Valentine’s Day cocktails for love

January 25, 2012

Romantic cocktails are easy to find, but a reader wanted to know how to make it special.

Why not celebrate the holiday of love by mixing love potions together, in private. Just find a cozy spot, light some candles and set up your mixing glasses, ice and spirits. Make sure you have everything else you’ll need should things go as planned.

The drink shouldn’t be complicated. Choose something you don’t mind tasting from another’s lips. And name them after phrases of love.

If that sounds silly to you, look at the recipes we found to help make your Valentine’s Day everything you hope. [click to continue…]

In the Mix: Fernet Branca

January 16, 2012

Fernet Branca is a famous Italian bitter, the founding spirit of the Fratelli Branca Distillerie and brain child of Bernardino Branca circa 1845. Its flavor is bold and overwhelming, but it is best known for its restorative qualities.

It can be sipped as a digestif after a rather heavy meal or in the morning after excess and indulgence to lessen your pain. And if you’ve ever tasted this bitter, aromatic spirit you would agree that it is a bit like a hair of the dog that bit you. [click to continue…]

Coffee cocktail culture

January 10, 2012

Miss Cocktail admits she is a coffee snob. Hey, when it’s your job to mix and taste drinks all night you need a quality morning fix.

But it’s more than that. Ever since the years we were based near Little Havana, those months in Austria, and the trip to Hawaii’s Big Island and that adorable cafe in Montreal, it has been hard to please the palate with a drive-through grande americano.

With that in mind, take special care when preparing coffee for your guests. Especially when mixing.

Here are a few recipes you might enjoy with a nod to the countries that inspired them. [click to continue…]

Year of the Dragon cocktails

January 5, 2012

January 23rd marks the beginning of The Year of the Dragon, according to the Chinese calendar. Because the dragon signifies luck, we went out of our way to find some tasty cocktails to charm you. The Chinese New Year celebration is spread out over many days. It is tradition to reconcile, forget all grudges and [...]

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Extreme après-ski cocktails

January 3, 2012

If you like to pound the snow like my friends at Vail Ski Resorts, then you know that after the last run, après-ski time. And every year we get together, there are smashing elixirs for us to try. In this collection we’ve gathered a noteworthy mix of old and new as well as hot and [...]

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A toast to new beginnings

December 30, 2011

At the first stroke of midnight January 1st many toast the new year with bubbly champagne poured into sparkling crystal flutes. And so begins the new year. In the spirit of beginnings we sampled cocktails in tribute to the start of a new day. Though you are most likely acquainted with the more common Tequila [...]

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Out with the old, in with the new

December 28, 2011

Was 2011 a fabulous year for you? Of course it was. But, it’s time to bring in the new. In that spirit we share with you five extraordinary cocktails to inspire your success in the coming year. We don’t mean to imply that there aren’t any classic mixes, such as our beloved Happy New Year, [...]

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Comfort and joy

December 22, 2011

Winter is a cocktail aficionado’s favorite time of year. The cold of the season causes us to reach for the warmth in each other. And when we gather there is the cocktail. One favorite tradition is the hanging of the mistletoe, providing the opportunity to come closer to the people we love with either a [...]

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Cocktails for a cruise

July 23, 2011

Miss Cocktail is headed out to sea on the Nickelodeon at Sea free-style cruise along the Western Mediterranean with Norwegian Cruise Lines. This is a complete guilty pleasure cruise for me. And I am taking someone special. But I am worried that I’ll get shipwrecked with jetlag or seasickness, yikes! Wouldn’t that completely ruin my [...]

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Tequila! A Celebration

July 5, 2011

At Cocktail.com we’re going to celebrate National Tequila Day, July 24th with our favorite margaritas with a twist. Two reasons for this: 1. We love tequila 2. Fresh fruit Scratching you head? Fresh fruit not only makes for the best flavored margaritas but also cuts the calories and makes the carb counters happy. At this [...]

