Make Mine a Double

posted by Arty on Apr 13

Add can’t believe i have been so domesticated and green fingered on this Monday bank holiday this is what the sunshine has done for me. Look the garden was something out of Jurassic Park and if the prospect of have a bbq was being hindered by the potential wild animals may have been lurking out there then a quick tickle with the lawn mower is a small price to pay

So to homage to my hard work here are a few natures finest cocktail

• 1 shot of vodka
• 1 shot of creme de menthe - green
• top up with lemon

Place ice cubes in glass and pour over the shots of Vodka and Crème De Menthe - Green. Top up with lemonade and stir. Add slice of lemon if desired.

Grass skirt

• 1 1/2 oz gin
• 1 oz triple sec
• 1 oz Pineapple juice
• 1/2 tsp grenadine
• 1 pineapple slice

Add all to shaker, shake well,strain and serve

posted by Hilary on Apr 12

Well the Easter theme was carried through on Something for the weekend. Now they sound a bit revolting as the recipes consist of egg but trust me you have to just go with it..plus they do contain chocolate

First an Easter egg fact:-

Did you know that the origins of the Easter egg do not originally come from Christianity and Easter. A closer look at the history the Easter Egg reveals a much earlier association with pagan ritual of spring, dating back into pre history.

Spring is most obviously associated with Druids and places like Stone Henge, but around the world spring festivals are and were held to celebrate the rebirth of the year. The Egg, as a symbol of fertility and re birth hence why it attached to Easter the re birth of Christ.

White Choc Flip

1 free-range Lion quality-marked egg
2 tsp caster sugar
25ml/1fl oz white rum
25ml/1fl oz white chocolate liqueur
50ml/2fl oz white port
freshly grated nutmeg, to serve

1. Beat together the egg and the caster sugar
2. Pour the egg and sugar mixture, white rum, white chocolate liqueur and white port into a cocktail shaker.
3. Add a scoop of ice, then shake well.
4. Strain the mixture into a flute glass. Sprinkle over a little of the grated nutmeg.

Eggtastic!

Second Easter fact

Way way way long ago there was tradition of egg throwing held in church, no seriously the priest would chuck a hard-boiled egg to one of the choirboys. It was then tossed from one choirboy to the next, when the clock struck 12 was who held the egg was the winner.

Choc Nut
35ml/1¼fl oz vanilla vodka
1 tbsp chocolate spread, melted slightly until runny
2 tsp almond liqueur
2 tsp hazelnut liqueur
25ml/1fl oz double cream
1 chocolate teacup, chilled, to serve

1. Pour the vanilla vodka, chocolate spread, almond liqueur, hazelnut liqueur and double cream into a cocktail shaker.
2. Add a scoop of ice and shake well, pour into glass or to be really naughty half an Easter Egg

posted by Arty on Apr 10

I thought i would have a chocolate theme to this post well it is Eater Egg time so it would be rude not too.
I know they don’t appeal to everyone but then you can’t please every one all the time can you now
Ingredients:

Creme Egg Shooter- It looks just like it too

0.5 Shot De Kuyer Creme De Cacao – Brown
0.5 Shot Advocaat
0.0.5 Shot Amarula Cream

Layer all ingredients together in a shot glass over the back of a spoon.

Chocolate Martini

Chocolate Martini rimmed with cocoa. Its sweet so be prepared

2 oz vodka
1 1/2 oz creme de cacao, white
Hershey Hug or Kiss for garnish
powdered cocoa for rimming

Pour the ingredients into a shaker with ice cubes. Shake. Strain into a glass rimmed with cocoa.

posted by Hilary on Apr 9

Oh my I was fishing around for Cocktails in keeping with the Easter weekend I found out about this little event. Right don’t get excited it is San Francisco but it did make me smile

With Easter Sunday this weekend it is the annual Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence Easter Celebration!! What a fab event title I most warn you there is very little actually religious connotations, but just a theme.
The Sisters are make-up wearing cross dressing “nuns”, throw the most interesting and unique Easter Sunday maybe anywhere in the world.
It is held at Dolores Park and the morning starts with good old fashioned fun activities include face painting and an egg hunt at 10:30am. All aimed at the young at heart and kids. As morning turns to afternoon the activities turn more adult.

An Easter bonnet contest at 1pm, an all-boy burlesque show at 2pm and at 3:20pm the afternoon is capped off with the Hunky Jesus.

So to top this blog off though of a religious cocktail.
The Christ Cocktail was handed down from the old Waldorf Hotel.
Christ/Chrisp
• 2 dashes orange bitters
• 1 ½ oz Plymouth Gin
• 1 ½ oz sweet vermouth
• 1 slice of orange

Shake over ice until well chilled and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist

posted by Hilary on Apr 6

Well my blog page would a blog page without a post about the most fabulous drink of all time Bellini. There are many a version of it of which I will explore but you have to start with the original.

Did you know: It was invented in Italy in the 1930’s and got its fabulous name from because of its unique colour. It was named after the color of the toga of a saint in a painting by 15th-century Venetian artist Giovanni Bellini.

Classic Bellini

Ingredients

• 1 peach stone taken out and halved or peach liquor
• chilled champagne
• Champagne flute

Method

Blend peach till smooth or bash like mad, Put in flute and top up with Champers. As mentioned you can add a shot of peach liquor and if on a budget can use cava

Bellini Martini

Ingredients:

• 8 cubes Ice
• 3 oz Vodka
• 1.5 oz Peach nectar (mush up peach
• 1.5 oz Peach schnapps 1 Lemon peel

Method

Add ice cubes to shaker. Add vodka, peach schnapps and peach nectar. Shake. Strain into glass. Add lemon twist.

posted by Hilary on Apr 5

Well hello I thought of it first, those boys on something for the weekend just had to copy me and the whole lemon spring feel. But hey isn’t being copied the best form of compliment!!

