Bee's Knees inspired by Eminem

Aloha, I am secretly a fan of Eminem. Well, not really -a secret fan- because when I remember this fact about myself I blast his music from my car and or home. He is a clever beast. I loved his last cd. So, to quote a favorite song of mine 'So Bad'.

"There aint' no body bomb as me,

I'm as calm as the breeze

I'm the bees knees, his legs & his arms"

Which makes me think of this lovely drink, a prohibition cocktail that used honey to disguise the aroma of gin.

The Bee's Knees:

Taken from Boothby's 1934 Reprint World Drinks and How To Mix Them

BEES KNEES COCKTAIL

Makes 1 drink
Note: The orange juice is optional.

1/2 jigger of gin ( I love Blue Coat gin, old Hayman Tom or Plymouth)
1 spoonful of freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1 spoonful of freshly-squeezed orange juice
1 spoonful of honey

1. Combine all the ingredients and shake well with ice. Strain into a glass.

i am currently obsessed... with blue coat gin!

allow me to bashfully declare that I am a vodka drinker. I know, I know, it's basically an invisible spirit. But I like it. Blue coat gin may, however make a gin drinker out of me (I'm lying, but I'll have one drink with gin this year...maybe).

An American dry gin made in Philadelphia, Pa. You've got a friend central. This is the smoothest gin you will ever ever touch with your tongue. I promise for sure. Buy it & give it to people as gifts.


click here

playing around with coconut milk!

oh you know, just playing around- having a little fun with some coconut flavors. it's been a long winter :)) but i've been loving every moment of it.

I mix one can of cream if coconut and one can of any brand of coconut milk.
that way you don't get that nutty tang after-taste that coconut may sometimes yield..

where to put it?
well, in a margarita of course.

2 oz of tequila
1.5 oz coconut milk
1 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz lime

1/2 oz simple syrup

if you wish a little cointreau- a dab will do.


shake it up and you will be transported to the best little beachy nook of your dreams.


I'm also having loads of fun with steaming coconut milk in my boozy cappuccinos.
it is out if this world.

gin fiz

photo cred: thisnextthing.com
Gin Fiz!
I've never made a gin fiz. I did, however drink too many Sloe Gin Fizzes at a hotel bar in Athens, Greece as a teenager (16 on a school trip)- and I don't even know where I learned what one even was. I probably just liked the word fizz.

What is the story of the Gin Fiz you ask?
It was born in New Orleans.
And it gained popularity in the US from 1900-1940. The first mention of it was in the late 1800's within the Jerry Thomas Bartender's Guide

A gentleman asked me what I would put in a gin fizz this weekend- and we both agreed that It would start with Hayman's Old Tom gin. I love that stuff!

The rest would go as follows:

2 oz gin
1tsp powdered sugar (or simple syrup)
pressed lemon juice from 1 lemon
a dollop of an egg white

shake these all together in a shaker

strain into a high ball with 2 ice cubes

top with soda water.
garnish with a cherry-
spring for the AMAZING Luxardo ones.

you can add special components to fancify, like rose water, or orange water, even a dab of pear might be cool. But be aware that you are straying from the standard tradition listed above.

Oh and incase you were wondering about those sloe gin fizzes they are made the same way- sans egg white & with sloe gin. Sloe Gin is a sweet, red, blackthorn plum or sloe plum flavored liqueur with a gin base.

bourbon & milk a winter brunch staple...

photo cred bourbonfilm.com







It seems like people are really into bourbon & milk lately. I'm not really a milk drinker, though i whip up my own almond milk on the regular. But I can appreciate this hearty drink like I appreciate a bowl of ice cream (or 2).

bourbon and vanilla are like peas and carrots so consider different ways of working vanilla into your drink.

Here is my favorite version of this fun treat for brunch and bourbon ingestion.

You will need: bourbon, milk, vanilla, sugar

2 oz bourbon (basil hayden, corner creek, buffalo trace, fitzgerald 1849 is real cheap as is weller 12 year...)
3 oz milk or 1/2 & 1/2 if you're a hedonist (like me).
1 sugar cube or some type of vanilla sugar mash up.
some people use vanilla extract but why not some nice vanilla bean?
vanilla sugar? vanilla powder...seriously click here
you could infuse your bourbon over night and it would be dreamy good.
there's also vanilla paste if you want to get crazy.

You may even rim your glass with some vanilla powder.... yum.

