Cocktail Hour - Moscow Mule

i don't know why, but for some reason i always thought a Moscow Mule cocktail was made with milk or cream. perhaps it's because when i hear the word Moscow i think, Russia, cold, lots of white snow and furry parkas. but the other night i tried my first Moscow Mule (after an exceptionally rough day i have to say) and low and behold it wasn't creamy or milky at all. in fact, it was very refreshing and delightfully tart! 

i'm hooked. this is now my new cocktail delight while the days are still a little sunny in the evenings and relatively warm. it's the perfect post work pre-dinner light sipper. this weekend try making your own version and let me know what you think!

ingredients

• 1 oz Vodka
• juice from half a lime
• 1/2 oz organic pomegranate juice (you try other juices to play around with flavours)
• 1/ginger beer
• crushed ice

add the crushed ice to your glass, and follow by adding all the ingredients in the order listed above. Give everything a gentle stir and then add some mint or a lime wedge as a garnish.

Cocktail Hour - The Rummy

This recipe is from a very old passed down cocktail book called,  The Standard Cocktail Guide: A manual of mixed drinks for the American host,  by Crosby Gaige. I haven't been one to try a lot of straight liquor drinks, but this one really was delicious. Not overly tart, it is a perfect late evening sipper.

the how-to:

• 1/4 part Rum
• 1/4 part Dry Vermouth
• 1/4 part Lemon Juice
• 2 dashes Grenadine 

throw your ice into a shaker or container with a solid lid and a good seal. add all your other ingredients and give it a wild shake for about 30 seconds. pour through a strainer into the glass of your choice over ice. sip immediately.

Spring is Coming ...

an abundance of wildly colourful adorable tulips in huge bouquets

an abundance of Lillet cocktails sipped on in little cocktail glasses in the sun.

an abundance of market fresh fruit homemade yogurt popsicles.


and satin or silk floral tops, brim hats and mary jane shoes.

it is 8 degrees celsius here today and while we may still have a few weeks left of winter, i know spring is right around the corner, and i cannot contain my excitement for some of these, my favorite spring trends.  

Cocktail Hour - Old-Fashioned

the classics. often overlooked but never forgotten, these old school cocktails have been making a come back in recent years, and one of my bucket list goals is to learn to appreciate and master them. i have always wanted to have secretly good bartending skills and wall-to-wall shelves of retro glassware. recently I received an old copy of a  40's cocktail guidebook said in the intro to be "for the good wife" (insert laugh here), but it does have a ton of really key information on barware useage, brands and all the well-known famous recipes that have been around for decades. cocktails really are an art and sometimes the keep it simple stupid rule is the best. so you will have to bare with me as i learn my way through this guide, testing, tasting and ... more tasting.

when we think about the classics, the old-fashioned is one that often comes to mind. this sipper is perfect for pairing with a crackling fire and good book, or the up coming super bowl game. here is this week's spin on this delicious classic.

The What:

• 1 tumbler glass 
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 dashes of Campari (or a bitter)
• one slice of orange zest
• muddler
• 1 1/2 oz of whiskey
• 1 1/2 oz of tonic or soda water
• a slice of orange for decor

start by adding your sugar to the glass followed by your Campari (or bitter), then using your muddler mix and mash the sugar until it is more or less dissolved. next take your orange zest slice and place it in the glass and muddle that around. follow that by measuring the remaining ingredients and giving it all a quick stir. add your decorative orange slice and now sip and enjoy! 

for more cocktail recipes, click here!

Cocktail Hour - Double Berry Gin

images via oomph.

does this cocktail look pretty or what? sometimes you want to add a new spin on an old goodie and sometimes you add that spin with some fruit. this weekend, try pairing this pre- dinner sipper with a selection of savory shortbread cookies, like the Gorgonzola & Pistachio ones from the Coach House Shortbread Company. 

The What:

• 1 highball glass
• 1 oz gin
• muddler or fork
• 1/4 cup blackberries (a few extra for decor)
• cranberry juice
• tonic for topping up
• 1 bay leaf for visual appeal

throw your blackberries in the bottom of your highball glass and use your muddler or fork to crush the berries. next measure out and pour in all the ingredients listed above . then place a few extra blackberries on a skewer and top with a bay leaf. now sit back and enjoy!

for more fun recipes, click here!

Cocktail Hour - The Grapefruit Spritz

for as cute as this cocktail looks, i can tell you it tastes even better! this is the perfect sunny  afternoon girls date cocktail, or a pre-dinner sipper. there is nothing quite like a freshly squeezed citrus cocktail. all you have to do is measure out and pour in the ingredients below. then give it a quick swirl and start enjoying!

The What:

• 1 oz Campari
• juice from half a grapefruit (and a slice for the side)
• sprig of rosemary for decor and scent
• prosecco or champagne to top up the glass
• 1 oz simple syrup*

* for more a simple syrup recipe, click here! & for more fun recipes, click here!