini, the cosmo, and the appletini, I’d say the Lemon Drop is pretty much ubiquitous.) This recipe uses plain vodka; yes, I know there are citrus-flavored varieties out there, but they almost always have an artificial saccharine aftertaste paired with a none-too-subtle hint of rotgut. Go with something good and basic, like Ketel One, Stolichnaya, or Grey Goose. If you have limoncello in your bar, adding a splash will give you a certain depth of flavor (more of a lemon zest flavor than a sour lemon juice punch), but it’s not necessary.

Lemon Drop

•  2 1/2 oz high-quality vodka
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice (about 3 tsp.)
• 1 tsp. sugar (superfine or powdered sugar will dissolve faster, but in a pinch, plain table sugar will do.)
• 1/2 oz. limoncello (optional)

Chill a martini glass. Combine sugar and lemon juice in an empty cocktail shaker, and add just enough water to dissolve the sugar (with the lemon juice, this should be a tablespoon or less.) Fill the shaker with ice, add vodka (and limoncello, if desired), and shake to combine. If desired, rim the martini glass with sugar by moistening the rim with lemon juice or water, then rolling the rim in a pile of sugar. Strain the cocktail into the glass, and serve.

I decided that because I was at a sushi place that it would be apropos to order something with Japanese flair. The night wasn’t as cold as the nights prior, so I opted for something cool and refreshing. A saketini would do just the trick.

A saketini is really any kind of drink you can come up with that involves sake and a cocktail glass. Sake, of course, being that benevolent rice spirit from Japan which is typically served hot, although being served cold is not unheard of – especially when used in a martini. A traditional saketini recipe calls for 2 and a half ounces of gin, with a quarter of an ounce of sake, along with an olive for garnish. I think this is stupid.

What’s the purpose of making a saketini if all you’re going to be tasting is gin? Thankfully, Hokka Hokka got it right. They blended roughly one and a half ounces each of vodka and sake and garnished it with a cucumber. I must say, this was one fantastic drink. I wonder, though, if you’re going to garnish it with a cucumber, wouldn’t it be more appropriate to be crafting the drink with a little Hendrick’s gin? No matter. It was fantastic as it was.

Don’t be afraid to get your feet wet on this one, by the way. There are many brands of sake to choose from, and many of them are very affordable. Two of the most popular in the United States are Gekkeikan and Hakutsuru respectively. Have a look around at your local mart and ask for advice. Typically you’ll find an employee who can impart on you his sake wisdom. Just don’t go calling him sensei – that would be weird.

Produced by Gallo Vineyards in Modesto, California, this vermouth has at least one good thing going for it right off the bat – California grapes are typically pretty darn good. I attempted to get a bit more information on this product, but unfortunately, a Google search yielded two different Gallo Vineyards in California, neither of which would admit to producing vermouth. Thus, we are left with little to go on, and an adventure on our hands.

The look of Gallo Extra Dry is that of an off-tinge clear. It’s got just enough color to add a slight shimmer to the mix, but not enough to be distinguishable. The nose is equally benign. If I didn’t know any better, I might mistake this for a very weak-scented wine (which isn’t too far off from the truth). There’s the unmistakable aroma of white wine – a clean smell, without the bite or unpleasant vinegary scent I typically associate with cheap wine products. A slight citrus scent lingers as well.

The taste is clean, refreshing, and in desperate need of flavor. If you were to include Gallow Extra Dry in a martini, you’d be equally as well off if you simply stared at the bottle intently for a moment or so before deciding not to use any at all. All you would be achieving by including this vermouth in your martini is to dilute the taste of perfectly good gin. For that matter, you may as well simply pour yourself a glass of chilled gin with some olives as a garnish. I’ll call that one the Gallo Martini.

At roughly six dollars for a pretty large bottle of the stuff, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Vermouth is an inexpensive enough ingredient that you shouldn’t feel the need to be thrifty when making a purchase. Like most items nowadays, you get what you pay for, and this is one product that I can easily suggest skipping.

The first, more refined category includes any drink with one primary spirit and secondary ingredients to complement it. Examples range from the Manhattan (vermouth and bitters to complement your bourbon) to the margarita (curacao and lime juice to punch up tequila) to the Godfather (a splash of amaretto to sweeten up a Scotch on the rocks) and countless others. Simple, classic cocktails, designed by bartenders who had limited ingredients and hoped to give their customers the best tastes possible (or at least mask the flavor of whatever rotgut booze was available in more austere times.)