But any way, the easiest way is to whisk your milk with come type of sugar mentioned above.

some people freeze this milk and sugar over night, but you don't have to.

Toss the bourbon and milk into a glass with ice. A nice tall glass. You may grate some nutmeg on top but I don't do that.


yum


I suggest a madagascar vanilla bean

pisco punch from Pegu

photo cred ilove212.com


the best little cocktail blog went to Pegu shortly after new years. And it was perfect. In addition to last year's belated Christmas gift to my brother (tickets to see monologue/story teller/ all around hilarious artist-guy Mike Daisey) I tagged on round trip train travel + food & cocktailing for this year's present...

We went to Pegu because it was close. But next time we plan to hit up Little Branch and Death & Company as well.

My brother drinks beer & Jameson and that's about it. I appreciate that about him. Standards, tradition, you know the drill. But I knew he'd be impressed by the cocktailery that Pegu demonstrates.

He drank a minty smash drink- much similar to a mint julep & he loved it.

I drank the Pisco Punch & I still can not get that dreamy little devil off of my mind.
So, here is how you create this beauty.

Pisco, Pineapple, Grapefruit, lime & lemon juice, ice

Before:
Infuse your pisco with pineapple, Pegu suggests about 3 days. If you are pressed for time (literally) you may muddle up the pisco and pineapple but it won't taste the same.
Take a jar, some chunks of pineapple and a bottle of pisco. Cover it & shake. Let sit in the refrigerator for 3 days. strain. use.

Make up a batch of grapefruit simple syrup. 1 whole grapefruit. Same recipe as regular simple syrup add the zest of a grapefruit rind to the already cooled sugar water. Try not to add the pith, that's the white part of the fruit. If it were your body, it'd be much similar to the fascia that binds your muscle to bones & skin (is that gross?) well, that's kind of what pith is, it holds the rind and the meaty fruit part all together, like a container. Pith is bitter. Let this sit for a day in the refrigerator.

same is true for the lemon and lime simple syrup. But I like fresh lime & lemon juice as I don't really covet the sweet.

Any way, I'm a dork.

This serves many people. As, it is a punch.

750 ml pisco
8.5 oz of grapefruit syrup
8.5 oz of lime juice or syrup
12.5 oz fresh lemon

I then add a bit of regular simple syrup to taste. I adore the tart finish of fresh lime & lemon juice, and maybe you don't- so if you want to stick to the pegu recipe do the lime syrup in stead.

refrigerate this delicious mess for a few hours.

I serve it in a little tumbler with cubes.

You may do whatever you please. It'll be good no matter what.

seco! the drink of panama

The Panamanian drink is seco, a sugar-cane-distilled alcohol produced in Herrera. It is not a trendy fancy drink, it's more cool & local. Most Panamians drink scotch, rum & beer. Panama city is super cosmopolitan. Yes, it has it's heart breaking, impoverished, tragic barrios, but it is to the back drop of futuristic skyscrapers. The ultimate dichotomy. Just like home :(

Seco is really really good on ice with lime. But you can do many things with it. It has even been served with milk.
It reminds me of all of the other sugar cane spirits, cachaca (of brasilian fame) mostly.

Oh yeah, and one more thing. When in Panama? your red wine will be served cold.

this is not a paloma

Inspired by the tequila and the color of a paloma

I decided to make a reddish pink tequila drink in a snifter.

A paloma is

1 dash of grenadine

1 ounce of fresh pressed grapefruit juice

1.3 ounces of gold tequila

and it is good.

shaken and strained into a martini glass with a lime wheel.

What did we make?

oh, well, we named it a Salty Ohpiuchus

A direct result of all of the hoopli A dooooo

about this new sign. It's been around forever and guess what,

it has nothing to do with your sign changing. Whatever you are- you still are :)

so yea. Let's drink this drink and talk about something else.

What do you need?

tequila, I used silver, luxardo maraschino liquer, pomegranate puree, fresh lime dash of bitters.

• 1.5 ounces of tequila
• a splash of marashino liquer (2 if you like what it does to your mouth)
• 1 ounce of pomegranate puree.
• .5 fresh lime juice
• dash of bitters.

Shake and strain into a 1/2 salted snifter.

wow. this is really good. makes this astrology pandemonium less annoying.

xxoo

you fancy?

