Editor’s Note:  Last week we introduced you to our newest columnist, Jared- The Crafty Bartender.  This week we are pleased to deliver his first recipe.  In typical Jared fashion, there are great ingredients and a fabulous presentation to this beverage.

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.

My husband and I have our own preferences when making or ordering cocktails.  I prefer my drinks to be light and fruity.  He likes drinks that either are classics, like a dry martini, or savory, such as a dirty martini.  When I saw this recipe for a cucumber martini, I knew it would be a hit with him.  Between the simplicity of a vodka martini and the infusion of mint and cucumber, it practically was a drink created for him.

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.

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).

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.