Parched No More » banana liqueur

PiCoLiBa

Fri, 01 May 2009 16:10:30 +0000

On a beautiful spring Saturday our house was bustling with activity. One child had plans to attend a movie with her friend in the late afternoon. Another child had plans to have friends over for a cookout and then attend a later movie. To keep us company, my husband and I invited our best friends to our house for a cookout also.

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.

Monkey Madness

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 18:02:22 +0000

My fascination with all drinks light and fruity continues. This past Saturday, March Madness was apparent in our house, and a plan was made that pleased everyone. My husband (a Baltimore native) and his friend would watch the Maryland game, while my friend (conveniently the wife of aforementioned friend) and I went shopping. When we returned there would be food and drinks for all. (Just so no one worries about the men being hungry, there was a round of snacks for them while we shopped.)

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.

The Tri-Tini

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:00:49 +0000

My husband and I are very fortunate to have a pair of best friends that are there for any event. Whether it’s hosting a holiday with family and hoping for some sanity, moving to a new house and needing some extra hands, or attending a child’s sporting event and wanting a cheering squad, they are there.

This past weekend our eldest competed in a tri-county cross country meet. Of course, our best friends were in attendance with us. To cap off our day, they joined us and two of our kids at home. Having a little fun with the big sporting event, I created a Tri-Tini for the adults. (The kids mixed juices, seltzer, and grenandine to make their own special beverages.) Named the Tri-Tini to acknowledge both the event and the three ingredients with alcohol, this drink was tasty.

What better way to end a day with such great friends than to have a drink and enjoy their company?

The Tri-Tini

2 ounces blue curacao

1 ounce banana liqueur

4 ounces coconut rum

2 ounces pineapple juice

Fill a martini shaker with ice. Add ingredients, and shake well. Pour into martini glasses.

Serves 2.