Kir Royale

A Kir Royale (pronounced keer roy-AL) is an old-fashioned drink that is simple and elegant, with just a touch of sweetness. This is a versatile drink that can be served with an appetizer, dessert or by itself, and can be prepared for a crowd with a minimum of mess or fuss. The basic recipe can also be tweeked in many delicious ways depending on what kind of flavored liqueurs you happen to have at hand!

You will need:

·         4 chilled, tall champagne glasses (The skinny, tall-stem design keeps the bubbles from escaping – less surface area – and the tall stem keeps warm hands away from the cold drink.)

·       Chambord Liqueur  (A French black raspberry liqueur that is also heavenly on vanilla ice cream)

·         Ice-cold Prosecco sparkling wine (You can find a quality bottle under $15. For safety reasons, allow the bottle to cool completely before opening!)

·         One lemon twist for every drink (You can make these up ahead of time by vertically slicing a lemon skin deep, and peeling off strips. When you’re ready to serve the drink, twist the lemon rind to release the lemon oil essence and slide it over the rim of the glass before dropping it in.)

Directions:

Chill four glasses on a tray in a refrigerator, and wait until the last minute, when the sparkling wine has been opened, before bring them out. Pour a half shot of Chambord in each glass. Tilt the glass slightly, and pour the Prosecco slowly, to avoid having bubbles spill over and to keep the two liquids somewhat layered. Finish each drink with a lemon twist, and toast to a new Spring with new beginnings!

Variations:

There are all kinds of twists on this original recipe. Any fruity liqueur tastes great with Prosecco, and if you have the corresponding fresh fruit as well, it can be floated in this see-through drink. For Chambord, use raspberries or blackberries; for peach liqueur, use fresh peach slices, etc. You can also adjust the liqueur amount to have a sweeter- or drier-tasting sparkling wine.

CHEERS!

Bacio Del Limone.....Italian for " Lemon Kiss"

Served in a fluted glass, this is a simple, with an an elegant presentation making it a sexy romantic cocktail! 

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4 ounces sparkling wine (ice cold) 
2 ounce limoncello (ice cold) 
Crushed ice 5-6 fresh raspberries ( any berries will do..blue, black, straw ) 
Mint sprigs (optional)
 A cocktail shaker 

 Place a handful of crushed ice in the shaker, leave top off. 

Place the sparkling wine and the limoncello in the shaker, swirl the shaker (or give it a careful stir.) Mix gingerly...do not to destroy the bubbles. 


Pour into the fluted glass, add berries and mint & serve!

Please check out our Ultimate Martini Book for more great cocktails like this one! 

Sake It To Me...A sake drink that is perfect for you next BBQ or get together! 


Strawberry & Blueberry Sangria

A Smith and Kearns....An Olde Tyme Kahlua After Dinner Drink

Smith and Kearns is an old-fashion drink that is delicious but not so well-known. It’s relatively light in alcohol, and adds a spritz of effervescence to the traditional Kahlua and cream drink. You will need:

·         

•       Half & half cream
•       Kahlua
•       A tall High Ball or Soda glass
•       Soda water

Fill ice to the rim of a tall glass. Add 1.5 ounces of Kahlua, and then carefully pour 1.5 ounces of half & half cream over the Kahlua layer. Add soda water to the rim of the glass and a straw. 

Serve it as a layered cocktail, and let the guests stir the drink, or serve it already mixed up. If you want a stronger drink, add vodka to this recipe, and voila: A Smith and Wesson!

Hot Apple Pie Toddy

This is a delicious drink that’s easy to make and warms you to the toes on a cold winter day. Tuaca is a 70-proof Italian liqueur that has a vanilla and citrus flavor, and when mixed with hot apple cider, it tastes just like liquid hot apple pie. The whipped cream on top gives it the “A La Mode” flavor.

