Independence Day Imbibing: Firewater and All

The 4th of July  is not only the most anticipated holiday of the summer, it’s a time for families and reunions and remembrances of time honored traditions, like fireworks and barbecues to celebrate the nation’s birthday.  So enjoy all of the festivities and mark your 4th of July party with a memorable signature libation that is perfect for the occasion. Make yours a standout celebration with one of these colorful cocktails and show your true colors. Whether you’re hosting an indoor gathering or outdoor barbecue, your guests will be impressed with these all-American drinks.
–roz edward

The Dawn’s Early Light                         
Ingredients:
1 ounce Southern Comfort
1 ounce ABSOLUT Vodka
1 dash of club soda
1 ounce fruit syrup
3 ounces sweet and sour mix
Directions:
Shake all the ingredients (except the club soda). Top the drink with soda. Garnish with a slice of orange.

Stars and Stripes
Ingredients:
¾ ounce Bombay Sapphire Gin
¾ ounce Jose CuervoTequila
¾ ounce BACARDI Light Rum
¾ ounce vodka
1 ½ ounces sour mix
¾ ounce Blue Curacao
1 ounce Sprite (or any lemon-lime soda)
ice
Directions:
Combine in a pint glass, shake and serve with a lemon wedge. This is an expanded version of the Long Island Iced Tea, we’ve just made it a little less regional.

The Blue Star Martini                                                
Ingredients:
1 ½ ounces Bombay Sapphire Gin
½ ounce blue curacao
1 ounce peach schnapps
¾ ounce lime juice
¼ ounce sugar syrup
1 lemon peel
Directions:
Place the gin, curacao, schnapps, lime juice, and syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously. Strain drink into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a lemon peel.

The Yankee Doodle
Ingredients:
1 ½ ounces ABSOLUT Berri Acai Vodka
1 teaspoon raw sugar
4 slices of peeled ginger
5 large green grapes
Clear soda
Blueberries and raspberries
Directions:
Muddle grapes, ginger, and sugar in pint glass. Add ice and vodka. Shake vigorously and strain drink into a cocktail glass over ice. Top with soda and garnish with raspberries and blueberries.

Father's Day Specials

Dad's typically like to stay with dark liquors, although there are plenty of vodka drinking men. That mans we're looking at either cognac, which is always great, but not so good in the summer heat, so let's just go for a solid staple — whiskey. And if you're a straight up dad, I mean a man that calls it like he sees it, and lives it like he loves it, then your probably a "no chase" kind of man. In that case you need a drink that is befitting of your nature like the Straight 7 which is:

1.5 ounces of Seagram's 7 
Splash of water.

Doesn't get much straighter than that.

Or if you just want to play around with it a little, there's Black Bush Sour which is:
1.5 ounces of Bushmills Black Bush Irish Whiskey
.5 ounces of lemon juice

.5 teaspoon(s) of powdered sugar 

1 maraschino cherry

Pour all ingredients over ice into a short glass.
Garnish with a maraschino cherry. 

 

You can see where this is going can't you.

 

And then there's the Manhattan for the whiskey-loving, but more cosmopolitan Dad. Buy him a great bottle of rye which he may not get all the time, and stir this one up with dinner.

 

2 ounces rye whiskey

1/2 ounce sweet vermouth

2-3 dashes Angostura bitters

Maraschino cherry for garnish

Preparation:

1. Pour the ingredients into a mixing glass with ice cubes.
2. Stir well.
3. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
4. Garnish with the cherry.

 

 

Happy Father's Day, Dad.

 

Jell-O Shots: Get the Giggles With the Squiggle

Rootbeer Jelly Shots

Jell-O pulled off one of the most successful advertising campaigns in industry history when it paired comedian/actor Bill Cosby with kids in the Jell-O makes you Giggle campaign. Cosby is back with Jell-O, but that has nothing to do with us o Blue Toast, except for the fact that the squishy stuff still makes us giggle especially when it's combined with liquor.

In the meantime, Michelle Palm has been working diligently enhance the Jell-O shot's reputation and features her findings in her new book Jelly Shot Test Kitchen. Palm has developed more than 60 recipes with the cold, squiggly staple, many of which are adapted from classic bar cocktails.

The Bramble Jelly Shot is just as divine and inviting as it looks — a lemon sour base, gin, and a float of blackberry liqueur.  The Bramble's translation to gelatin was conducted by noted cocktail expert/bartender/author Toby Cecchini. 


Flowers are synonymous with spring. That being said, can you say Elderflower Mojito jelly shot? That's precisely what Dolce & Gabbana when they asked Palmer about creating a jelly shot for their luxury magazine. And the Bushwacker Jelly Shot is, of course, inspired by the Bushwacker Cocktail.  It's a more of a tropical libation - the unofficial cocktail of the island of St. Thomas — and with it's two varieties of rum and myriad mix of liqueurs, the octane factor puts this in a category all its own. (photo)

Several weeks ago we introduced the Negroni (gin and campari) cocktail to drinking novices and even a few libation experts who just weren't familiar. That drink was invented in Italy by Count Negroni, thus the name. Fast forward 190 years and the Negroni is back. along with a number of other new and revived alcoholic concoctions through the beauty and the fun, known as the Jell-O shot.

 Combine 1 cup of water and and a 1-by-2 inch orange peel in a medium saucepan and sprinkle with 2 envelopes of gelatin. Let the gelatin soak for a minute or two. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until the gelatin has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and discard the orange zest. Stir in  ⅓ cup Campari, ⅓ cup sweet vermouth (preferably Italian), and ⅓ cup gin (preferably Bombay Sapphire) gin.

Pour the mixture into a 1-pound loaf pan (8-by-4 inches) and chill until fully set, several hours or overnight.

Run a knife around the edges and flip the pan over onto a flat surface to release the gelatin from the mold. To serve, cut into desired shapes and garnish with grated orange zest.

Makes 18 to 24 shots.