The second category of drinks, like Lord Byron, are mad, bad, and dangerous to know: bizarre concoctions featuring several main spirits mixed together with no regard for the consequences. Today, a lot of drinks ordered in college bars fall under that category. A Long Island iced tea (vodka, gin, rum, tequila, and triple sec)? Three Wise Men (Jack Daniels, Johnny Walker and Jim Beam)? Sounds like a George Thorogood b-side.) A Red Death (Vodka, triple sec, amaretto, sloe gin and Southern Comfort)? Put that many different liquors in your head, and you deserve whatever hangover you get.

Many of those drinks seem to exist for no earthly reason, save for the sheer lunacy of it. Why would anyone attempt to mix three different whiskies together? Why must we live in a world in which bartenders can be expected to shake these things up? My God, why have you forsaken us?

But sometimes, those insane concoctions can yield something a bit refined. This week’s drink, Between the Sheets, is a good example. A mixture of brandy, rum, curacao, and lemon juice, Between the Sheets almost uses the brandy and rum as one liquor, with the unrefined grapey sweetness of the brandy dovetailing with the sugary vanilla flavors of the rum. It features brandy, which was once one of our most popular liquors, but has of late become an underused, forgotten spirit. If you’d like, you can look at it as a hybrid of a sidecar and a classic daiquiri. At the very least, it comes in a cocktail glass, so it’s got to be at least a couple of steps more refined than frat-boy swill like the Long Island.

Between the Sheets

• 1 oz. brandy
• 1 oz. white rum
• 1 oz. triple sec
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker over ice. Shake to chill and combine, and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon peel. If you feel fancy, rub the lemon peel around the rim of the glass before straining the drink.

This all confuses me, since a martini is supposed to be a cocktail, of which vermouth is a crucial (if not secondary) ingredient. I would think a sophisticated drinker would be willing to order straight vodka, chilled, in an up glass, if that’s what he’d like to drink. It’ll taste fine, but for my money, it’s not a martini.

Still, vermouth seems to be the ugly stepchild of the cocktail world now. Read through any cocktail manual that predates 1970 or so and you’ll notice a difference – any number of drinks featuring full pours of vermouth as a proud ingredient. This week’s drink, the “Satan’s Whiskers”, is a drink I found featuring both dry and sweet vermouth, in equal measures. It’s a great mix of flavors – sweet, but just enough, with a tartness and a bit of herbal complexity from the vermouth. It’s fun to order, too, if you can find a bartender who actually knows the recipe.

Satan’s Whiskers

• 3/4 oz. dry vermouth
• 3/4 oz. sweet vermouth
• 3/4 oz. gin
• Splash Grand Marnier
• Splash orange juice
• 2 dashes bitters (orange bitters, if  you have them, but if not, Angostura will do)

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake to combine and chill. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, and garnish with an orange peel.

Most recipes for Satan’s Whiskers (including one in the Savoy Cocktail Handbook, which has a lot of great recipes and should be at the top of your Amazon wish list) note that this recipe is for “straight” whiskers; if you’d like this drink with “curled” whiskers, you should substitute an equal amount of Cointreau or another orange liquor.

Want to try something else with a decent pour of vermouth? A Negroni wouldn’t be a bad place to go. Or, you could just try ordering your next martini “wet” – with a proper amount of vermouth.

To assist with your planning, we have a recipe created by Tanqueray Global Brand Ambassador Angus Winchester.  Using the bridal theme of  something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue, he has created four fabulous cocktails. The recipe we are sharing with you today, The Blushing Bride, is his take on something old.  As he explains, “This classic drink, documented in the famed Savoy cocktail book, embodies everything we love about Kate:  it is fresh and lively with an understated elegance, and the grenadine twist makes it a true ‘blushing bride’.”

Even if you don’t have plans to watch this royal event, there’s no reason you can’t give this cocktail a try.

The Blushing Bride

3/4 oz. Tanqueray Dry Gin

3/4 oz. triple sec

1/2 oz. orange juice

1/2 oz. lemon juice

1/2 oz. grenadine

orange zest

Fill a martini shaker with ice, and add all ingredients.  Shake vigorously, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.  Garnish with a flamed orange zest.

To help with drink planning, we have selected our ten favorite holiday cocktails.  Help us choose the best from this elite group, and on Wednesday, December 22nd we’ll share the full recipe, which will give you more than a week to gather all of the necessary ingredients.  Place your vote, and return on the twenty-second to see who won.

