At the house, instead of a Friday dinner, we're bringing back the cocktail hour in lieu of making dinner. The only rule is that it has to be a true cocktail, not just a beer or glass of wine. So it has to have more than "a moment of silence for the vermouth" to be considered a martini. Accompanying the drinks are finger foods, snacks and small bites to help recap the weeks events.

Over the past weeks, we've run through the standard martini (gin & vodka), whiskey sour (egg white, who knew?), manhattan (rye only, thank you) and, being in AZ, margarita-ville.

Please post your favorite concoction recipe so that I don't have to search the web for new drinks and can focus on just getting a buzz.

I did find these:

Well, having had similar desires in the past, I really took a liking to this book:



At the time, I was looking to broaden my bar-ordering abilities beyond shots, beers and the simple Jack & Coke type drinks. I largely succeeded, but soon found that in doing so, I out-classed most of my bars as well... What type of bar doesn't have basic citrus juices? In any case, fromthat book, I ended up partial to Gin'n'Sin. Who knew that sin consisted largely of lemon juice? I'll post up the recipe later, when I have the book handy.

Aside from the choices in that book, we've been favoring Moscow Mules and their derivatives. The biggest hurdle there is obtaining the correct ginger beer. We had a tasting party ne night and came to the near unanimous decision that Cock & Bull ginger beer really is the best for these purposes. The basics are:

12oz Cock & Bull
Juice of 1/2 lime (or 1/2oz lime juice from a bottle)
1-2oz vodka to taste

You can refine the recipe from there. We also make them with rye on occasion.

All right, there's my first contribution, now let's hear some others. It has been a while since we've had a good drink thread...

MV

At close to 15 oz, that's a honkin' big cocktail . . . but sounds tasty.

Well, the thing is, the Cock & Bull comes in 12oz bottles, and its no good the next day flat, so...

We used to make them with 6oz and the same amount of vodka, they were tasty, but Saturday mornings weren't. I forgot to mention, the copper mug(s). They really make a difference for the better. It's good in, say, a chilled Collins glass, but the copper mugs step it up.

MV

I got the copper mugs, got the Cock & Bull (in cans) but I will be forgoing the original recipe calling for Smirnoff, as I have some Stoly already in the freezer. One can for Cock & Bull is good for two cocktails.

I also did some research and the story behind the Moscow Mule is pretty interesting. Also found that the foundry that produced the original copper mugs is making them again for outrageous money.

A Cock(tail) 'n' Bull Story - WSJ

Moscow Copper Co. - The "Original Mule Mug" | The Original "Mule Mug" by the Moscow Copper Co.

Cheers.

We've often talked about doing cocktails. Then I crack open a beer or open a bottle of wine and we don't get any further.

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

Try a Sazerac instead of a Manhattan. Swirl the empty glass with Absinthe before adding the shaken standard Manhattan; 2:1 Rye to sweet vermouth and 3 shakes of bitters. Substitute Pernod or Pastis for Absinthe if you can't find it. Vom Fass in Snotsdale has Absinthe that can be purchased in bottles as small as 200ml., a lifetime supply for me.

Rachel Maddow's Millionaire looks interesting and challenging.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEkRhXGOoMc

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You're a daisy if you do.
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84 Euro 240D 4spd. 220.5k sold
04 Honda Element AWD
1985 F150 XLT 4x4, 351W with 270k miles, hay hauler
1997 Suzuki Sidekick 4x4
1993 Toyota 4wd Pickup 226K and counting

Dark N stormy is my summer drink.

Recipe - Gosling's Rum


Its also the official drink of sailboat racing, and we even have a 4x6 Goslings flag!

However its impossible to do a proper floater on a pitching sailboat! So we came up with the DNS Perfect Storm edition!

Recipe:
1. Red solo cup.
2. Fill cup with ice.
3. Fill cup 2/3 full with Goslings rum.
4. Top off with ginger beer.
5. Now hold on and try to do a kite take down with one hand!

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Thanks for the suggestions.

Tonight's cocktail, variations on the Negroni (equal parts gin, Campari and sweet vermouth, orange peel garnish

Mrs MTI finds the classic version too bitter/boozy, so the Americano (replace gin with sparkling water, dial back the Campari) for her.

I'll be trying the Boulevardier . . substitute the gin with bourbon.

Boulevardier was a winner, the Americano . . . must be an Italian joke like the watered down espresso drink.

Last night, for an early St. Patrick's corned beef dinner, what else but an Irish Mule, substituting Jamesons. Then washed down with a Guinness Blonde.

I find 8 parts vodka, 1 part cranberry gets the job done quite well.

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-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

The coloration offered by the cranberry is essential to this cocktail, as clear vomit is so last year.

As is often asked of two ingredient cocktail drinkers . . . do you not like the taste of the vodka or the cranberry?