Ghost Bride Martini

 

Sometimes it’s hard to come up with that perfect cocktail for your Halloween, Samhain, Dia de Los Muertos, or other spooky celebration. This recipe, from the recently reviewed Food to Die For, is adapted from one served at the haunted Grand Galvez Hotel in Galveston, TX, and further adapted by me. It honors Audra, the lovelorn bride, who hanged herself in the hotel when her mariner fiancé’s ship went down in a storm and he never returned to marry her. Sadly, he did return a number of days after her death as he had been picked up by another ship. Clearly their love was not to be.

Ghost Bride Martini

1 ½ oz. citrus vodka
¾ oz. Cointreau
¼ oz. Simple syrup
½ oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Run the squeezed lemon around the rim of a martini glass, invert that glass onto a plate of granulated sugar to coat, and chill.

Mix the vodka, Cointreau, simple syrup, and freshly squeezed lemon juice together in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Strain into your sugar rimmed glass and serve immediately.

This recipe makes one cocktail. What you see in the glass on this page is a double.

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Pink Lemonade Martini

 

A couple of months ago, I bought a bottle of citrus vodka. I am not a vodka drinker, per se, but I have really warmed up to that citrus vodka. In my opinion, it makes everything taste pretty wonderful, and this martini is one of those things. I sipped on it while I watched an episode of ”Detective #24.” It was a lovely evening.

Photo: Melissa’s Produce

Pink Lemonade Martini

2 oz. citrus vodka

½ oz. triple sec

1 oz. fresh Melissa’s pink lemon juice

 ½ oz. simple syrup

Splash of grenadine

If desired, after you have squeezed your lemon, run it around the rim of a martini glass and dip the glass in sugar.

 In a cocktail shaker combine all of the ingredients with ice, shake it until the shaker feels cold, and pour it into a glass. Because I used a large martini glass, I poured mine over ice. This makes one cocktail, but you’re going to want a double.

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Texas Tea

 

I’m going to confess a little something, I’ve really been embracing cocktails lately. I’m not much of a drinker, but occasionally I like to try a new recipe, and I have yet to be let down.

I have never had a Long Island iced tea before, so I don’t know how this compares. I will say that it is really tasty, doesn’t taste like it has alcohol in it at all, and disappeared a lot more quickly than I thought it would. It is so incredibly refreshing on a warm day. Make up a pitcher of these and keep them in your fridge. You can always mix the spirits, simple syrup, and lemon juice, and top it off with Coca-Cola when it’s time to serve. This will be the hit of your barbecue, I guarantee.

Texas Tea

1/2 oz. tequila
1/2 oz. rum
1/2 oz. triple sec
1/2 oz. simple syrup
1/2 oz. freshly squeeze lemon juice
2 oz. Coca-Cola
Lemon wedge, for garnish

Mix everything together and pour over ice in a tall glass. You will love it!

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Rum Punch

 

Oh. My. Goodness. This is so good! This is one of those drinks that could easily be downed by the pitcher; it is so delicious and refreshing. We had unseasonably warm weather a couple of weeks ago and I was in the mood for a fruity punch. I had to double the recipe in order to fill up this glass, used the rest of my tangerine ice cubes, and this was phenomenal! An added bonus is that, with all of the freshly squeezed fruit juices, it’s good for you. 

Rum Punch

1 oz. light rum
1 oz. dark rum
3 oz. pineapple juice
2 oz. freshly squeezed Melissa’s Valencia orange juice
1 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 oz. grenadine

Stir the above ingredients together and pour over tangerine juice ice cubes. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, then you need to read this blog post, and buy this ice cube tray set. Garnish with citrus slices, add a glass straw,* and cocktail umbrella. You’ll thank me later. You will.

*You can find the glassware, complete with glass straws here.

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Tangerine Refresher

 

I always find citrus to be very refreshing. Whether it’s a squeeze of lime juice in a bowl of guacamole, slices of lemon on top of broiled chicken or fish, or the juice of tangerines in cocktails or other beverages. This summer, when the heat is on, you are going to want a tasty cool down, and this is your answer. Be sure to lay in a big supply of Melissa’s Ojai Pixie Tangerines so that you can turn a good majority of them into ice cubes. Tangerine juice ice cubes are used in this beverage, of course, but they are also delicious when placed into a tall glass of lemonade, iced tea, or cola. 

Tangerine Refresher

 The flesh of 1 Ojai Pixie Tangerine

1 c. milk

½ t. vanilla extract

1½ T. sugar

5-10 tangerine juice ice cubes*

 Place all ingredients into a mini high-speed blender, and blend for 30 seconds.