1. Baby, It’s Cold Outside- Alizé Gold Passion, apple schnapps, vodka, triple sec (Alizé Liqueur)

2.Cuervo Confetti Drop- Jose Cuervo Especial Tequila, Goldschlager (Jose Cuervo)

3. Don’t Talk, Just Kiss- Sobieski Polish Vodka, Grand Marnier, pomegranate juice, brut-style champagne (Sobieski Vodka)

4. Ginger Dazzle- Kilimanjaro Foods Sunrise Ginger Syrup, pineapple juice, champagne (Kilimanjaro Foods, Inc.)

5. Hibiscus Sparkler- hibiscus syrup, ginger beer, prosecco (Prohibition)

6. Holiday Flip- Amaretto, creme de cacao, half & half, egg (Ago of Hard Rock Hotel)

7. It Takes Two- reposado tequila, silver tequila, cherry liqueur, Angostura bitters, orange bitters (Page 71 Lounge)

8. Rouge Noir- Combier Rouge, Combier Orange Liqueur, brut champagne (Junior Merino)

9. Sparkling Ginger Daisy- gin, ginger liqueur, lemon juice, grenadine, Mionetto Prosecco Brut (Mionetto)

10. Sparkling Sangria- Tequila Avión, sparkling wine, lemon lime soda, orange, lime, pear, raspberries (Tequila Avión)

Please note that there are strict regulations on voting. Additionally, our system audits for fraudulent votes.

This past Monday, the three highest scoring contestants were invited for the Iron Bartender finals.  Unfortunately, one of the contestants was unable to attend, and it was a battle of two, Rich and Travis.  Travis created Sweet Caroline, and Rich made Peach Passion Paradise.  Although both drinks were delicious and made excellent use of that evening’s secret ingredient, peach, only one winner could be chosen.  With the perfectly sweet and beautifully presented Peach Passion Paradise, Rich was crowned the winner.

Being the generous sort, Rich kindly shared his recipe with us.  This cocktail is the perfect beverage to sip on a hot summer day, as you enjoying the refreshing fruit flavors and relax.

Peach Passion Paradise

2 peach slices*

1-1/2 oz. Parrot Bay Passion Fruit Rum

1-1/2 oz. 3 Olives Citrus Vodka

1/2 oz. Licor Beirao

1/2 oz. mango juice

Place 1 peach slice and rum in a cocktail shaker and muddle.  Add remaining ingredients and ice.  Shake well.  Strain into a martini glass, and garnish with remaining peach slice.

*Rich notes that perfectly ripe peaches are a must for this recipe.

We hope you enjoy this recipe, his delightful use of strawberries, and return for his monthly delights for the senses.  And now, we will turn this space over to Jared. . .

For the month of June, I have chosen a fun martini. Because we are in the mist of a fantastic strawberry crop here in New Hampshire, I elected to make a Strawberry Shortcake with plump, sweet strawberries provided by Brookdale Fruit Farm in Hollis NH.

Strawberry Shortcake Martini

3 strawberries

2 tsp. simple syrup or 1 tsp. sugar

1 oz. Stoli Strawberry Vodka

1 oz. Stoli Vanilla Vodka

splash white creme de cacao

1/8 oz. half & half

1 shortcake

2 Tb. vanilla syrup

1. Muddle 3 plump strawberries that have been stemmed and cleaned in cold water in a 16-ounce pint glass.

2. Add 2 teaspoons of simple syrup or 1 teaspoon of sugar.

3. Add Stoli Strawberry Vodka, Stoli Vanilla Vodka, white creme de cacao, and half & half.

4. Cover and shake vigorously for 10 seconds.

5. Chill an 8-ounce martini glass. (When using this size, you will only pour in 6 ounces of the drink).

6. In a small plate, shave one whole shortcake into fine pieces.  (Please note, you can purchase store-bought shortcakes, or you can make your own using a Bisquick mix, which I prefer.  Please note, when using the Bisquick brand, the recipe on the box says to use equal parts water and milk.  I prefer to use 1 part water to 3 parts milk, as it makes it a little richer in texture.  Before baking make sure to egg wash all your biscuits to create a golden glaze.)

7. In another small plate pour in vanilla syrup.  You can use a store bought brand like Smuckers, or make your own.  (I will be addressing homemade simple syrups, whipped cream, and layering cream in future columns.)

8. Invert martini glass into plate of vanilla syrup and rim the outside of the glass.  Syrup should be no more than 1/16 inch from the top of the rim.