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What to Order – 2010 Late Spring Edition

May 22, 2010

Tired of the same old drinks night after night? Not sure what to order when out with co-workers? No problem. Here are suggestions to spice up the night. For her Malibu and Diet Amaretto Sour For him Captain and Coke Whiskey Sour Designated driver Cranberry and tonic

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Chic Champagne Cocktails

May 27, 2010

As things start to heat up across the states, it is time to bring out some cool drinks. And what better way than to bust out the bubbly – especially since there is so much to celebrate this time of year! Cosmopolitan Champagne Cocktail French 75 French Flirt London 24

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Name Dropping – A Nod to the Brands

May 23, 2010

Every May, Intangible Business releases the Power 100 annual survey of the world’s leading drinks brands. Instead of lauding the top 10, which included Chivas Regal, Absolut, Ballantine’s, Captain Morgan, Hennessy, Jack Daniel’s, Martini Vermouth, Smirnoff, Bacardi and Johnny Walker, let’s instead toast some of the star performers:

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Caribbean Party Punches

May 21, 2010

Theme parties are one of the best ways to entice friends to your home. They were the height of popularity in the 1960s when the swinger generation was emerging and still manage to capture a crowd. Here are some sipping suggestions for a Caribbean themed gathering: Climb the Giri Giri Tree Curacao Wine Punch Maho [...]

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Give It To Me Straight – Small Batch Bourbon

May 24, 2010

Ask any master distiller of bourbon about the appropriate way to enjoy the spirit, and you’ll hear the same thing – bourbon is for sipping. The process of making bourbon is an elaborate art that mirrors the making of a craftsman’s whiskey. It must rest at least two years in charred oak barrels to be [...]

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Vintage Cocktails – 1934

May 31, 2010

We went back to the vault to check on some early versions of our favorite cocktails. What we found was a list of the world’s most famous cocktails in 1934. It is amazing how many still hold their appeal. A toast to the top 5.

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Miss Cocktail – Infusion Enthusiasm

June 1, 2010

Infusion seems to be the rage again this summer, most likely because it is both versatile and extremely simple to do. All that is needed is an airtight container, fruit and spices and some alcohol.

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All-American Cocktails

June 21, 2010

America. The very word conjures up images of grand canyons, Rock ‘N Roll, and Hollywood — and Bourbon. That’s right, Bourbon. Congress passed an act declaring it America’s official drink, as well it should be. But for those of us whose tastes run a little sweeter might we suggest the southern states’ very own Southern Comfort.

To get in the spirit of July, the month that gave birth to the good ‘ol United States, we suggest you stock up on these amber-colored liquors, and get ready to enjoy a taste of the real America.

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First Shot: Hennessey Black the Done Different Cognac

June 14, 2010
Thumbnail image for First Shot: Hennessey Black the Done Different Cognac

Will Hennessey Black be known as the mixing cognac? It may be too soon to say. Our tasters have yet to sample the libation but the buzz is strong that this creative blend of eaux-de-vie aged in oak can stand-alone or punch up a stale old cocktail.

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Summer Sippers – Fresh Fruit Margaritas

June 15, 2010

It’s okay to like margaritas. Really, it is true. Despite popular opinion, they really aren’t a girly drink. Unless you mix them with sweet exotic fruit so you can’t taste the alcohol, dress them up with umbrellas and flowers then serve it in a fru-fru glass with girly garnishes and feminine names. A true margarita [...]

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Seasonal Sippers: Cool Cocktails for a Crowd

June 27, 2010

Summer is here and that means lots of friends just stopping by. Having beverages pre-made by the pitcher allows a host to mingle and enjoy the party too. But will the quality suffer? Not in our test kitchen. Still there is one thing hosts ought to know – just because you’ve made a pitcher doesn’t [...]

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Destinations with a Twist: California’s Cocktails

July 4, 2010

Miss Cocktail had a chance to visit some of her favorite Southern California hot spots and enjoy the local flavor. The top hosts managed the evening with pitchers of cool, fresh drinks that matched both the weather and the mood. The only exception was Beverly Hills where, as expected, each drink is individual, one of [...]

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Vintage Havana Cocktails

July 9, 2010

Constantino Ribalaigua was the undisputed Cocktail King of Cuba. He ruled from Havana’s Bar Florida (La Floridita), creating and improving our favorite standards from 1912 – 1952. His bar was actually considered the cradle of the frozen daiquiri. Here he crafted the famous Papa Dobles, often called the Hemmingway Daiquiri named for his frequent guest [...]

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