 *5 regular ice cubes, 10 mini ice cubes

 This is the ice cube tray that I use the most, and I love it! It makes both large and small ice cubes, but I far prefer the small because they are so darned cute. This set also comes with a handy scoop and ice tongs. It makes a great gift, so keep it in mind come Mother’s Day or Father’s Day.

Photo: Amazon

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Orgy in a Barn

  

Okay, here’s the thing. Knowing that I am going to need a lot of cocktails to get me through the baseball season, I decided that I was going to find one signature cocktail for the entire summer of 2024. I chose a cocktail that I found online called Sex on the Farm because it sounded refreshing, included cranberry juice and orange juice (that I knew I would freshly squeeze), and just seemed to be exactly the flavor profile that I was looking for.

 

What happened was, when I went to make this cocktail I had completely forgotten the measurements of the ingredients, and ended up quadrupling the amount of peach schnapps!! I also decided to use the juice from a Melissa's Ojai pixie tangerine because they are so deliciously sweet, instead of orange juice, and both of those changes took this cocktail over the top. It is magnificent! As a consequence, I figured that I really needed to rename the cocktail with a nod to the original, but giving it something of my own, ergo the Orgy in a Barn cocktail was racily born. Try it! (The cocktail, not the barn orgy. That would be rude and perhaps off-putting for the animals.)

Sex at a Farm Stand

 1½ oz. vodka

2 oz. peach schnapps

2 oz. cranberry juice

2 oz. freshly squeezed Ojai tangerine juice

 Give it a stir and pour it over ice in a glass. Garnish with a wedge of tangerine, and a stemmed cherry.

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My Homemade Gin

  

As I mentioned last week, I made gin. Let me tell you, this is a short process. It only takes a couple of days, and I couldn’t be happier with the results. While experimentation is encouraged, three recipes are included to guide you along the way. I chose the “traditional” version, adding cardamom pods, orange peel, and licorice to the infusion of vodka and crushed juniper berries. Because I was feeling a bit whimsical, I also added a pinch of hibiscus flower as well. Here is the result.

 

Honestly, I was surprised at how good it was. It tastes like gin. Actual gin. Like you would buy in the store. Gin! Amazing! The color is a bit odd, but according to the information contained in the kit, that’s because it hasn’t been distilled. I was disappointed that dried elderflower was not one of the options in the aromatics, because I really wanted to make elderflower gin, but I’m very happy with my choice. This is going to make a wonderful gin and tonic -- my summer drink of choice.

I had such good luck with this, that I am going to be making more in the future, and doing a bit more experimenting. If you know of anyone who likes gin, this Gin Making Kit would be an excellent gift. Father’s Day will be here before we know it, so keep this in mind for those gin-loving dads.

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Barraquito Cocktail

 

Mention tiramisu, liquid or otherwise, and you have my attention. When Richard Ayoade said that the Barraquito cocktail that he sampled in the ‘Tenerife’ episode of his show, “Travel Man” tasted like liquid tiramisu, I knew I had to try it. I wanted mine to be authentic, so I hunted down a bottle Licor 43, found a nice set of clear coffee mugs, and set to work.

It takes a talented bartender to produce the five layers that this fabulously good tasting dessert cocktail is supposed to have. I wasn’t so lucky. My numerous attempts nearly put me into a stupor, so I figured that I should be satisfied with just three. The ingredients are placed into the cup (or tall, heat-resistant shooter glass, if you prefer) in the order listed. Even slowly drizzling the espresso down the side, I couldn’t get it to layer with the Licor 43 no matter how hard I tried. It’s well worth making no matter how it turns out. Serve it on a saucer with a dessert spoon so that the imbiber can give it a good stir before savoring each sip. It’s dessert in a cup.

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Purple Rain Cocktail

 

Just when I think I have discovered my favorite cocktail, I make something new, and then it becomes my favorite cocktail. Today I enjoyed this beautiful (much prettier than it is in the picture) cocktail called Purple Rain. It is so delightful that you’ll no doubt want to imbibe more than you probably should. Pace yourself!

 It’s important, if the color is of great concern to you, that you use cranberry juice as opposed to cranberry juice cocktail. Cranberry juice cocktail does not have the depth of color that cranberry juice does. If that’s all that you have on hand, and find that your cocktail is more blue than you’d like, you can add a few drops of red food coloring until you get the color that you desire. As always, pin the top photo, and you’ll have the recipe forever.