9. Then place the glass into the shaved shortcake bread.

10. Pour martini into glass.

11. Place a dollop of whipped cream on the edge of glass.

12. Cut a small piece (half) of strawberry and place on the whipped cream.

13. Voila! Enjoy.

I am pleased to thank Chef Patricia Williams (of Smoke Jazz & Supper Club) for sharing this recipe with me.  I now have one more cocktail recipe in my repertoire with which I can indulge my husband.

Spring Cucumber Martini

2 oz. vodka

1/4 oz. lemon juice

2 slices cucumber

3 pieces mint

1/2 oz. sugar syrup

Cucumber “olives” marinated in olive juice

Muddle mint and a cucumber slice in a cocktail shaker. Add other ingredients and ice. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass, and garnish with cucumber olives and a fresh mint sprig.

To make cucumber olives:

Use a small melon baller to scoop cucumber. Marinate in olive juice.

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).

The Lolita- raspberry vodka, Chambord, cranberry juice, sour mix, champagne (Joel Finsel, Caffe Phoenix, Wilmington, NC)

Dulce Kiss- muddled strawberries, Malibu rum, Castries Peanut Liqueur (Darryl Robinson, DR Mixologist, New York City)

Yellow Roses- honey, lavender-infused vodka, lemon juice (Top Flr, Atlanta, GA)

French Kiss- Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur, Godiva Dark Chocolate Liqueur, Ketel One Vodka, Captain Morgan Rum, Chambord (RA Sushi Bar Restaurant, Atlanta, GA)

Hearts Afire- Bacardi Dragonberry Rum, lime juice, simple syrup, sage leaves, strawberries, club soda (Adrienne Seabloom, Will Rogers Lounge, Colorado Springs, CO)

Love Letter- Campari, lime juice, Cointreau, maple syrup, grenadine, bitter, club soda (Adam Wilson, Beretta, San Francisco, CA)

Pop Rock Passion- pink Pop Rocks, Svedka Vodka, Red Hook Raspberry Soda, pink lemonade (Scot Parish, Two Boots, Brooklyn, NY)

The Essensia Sparkler- sparkling wine, Essensia, Deviation, grenadine (Quady Winery, Madera, CA)

Cupid’s Kiss- Canadian Club Whisky, Cruzan Raspberry Rum, cranberry juice (Jim Beam)

Cayo al Corazon (Key to the Heart)- Mount Gay Rum, peach schnapps, Malibu Coconut Rum, orange juice, pineapple juice, cranberry juice, Angostura Bitters (Al Nelson, Sunset Pier, Key West, FL)

Dark & Stormy- Goslings Black Bermuda Rum, ginger syrup, lime juice, Regatta Ginger Beer (Adam Schuman, Fatty Crab, New York City)

Valentine’s Kiss- Jose Cuervo Especial, cranberry juice, apple juice, seltzer (Jose Cuervo)

Now that you’ve read them all, cast your vote!

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.

Creating this cocktail took a little thinking and shopping.  It turns out that “puzzle” isn’t a common drink word.  So, rather than using a classic recipe and putting a twist on it, I decided to go with alliteration to make a drink name and recipe.  There were a good deal of beverage choices that start with the letter p.  Reviewing the shelves in the liquor store, I saw pear, peach, passion fruit, and pineapple infusions of rum and vodka.  However, I knew what would be our drink once I saw pomegranate liqueur.  Using the liqueur would provide some sweetness and flavor, would require the addition of only two  more ingredients, and was a liqueur I hadn’t used previously.

We worked faithfully on the puzzle for 3 hours, enjoying a martini while doing so.  Unfortunately, even with four people working, three hours wasn’t enough time.  And with midnight chiming on the clock, my husband and I headed home for the night.  Our friends were far more dedicated and worked later into the night and again the next morning and afternoon.  They did complete the puzzle successfully, except that one piece was missing.  All that time and a hole left in the puzzle.  A sad end to the puzzle making, but a good discovery of a new beverage!

Puzzle Me Pomegranate Martini*

1-1/2 oz. vodka

1 oz. pomegranate liqueur

pomegranate seltzer

Fill a martini shaker with ice and add vodka and liqueur.  Shake well, and pour into cocktail glass.  Fill with seltzer, and enjoy!

*Can be consumed without puzzle making, if desired.

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.