Hibiscus Grapefruit Martini

What you'll need:

• Hibiscus flowers in syrup

• grapefruit

• simple syrup

• lime or fresh lime juice

ohh lala! hibiscus is fancy. Grab yourself a jar of this and pick out a few flowers. They remind me of
those little finger puppets with the little hands from the 80's. But I digress. Grab some grapefruit and a little syrup from the jar. Muddle it up with a lime. or splash of lime juice. Add ice & pour in a shot or two of vodka.

This drink is too too too too too good (& fancy).

step away from the cosmo...

Hey gorgeous Cosmo drinkers,
it's time to try something new. Don't worry we still have some cranberry and a lovely reddish pink hue. Together we can do this :)

ginger, lime, cranberries, tito's vodka, amaretto

• grate fresh ginger (enough to cover the bottom of your pint glass)

• microwave some fresh cranberries for a second or 2, until you hear a little "pop" (this will change the flavor for the better & make muddling easier)
• fill shaker with ice
• add in 1 oz of amaretto
• 1 oz tito's handmade vodka
• dash of lime juice
• if you like sweeter drinks add a touch of honey
  

Shake and strain over ice. Garnish with some cranberries.
cheers!

sage & tangerine margarita

photo credit anbanet.com


Margaritas may not scream winter, but they do bellow PARTY!!

so, let's cut out the manufacturers and become our own best friend with a 'healthier margarita' served for 1 or 4 (pitcher style)
tangerines, sage, cointreau, lime, tequila

• press tangerine juice from about 6 tangerines. you may dabble with other types of winter citrus if you'd like, grapefruit, blood orange all are perfectly delicious. I'd pair grapefruit with mint though, and the blood orange with some lavender...but I'm a crazy bird.
  

• slap the sage against your palm to release the aromatic properties
• muddle up the sage with half of a pressed tangerine in a shaker- keep the rind (skin) on. You don't really need the juicy pulp- it's the rind that will release the oils and make the muddling worth it.
  
• put ice in the shaker
• add 1/2 oz of cointreau
• 2 oz of tequila
• squeeze 2 lime wedges on top
• strain and pour into a snifter full of ice
  
• garnish with a tangerine wedge & a sage leaf
  

If making this in pitcher form, press about 15 tangerines, muddle up a handful of sage, add 8-10 oz of tequila (or more)
and 2 oz of cointreau


The best part about this margarita is that you are cutting out the packaging and excess sugars in manufactured products. You pressed the juice, you muddled the sage, and now you get to reap the sweet rewards of this too good to be true margarita!

apple cider side car

photo cred mymodernmet.com
apple cider side car
apple cider side car
apple cider side car
say that 5 x!

even if you can't- it's goood.

• 1 0z cognac (or brandy)

• 1 oz fresh pressed lemon

• .5 cointreau or gran marnier if you're rich!

• .5-1.0z apple cider

shake and strain over ice.
You may serve this warmed if you wish.
sugar the rim if you please or garnish it with an orange or apple twirl.

normally it'd be equal parts lemon and cointreau but the cider kicks off the sweetness abit.

Try it with some infused ciders if you really want to impress your friend's tongues.

cider+vanilla+rum= swoon

cider cider cider! cider! cider.
cider.

cider.
cider!! it's good.
sigh
derr
side
her

cider is better later in the season. The first apples of fall don't cider as well as the later ones. tis true.

fancy up your cider by infusing it with vanilla & keffir lime leaves over low heat- it is crazy good. take that fancy upgraded cider pour it in a shaker and add 2oz of dark rum. goslings will do-Or go to Guatamala on a trip and bring back that xo stuff, but you may want to sip on that solo..

(ofcourse you may drink this hot if that's more your style)

any hoot. cider with vanilla bean, keffir lime leaves & dark rum is sweet martini mouth loving.
garnish it with an orange because lemon and lime just won't do.

• 1 0z cider

• 2-3 0z dark rum

shake & strain in martini glass

an ode to orangina

Refresh!
You know how missy elliot or whomever will yell out REMIX at the beginning of her songs?
no, well, that's ok.
I like to yell in my brain DETOX at the beginning of a hangover. viva la missy elliot.

this drink has inspired many hangovers of mine in the past & it is very refreshing!
it reminds me of when I realized that not only was orangina not just for scruffy, rail thin, European men on bicycles- but it was also for me! but it's also SUPER refreshing!

you may use vanilla or vodka regularis

prepare this drink over ice in a pint glass or a tumbler. i vote for the pint glass,

• 2 0z vodka

• splash of good oj

• or fresh pressed oranges (come on you are WORTH it)

• splash or 2 of soda water or ginger ale if your guts ache.

yum! drink it with a straw & have more than one!

and don't suggest that you just mix vodka with actual orangina it's not the same- and it has nothing to to with concocting :)

like chai a latte

Chai tea, makes me want to puke. I know i"m alone. in this * sad face.