Woot! Woot!

I must say that I am really enjoying my cocktail of the week. No surprise that indulging in them has put me in a pretty good mood. This one is delicious! Fruity and refreshing, it honestly doesn’t taste as though there’s any alcohol in it at all. The flavors blend together so well as to make a wonderfully satisfying drink. As always, pin the top picture and you’ll have the recipe forever.

 

Enjoy!

 

Frosty Café Mocha

I use ice cube trays for many things.  Making ice isn’t one of them.  As I showed you here, it is an excellent way to keep citrus zest (along with premeasured quantities of freshly squeezed citrus juice).  I also make coffee ice cubes out of any coffee that is left over in the pot (on the very rare occasions that this happens) in order to have them on hand to make one of my favorite summer drinks, Frosty Café Mocha.  It’s not as highly caloric and decadent as you may think.  Using a blender and the coffee ice cubes is what gives it its thickness and froth.  The addition of chocolate and sugar, and their respective quantities, is up to you.

Frosty Café Mocha

(Makes 1 serving)

 

 5 coffee ice cubes

½ cup milk

1 tablespoon chocolate syrup

1 tablespoon simple syrup*

In a blender (I use a Rocket Blender), combine coffee ice cubes, milk, chocolate syrup, and simple syrup.  Blend until smooth, adding additional milk, if necessary.  Top with a drizzle of chocolate syrup and a chocolate covered espresso bean.

 

*Simple Syrup

½ cup sugar

½ cup water

In a medium saucepan combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring, until sugar has dissolved.  Allow to cool.  Measure out and use as you like, store remainder in the fridge.

 

This post is linked to:

Wow Us Wednesday

Foodie Friday

Sweets for a Saturday

Seasonal Sunday

Sunday's Best Party

Bing Cherry Lemonade

A week of temperatures in the hundreds with another week of the same ahead, and who knows what’s after that?!  Weather like this calls for something cool and refreshing.  This pretty and delicious drink has been just the ticket for me the past couple of days, and makes good use of the abundance of bing cherries this time of the year.  I can’t get enough of them, so am only too pleased to be able to enjoy them in as many forms as possible.  This recipe serves six, but can be doubled or even tripled if you have a crowd.

Bing Cherry Lemonade

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup water

1 cup pitted Bing cherries

½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 cups cold water

Gratings of fresh ginger (optional)

Place sugar and water into a medium saucepan and heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved.  Add ½ cup of cherries and bring to a boil.  (For added zing, you can stir in about 1/8 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger, if you like.)  Boil 5-6 minutes to soften cherries; mash slightly with a fork.  Set mixture aside to cool.

Strain cooled syrup into a pitcher, pressing on fruit to squeeze out juices.  Add lemon juice, water, and the remaining cherries.  Pour over ice and garnish with a slice of lemon and a sprig of mint.

Yield: 1 quart

This post is linked to:

On the Menu Monday

Totally Tasty Tuesdays

Try a New Recipe Tuesday

What's Cooking Wednesday

Wow Us Wednesday

Foodie Friday

Sweets for a Saturday

Seasonal Sunday

Sunday's Best Party

Pink Bikini

When the afternoon sun starts sinking in the Western sky it’s time to head to the deck with a cool cocktail.  Fruity and tropical is my choice for today and this recipe from Coastal Living is the perfect accompaniment to my afternoon snack.  A pleasure to imbibe from its coconut vessel, I feel like I’m on vacation, plus it’s so pretty!

Pink Bikini
From Coastal Living

Yield: 10 cups

Ingredients:

1 (1.75-liter) bottle raspberry lemonade

(we used Simply Raspberry Lemonade)

1 3/4 cups coconut rum

1 cup amaretto liqueur

Preparation:

Combine raspberry lemonade, coconut rum, and amaretto liqueur in a large pitcher. Stir well, and serve over ice in a quick crack coconut.

This post is linked to:

Seasonal Sunday

On the Menu Monday

Wow Us Wednesday

Strawberry & Passion Fruit Sparklers

With the temperatures going up to record-breaking levels this weekend and 100° not out of the question, I am gladder than glad that I made an extra batch of the simple syrup, strawberry, and passion fruit mixture that I told you about here, and froze it in ice cube trays.

A summery old-fashioned glass, a couple of the fruity cubes, and a bottle of sparkling water will be all I need to keep cool this weekend in deliciously fine form.

Happy Memorial Day, everyone.  Stay cool!

This post is linked to:

Seasonal Sunday