Thank you to all who voted.  Don’t forget to check back for more cocktail recipes and contests.

toPumkinlicious Martini
1/2 oz. Organic Vanilla Vodka (TRU Organic Vodka)
1 oz. pumpkin spice liqueur
3/4 oz. butterscotch schnapps
1/2 oz. Kahlua
1/2 oz. half-and-half
Crushed graham crackers and raw sugar
Cinnamon stick (garnish)

Add all liquids in a shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into large martini glass rimmed with crushed graham crackers. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

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

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

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

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.

We had a great menu of Teriyaki Steak, Broiled Tomatoes & Cheese, and Hot Corn Dip.  Our menu had no theme, we simply chose appetizers by themes: a meat dish, a veggie dish, and a dip.  With no theme for our food, we had unlimited options for our drink making.

I decided to take a look in our liquor cabinet to begin my brainstorming.  I had purchased cherry vodka recently, and it sounded like a tasty part of our drink-to-be.  I wasn’t craving a multi-fruit drink, so I continued my search through our cabinet for a different flavor to accent the cherry.

I spied our vanilla liqueur, and inspiration struck.  I could make a vanilla-cherry combination.  Not wanting the drink to be syrupy or too sweet, I would add seltzer to give the beverage a lighter taste and feel.  Garnished with a maraschino cherry or two, it made a beautiful drink for a Sunday afternoon.

Vanilla-Cherry Delight

1-1/2 oz. cherry vodka

3/4 oz. vanilla liqueur

3 oz. seltzer

maraschino cherries

Fill a martini shaker with ice, and add vodka and liqueur.  Shake well.  Pour into a cocktail glass, add seltzer, and stir gently.  Garnish with a cherry.

I had told my mom about Tapas Night dining that my husband and I enjoy on most Mondays.  She always seemed interested in the dishes, so I decided that she and I would have our own girls only tapas night.  Food was the easiest part to plan.  I purchased some marinated steak tips from our favorite butcher and made Pineapple-Mango Chutney to accompany baked brie and homemade lavash chips.

Now, all I needed to do was decide on a cocktail for the two of us.  Although my mom prefers a regular martini, she also is willing to try new dishes and drinks, so I decided to create a fruit-based martini for our evening.  Both peaches and cherries sounded good to me, which led to a drink that combined these flavors.

When working on this recipe I debated whether to use peach schnapps or peach juice.  After having made the drink both ways, it seems that either could be used.  Using schnapps adds a minimal amount of additional alcohol to the drink, but it also seems to strengthen the peach flavor in the drink.  It also may be easier to find peach schnapps than it is to find peach juice.  If you prefer using peach juice, the drink still is quite tasty, just a little bit lighter in flavor.

You choose- it’s a two-way martini.  Make whatever fits your drink creating needs best!

Peach-Cherry Martini #1

1-1/2 oz. cherry vodka

1 oz. peach vodka

1-1/2 oz. peach schnapps

1/2 oz. lemon juice

2-1/2 oz. seltzer

Fill a martini shaker with ice, and add vodkas, schnapps, and juice.  Shake well.  Strain into a martini glass, and top with seltzer.

Peach-Cherry Martini #2

1-1/2 oz. cherry vodka

1 oz. peach vodka

1-1/2 oz. peach juice

1/2 oz. lemon juice

2-1/2 oz. seltzer

Fill a martini shaker with ice, and add vodkas and juices.  Shake well.  Strain into a martini glass, and top with seltzer.

Unfortunately for us, afternoons are spent working instead of floating in the pool.  However, we do have the luxury of central air, so there shouldn’t be too much pity for us.  In the evenings while the kids enjoy a dish of chilling ice cream, my husband and I have opted for an ice cold beverage.

Using a martini shaker can help to create a cool sensation.  In order to serve a well made martini, the beverage needs to be shaken for about 30 seconds.  Shaking for this duration of time should produce a substantial amount of condensation on the shaker as your beverage becomes delightfully cold.  Just holding the shaker will lower your temp!

So, for the sake of keeping cool, I have used my martini shaking skills and created a strawberry beverage for my husband and me.  The drink is kept light with seltzer and has its sweetness tempered by a pinch of lemon juice.  A perfect adult replacement for ice cream!

Strawberry-tini

1-1/2 oz. strawberry vodka

1-1/2 oz. strawberry liqueur

1/2 oz. lemon juice

berry seltzer

Fill a martini shaker with ice.  Add vodka, liqueur, and lemon juice, and shake well (30 seconds).  Strain into martini glass, and fill with seltzer.

After a shopping expedition that took us to our favorite butcher, the liquor store, and the grocery store, it was time to begin working in our kitchen.  We had a list of items we wanted to create:  two infused vodkas, homemade sausage patties, a slowly braised prime rib, and a new version of chicken salad.

