Angel's Tip

Well, I haven't done a semi-drunk post in awhile...ever since I decided that next-day posts were better than under-the influence posts, but I never feel like actually writing these anymore, so I might as well go with it when I'm feeling the need to write something.

1. Liqueurs apparently have a higher alcohol content than I thought.

2. Cheap chardonnay pretty much tastes like rosé, aka cheap prostitute wine. That's what I had after the angel's tip.

3. An angel's tip is delicious, like most dessert drinks. I have a certain friend who enjoys doing shots because it takes quite a bit to start feeling the alcohol, but also doesn't care much for the taste of alcohol. Shots of créme de cacao are a definite possibility for this summer. Very yummy.

4. I really have to work on my skills with floats. I read that you are supposed to take a spoon and run the floated liquid down the back so that it won't break the surface. It worked okay, but it could have been better.

5. Recipe:

3/4 ounce créme de cacao

1/4 ounce milk/heavy cream/soy milk

-Float milk on top of créme de cacao in a cocktail glass.

Enjoy and bottoms up!

Dry Martini/Dirty Martini

Finally! A way to have a martini that isn't completely awful! I decided since I have several versions of a basic martini left to do (they just have different ratios of gin/vodka to vermouth), I would try some of the variations that they list that aren't part of my required drinking. This strategy was effective, so go me!

A dirty martini is just a regular martini with a bit of olive brine splashed in. I used more than a splash of brine because I really didn't want to taste much martini. It sounds like a weird combo, but the brine mostly just makes it less strong tasting and a little bit salty. Not a drink I would really care to order at a bar and pay $6 for, but I drank most of it and didn't have to make a face with every sip. So there you go, my recommendation if you have to have a basic martini is to get a dirty martini.

Dry Martini:

2 1/2 ounces gin

1/3 ounce dry vermouth

-Stir with ice cubes and strain into cocktail glass.

For Dirty Martini:

add up to 1/2 ounce olive brine.

Enjoy and bottoms up!

Perfect Manhattan

I don't remember what I said about the original version of the manhattan (I could just look it up but this is my second post today and I really can't be assed), but I can't imagine it was a glowing review. Maybe if I had better whiskey I would be okay with this, but I'm just really not. It left a bad aftertaste in the back of my throat, and the during-taste wasn't so hot either. I know this is one of those classic manly drinks (see martini, old fashioned), but I guess I just not classic or manly.

I keep thinking that I'm going to make myself like these kinds of drinks in the same way it took a couple of times drinking coffee before I liked it (she says with a cup of coffee nestled snug in the lapels of her robe, using it to keep herself warm -- see pocket cup). I just don't know that it's going to happen, unfortunately.

1 1/2 ounce blended whiskey

1/2 ounce sweet vermouth

1/4 ounce dry vermouth

dash of bitters

-Stir with cracked ice and strain into cocktail glass or on the rocks.

I'm dragging a little bit on this project because all the drinks I can make with my current ingredients sound either a) terrible or b) like a less exciting version of something I've already had. Oh well. Hopefully I'll be able to afford something new soon.

Until then, enjoy and bottoms up!

Ruby Martini

This is another instance where the picture looks nothing like the actual drink: the real thing is stirred so the blue and red mix and form a very dark blue (a color I wasn't expecting to ever drink in my life), and it's in a cocktail glass with no ice. Google images was being a bitch a giving me martini glasses that were either ruby colored or literally MADE FROM RUBIES. Not helpful.

The drink itself was good, but the most remarkable thing about it was the color. Another in the long line of good but not amazing. In general, I'm a little burnt out on cocktails and really prefer beer and wine right now. Sitting at home, watching Doctor Who, eating potatoes, drinking red wine, reading TFLN is pretty much what I do these days. Theoretically, I should be less poor soon, as I now have three jobs. But somehow I think I will still manage to be broke. Oh well, it's part of being young, right?

1 1/2 ounce vodka

1/2 ounce cranberry juice

1/2 ounce blue Curaçao

-Stir with cracked ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Enjoy and bottoms up!

Brandy Alexander

Although I understand why the Brandy Alexander is more popular than the original Alexander -- it's smoother, sweeter, and less complicated -- I don't know that I like it more. Don't get me wrong, I love brandy like Liz Lemon loves sandwiches, but this drink was a little bit easy. Not to say that I wouldn't have another because I most certainly would. It may even make my top ten list when I reach the halfway point, I'm just saying that the original Alexander might be a spot or two higher. It's creamy and delicious could probably get you into trouble.

1 ounce brandy

1 ounce créme de cacao

1 ounce cream (or soymilk)

-Shake with cracked ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

Enjoy and bottoms up!

Leap Year

Ah finally! A good way to do the martini! I really enjoyed this one, and if you can get your hands on some Grand Marnier, I highly recommend it.

Unlike the apple martini or crantini, this one still maintains the basic ingredients of a martini: gin and vermouth. However, it adds Grand Marnier and a little bit of lemon, which makes absolutely all the difference. It's still a strong drink, but there's enough sweet and tart to make up for the bitter and herby.

1 1/2 ounces gin

1/2 ounce sweet vermouth

1/2 ounce Grand Marnier

Squeeze of lemon juice

-Stir over cracked ice and strain into cocktail glass.

In other news, I had a lovely night out! I went with some people to the First Friday Art walk and watch some short documentaries made by local filmmakers. Afterward, we went to Cafe Perugino and split a bottle of pinor noir while having a nice chat about books, movies, and commercials. Then off to the Speakeasy for beer, food and dancing to local music. All that and I was home before midnight!

Enjoy and bottoms up!

Alexander

I chose to have an Alexander the other night, in a sort of "eat your peas before you can have dessert" way, before the more famous Brandy Alexander. I thought it was going to be terrible. I thought I was going to suffer greatly in consuming it, but it actually turned out to be okay. A bit strange, but not unpleasant.

An Alexander is a dessert drink that contains gin, cream (milk or soymilk), and créme de cacao. The gin made me nervous, but I went for it and enjoyed myself. It's a bit like when they put basil or lavender in a dessert in that there is an herby quality that precedes the sweet taste. I feel like it would be really easy to get the measurements wrong on this one and push it too far in either the sweet or herby direction, but it was quite nice.

1 ounce gin

1 ounce cream

1 ounce créme de cacao

-Shake with cracked ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

Enjoy and bottoms up!

Cranberry Margarita

Unsurprisingly, cranberry juice works well as a mixer with tequila. Cranberry margaritas are good, but not exactly a revelation. If you prefer tequila to vodka, then get this instead of a vodka cran, otherwise don't bother.

1 ounce tequila

1/3 ounce triple sec

3/4 ounce lime juice

1 1/4 ounce cranberry juice

splash of simple syrup

-Shake in a cocktail shaker and strain into iced rocks glass.

Enjoy and bottoms up!

New Fashion

For some reason, google images has not heard of this lovely little cocktail, so you are graced with another picture of a lemon drop, a very similar drink.

This version basically gives the lemon drop back some of its "martininess" by adding a bit of sweet vermouth, making for a slightly less sweet drink. When I made it, I put a little too much lemon juice in as I'd just gotten a juicer for Christmas (thanks Mush!) and got carried away, which made the drink on the too tart side of delicious. Otherwise a splendid drink and one worth mixing up:

2 ounces lemon vodka

1/4 ounce sweet vermouth

splash of simple syrup

3/4 ounce lemon juice

-Shake gently with cracked ice in cocktail shaker and strain into a cocktail glass.

So how were your holidays? Do any epic drinking (in either quantity or quality)?

Enjoy and bottoms up!