You will need:

·         A package of instant apple cider mix (avoid        sugar-free … it has a funny aftertaste)

·         A hot drink mug

·         1.5 ounces of Tuaca liqueur

·         A cinnamon stick

·         Whipped cream

·         Pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg

Put a packet of powdered cider mix and cinnamon stick into a hot drink mug. Add hot water to one inch from the top and stir. Top with whipped cream and a straw. Dust the top with a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg. If you have a group, you can make the hot cider in advance and keep it hot on a burner. 

The Ultimate Chocolate Peppermint Martini...The Chocolatini

The Chocolatini for Martini Lovers

Everyone has a different version of the chocolate peppermint martini. Some like them creamy and chocolatey, but this one is more traditional – you can see through it, and the chocolate taste is more subtle. This martini reminds you of a Girl Scout chocolate mint cookie.

Moisten the rim of each glass and coat it with hot chocolate mix. Put the martini glasses in the freezer (rims facing up) so they’re ready to go. 

Fill two-thirds of a cocktail shaker with ice. 

Pour 

1.5 ounces of quality vodka (with a clear martini, you can’t disguise cheap vodka)

1.5 ounce of dark crème de cacoa; 

one-quarter ounce of peppermint schnapps over the ice and shake. 

Strain into the chilled glasses and garnish with a peppermint stick. This is an ultra-strong drink that’s perfect if you’re only going to have one drink, and you want it to be elegant and delicious. This is not the drink you want to stick with all night … you won’t be standing upright very long.

Free Complete Ultimate Martini E Book

Check !out this Sangria for your next event

Tropical Holiday Rum Punch

You will need:

Basic Punch:

·        2 parts Orange juice

·         2 parts pineapple juice

·         1 part grapefruit juice

·         1 part cranberry juice

·         2 parts light rum

·         1 part dark rum

Garnish with:

·         Splashes of Ginger ale

·         Grand Marnier

·         Orange half-wheels

Make up the basic punch mix before the event, and store it in pitchers. The bigger the crowd, the bigger the measuring cup. 

Make each drink in a tall glass over fresh ice with a splash of ginger ale stirred in. Finish with a floater of Grand Marnier on top, and garnish with an orange half-wheel.

This punch can be finished to match the drinker’s taste. If he/she wants it a little stronger – add just a splash of ginger ale and a half shot of Grand Marnier. If a weaker drink is desired, add more ginger ale and float just a splash of GM. 

More Great Christmas Drinks:

Eggnog Without Raw Egg

Holiday Jello Shots

Punch Bowls & Bar Ware

Festive Holiday Jello Shots

Everyone loves fun shots, but who has time to make fancy ones for the whole gang in the midst of a roaring party? Layered Jello shots can be made a day ahead and covered with plastic wrap until the magic moment … and they don’t taste “boozy.” Even your grandma can handle these! For this reason, and because they look so tempting, keep them well-hidden from the kids.

But the best thing about Jello shots is shooting them. You can’t slam them down and be done with it like liquid shots. You get to enjoy all the slurping and digging out the last bite with your tongue … and that’s fun to do in a circle of your friends. It’s like being at an eight-year-old birthday party … with liquor.
What you will need:

-a box of red Jello
-a box of green Jello
-a fifth of vodka
-whip cream
-sprinkles

Add a cup of boiling water to a box of cherry Jello and stir until it is all dissolved. Instead of a cup of cold water, add a half cup of cold water and stir, then add a half cup of vodka (or rum) and stir. Round up 24 shallow (your tongue must be able to reach the bottom) shot glasses for all your guests and place them on a tray. (They don’t have to match. It’s fun to have different, unusual ones that spark conversations.) Use a cup with a spout to pour almost to the halfway point on each shot glass. Let them cool for a couple of hours. Patience … if you layer with green too soon, the two colors will mix.
Prepare the lime Jello, substituting vodka for a half cup of the cold water. Pour the green layer over the red and let the shots set in your fridge for a couple of hours. Cover them with plastic wrap until you’re ready to serve them. Then top each shot with whip cream and sprinkles … and voila! You’re suddenly the Party Genius!

(You can also make Freedom Shots by substituting red and blue Jello with whip cream for the Fourth of July.)