Being a day of indulgence, we wanted to have some munchies and a cocktail while we worked in the kitchen.  I made a quick appetizer of espinaca dip and created a cocktail for us.  Although it would have been appropriate to make a red, white, and blue cocktail, I decided to go with a simple recipe.  However, with watermelon as the main flavor in this drink, it seemed quite festive.  Who doesn’t enjoy some watermelon on Independence Day?

So, with a delicious martini and yummy dip to enjoy, we spent a few hours chopping, measuring, grilling, and mixing.  Although for many, a day in the kitchen wouldn’t seem like a fun way to spend the holiday, for my husband and I it was a wonderful way to enjoy each other’s company.

Fourth of July Martini

1-1/2 oz. vodka

1 oz. DeKuyper Watermelon Pucker

2 oz. cranberry juice

1-1/2 oz. berry seltzer

Fill a martini shaker with ice.  Add vodka, pucker, and cranberry juice, and shake well.  Pour into a martini glass, and top with seltzer.

Although I praised our dining experience on Tasty Thoughts, I thought their cocktails were worthy of a separate article.  And from a glance at their lounge area, it seems that many locals would agree.  At 7:00 on a Friday night, that part of the restaurant was packed with the shirt and tie crowd.

As the bar seemed vastly popular and the drink special menu was enticing, I decided to order the Ale House Cosmo.  From its description it was perfect for me:  pineapple vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, and lime.

My drink was served in a patron-friendly manner.  About a third of the drink had been poured into a martini glass for my sipping pleasure.  The remaining portion of the drink was in a petite carafe atop a dish of ice.  With so many martinis served in a glass filled to the rim, it can be difficult to take the first sip or two without spilling.  Not a problem with this presentation method!  Plus, every sip of my drink would be ice cold.

Taking my first sip, I knew I had chosen an excellent drink.  The pineapple vodka and triple sec provided sweetness, while the cranberry juice and lime offered a nice contrast of bitterness.  Together, the ingredients created a drink that was light, fruity, and full of flavor.

The next time we are in Wilmington, I know where I will plan on going for dinner and a drink.

After our friends arrived, Vicki and I headed out to bring the first group of kids home from the movies, while my husband and OT ran the grill for the other group of kids.  We then traded kids and left the first movie viewing pair at home to eat, while Vicki and I drove group two to the movies.  Upon our return home, it was time for the adults to eat.

After enjoying our dinner, we were ready to relax after multiple trips to the theatre.  As the guys were going to do the last movie run, I decided to create a beverage for Vicki and me.  Having been making lots of tropically inspired drinks lately, I decided to continue the trend but add a twist- of lime.  Hence the unique name of this drink, PiCoLiBa- Pineapple, Coconut, Lime, & Banana.

Sitting in our dining room and sipping cocktails may have been far from an island vacation, but it did offer a relaxing and delicious way to end our evening.

PiCoLiBa

2 oz. pineapple coconut rum

2 oz. key lime rum

1 oz. banana liqueur

2 oz. pineapple juice

lemon-lime seltzer

2 lime wedges

Fill martini shaker with ice, and add both rums, liqueur, and juice.  Shake well.  Pour mixture into two martini glasses, dividing evenly.  Top with seltzer.  Garnish with lime wedge, if desired.

Our menu was pretty diverse.  We had homemade eggplant dip, coconut chicken tenders, gyro spring rolls, and store-bought (gasp!) hummus.  Having worked up appetites with some serious bargain hunting and disappointing game watching, we happily nibbled on the snacks.

As it was still March Madness, even with Maryland done for the season, there were more games for the guys to watch.  So, it became time for my girlfriend and I to savor a cocktail and chat.  Like me, she enjoys a fruity cocktail, though she is less particular about the drink being light.  However, I was mixing and shaking, so these were light.

Typically, banana-flavored drinks aren’t my first inclination, but I thought that combining banana with other tropical flavors could work. . .and it did!  Now I have another fruity and tropical drink to add to my repertoire.

Monkey Madness

1-1/2 oz. coconut-pineapple rum

3/4 oz. creme de banana

3/4 oz. dark rum

2 oz. mango spritzer

1 oz. orange seltzer

Fill a martini shaker with ice, and add coconut-pineapple rum, creme de banana, and dark rum.  Shake well.  Pour into a martini glass, and top with mango spritzer and orange seltzer.  Stir gently, and enjoy.