But, chai liqueur on the other hand does not. One of life's mysterious I guess.

I like it as a sipper in a tumbler. You know, fall, winter...snuggle up...fireplace...log cabin...everyone smells like bengay, etc...

• 1 oz chai liqueur

• 2 oz vanilla vodka (sobieski will do!)

• 1 spoon full of pumpkin spice or pumpkin butter

shake the h-e double hockey sticks out if it.

dump it all in a snifter if you're fancy.

The Bond Martini aka the Vesper

photo credit: imaginativeuniversal.com

This drink has been coming up alot lately. A friend was telling me how her husband is obsessed with this boozy drink with a touch lillet- but couldn't remember what was in it. And then one afternoon at work my fellow tendress whips it out as a drink special.

The Bond is basically a Vesper martini. It originally was with kina lillet but that doesn't exist at present. So, a great take would be

• 3 parts gin

• 1 part vodka

• a touch of lillet

1954 Casino Royale style.

You may also add a touch of bitters if you'd like. Garnish with a lemon twist.

pomegranate maraschino world

photo credit:free-stainedglasspatterns.com


You hear pomegranate and you think sweet. Or! if you are me (and a total nerder geek genius) You think of Demeter & Persephene and the myth of 6 months of winter and summer...or whatever..

The maraschino liquer is where this cocktail gets a life.

• 1 oz thatchers pomegranate

• .5 oz maraschino

• .5 lime juice

• .5 cranberry juice

• 1 oz vodka

I used sobieski. This drink is awesome. Fill the bottom of the martini glass with pomegranate seeds and go read a book about greek mythology while you are at it!

banana man

Here's a crazy discovery: if you muddle grapefruit segments with prickly pears & add Gin with a dash of grenadine

Your drink will taste like bananas.

I do

• 2 oz gin (plymouth)

• a heap of already muddled grapefruit & prickly pears

• toss in a shaker with ice

• add a dash of grenadine

shake and pour on some ice
top with soda water.

So, I don't know if you are privy to the conspiracy that the bananas that we enjoy regularly are all dying from a tree illness...or something- but here is a way to recreate it in your cocktail pre- end of the world.

zen green tea drinks

photo credit thenibbler.com
have you noticed i'm like the laura ingals wilder of cocktail concocting? I like to remove the middle man and make my own ingredients. And yes, I regularly fantasize about living off the land, teddy Kacynski shack and all...etc...but I digress. This pioneer spirit is juxtaposed with a whole lot of class & circumstance b/c I also like tea & rituals. Love tea, & rituals. Coffee and rituals too, if that consists of reading the paper & drinking too much coffee.

There was a lot of tea & sweet tea stir on the scene about 3 years ago and still is. I bought some 'Matcha' (powdered green tea) a few months ago for a hairbrained scheme of making green tea icecream & sorbet- but quickly decided that I should just mix it up with some vodka & make the ice cream another time.

Matcha isn't that expensive but isn't exactly cheap. You can get about 1oz for 8.99 and that's pretty middle range stuff. So, in other words you get what you pay for.
I mix up 1 teaspoon or small handed pinch of matcha with 16oz of water. Really really really mix it up, so no clumps! I throw about half of that mix in my shaker with a splash of ginger infused simple syrup. I then throw in some citron vodka (or regular) 8 second pour or 2 full shots-or just about any flavor according to your taste add fresh pressed lemon juice from one single lemon.

Shake it up and you have 2 martinis. It's so good that it feels like you are doing something fabulous for your skin, guts, and overall longevity.
Well, you actually have 4 because you have another 8 oz of green tea water to do it all over again :)

There are so many options to fancy this up. You can do mint syrup, lavender, orange pressed juice, throw in any thing. It's a good drink. And it works well in pitcher form. Healthy fancy lady, pitchers.

*i'm not a cream drinker but there is a whole new world to be explored with those options....

yellow watermelon spearmint world

large handful of yellow watermelon muddle with 4-5 sprigs of spearmint.

• 1.5oz buddha's hand citron vodka or sobieski cytron vodka

• splash of lime

• shake & strain

• serve over SHAVED ICE

YUM