So here’s what was on this week
Lemon candy side-car
This is a desert and booze all in one say no more
Right so what’s in it
1 scoop of ready-made lemon sorbet, melted
35ml/1fl oz cognac
15ml/½fl oz triple sec
2 tsp vanilla syrup
20ml/1¼fl oz freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus extra to serve
2 tbsp brown sugar, to serve

Lets get to it
1. Pour the melted lemon sorbet, cognac, triple sec, vanilla syrup and lemon juice into shaker and add a scoop of ice. Shake .
2. Squeeze the remaining lemon juice onto a saucer and sprinkle the sugar onto another. Turn a glass upside down and dip the rim into the lemon juice and then sugar to coat the rim. Strain sorbet loveliness into the prepared Yum yum

posted by JD on Apr 1

Well as we have turned the clocks back and have an hour extra of sunshine.. sorry slight exaggeration there …. well light …. I would write about spring yellowy cocktail.

I love the one below anything that gives me an extra twist on my favourite and I’m listening.

Chilli and mango Margarita

Stuff

• 2 slices green chilli

• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice

• 2 tsp agave syrup (available in most supermarkets)

• 35ml/1¼fl oz tequila

• 1 tbsp orange liqueur

• 25ml/1fl oz mango purée (made by blending and sieving a mango)

Method and madness

1. Put chilli into shaker, think of the terrible day you may have had, and pound that chill to a mush with the end of a rolling pin.
2. Add the lime juice, agave syrup, tequila, orange liqueur and mango purée with some ice and shake well.
3. Wet rim of glass and dip the into sea salt to coat.
4. Strain the cocktail into the Martini glass

posted by Hilary on Mar 25

Look I must start by saying that i am NO cocktail mover and shaker  with regards to creating new delicious new drinks. Don’t get me wrong I am some what of an expert on  tasting them…. but inventing new little numbers? not quite sure about that!

Any how, how hard can it be? I am not saying there isn’t an art form and a skill to it, but I there is something about following your nose knowing what you little. My hubby throws the right ingredients together when cooking, as he understands individaul tastes and spices and  therefore understands what will completement each other ….. it’s all about have the confidence to give it a go and  having fun.

I had a little go last night…

What you need .. this is very basic.. well it is my first one yes i know there is probably a name for this aleardy but give me a chance to catch on!

Berry Blush

• Handful Raspberries
• Handful Blackberries
• Orange juices tumbler glass
• 2 shots of Gin - any kind
• Crushed Ice cubs

Crush raspberries and blackberries together, leaving a couple for garnish

Add crushed fruit into a  shaker with ice

Pour in Gin and orange.

Shake, strain and Pour into glass

Put remanining fruit on a cocktail stick and add to glass to look pretty.

posted by Hilary on Mar 21

Well here i am very busy writing about cocktails with my nieces April and Georgia. And you never guess what drinks they picked… they’re very pink and very alcoholic!!!! I didn’t play any part honest

This is a very special cocktail only for very special people. My niece is shouting out lovely cocktails for me to write about and guess what they have to be pink!!! So what do we need????? Believe me i have checked this recipe a lot of time and there really is all this alcohol!!

April’s Strawberry Wine Cup

• 1lb of big fat English Strawberries
• 2oz of Sugar
• .. wait for it… HALF A PINT OF BRANDY!!!!!!
• 1 bottle of dry white wine
• 1 bottle of rose wine
• splash of lemonade.. well come on we can’t drown the wine can we

Oh i have just checked the recipe again and this is for 20 people .. mmmm we’ll see !!! Chop up 12oz of strawberries put at the bottom of a bowl with sugar and brandy Leave for one hour Add the the rest  and serve as chilled as possible decorate with teh remaining strawberries

Well what a surprise Georgia picked out teenage fruit punches but was very quick to tell me that you can add cidar to make it alcoholic!!

Georgia’s Rasberry Ginger Punch for 18 people (or 10 teenagers)

• 1 and half pound of raspberries
• 2 table spoons of sugar
• 2 pints of ginger beer
• 2 pints of soda water.. or cidar
• mint
• ice cubes

Crush most of fruit with sugar Pour on the ginger beer put in bowl before serving add soda or cider few whole raspberries and mint. Then dish out and slurrprprprrprprprp

posted by Hilary on Mar 18

Well today I thought I would dedicate this blog to all those out there that are looking for love. Look I am not getting all sloppy or Bridget Jones on you but I thought some romance was in order.
Last night I was having a very lengthy discussion with some girlfriends as to what is the best way to find the right guy. Oh my god if only I had the solution I would make a million pounds. It all ended up sounding a little like how to be a millionaire as to how we had all either met our partners or the ways we hoped we would find them!!
a) Phone a friend
b) Night out pub, club
c) Dating Agency
d) Or hope for the best… the old fashion free dating experience the chance meet!!! This one caused sooo many flash backs to films we had watched!
So these my lovelies these are for you xxx

Dream Love Cocktail
• 3/4 oz. Triple Sec
• 1 1/2 oz. Brandy
• 1/4 tsp Anisette
Put in the shaker and you know the rest

True Love Punch
• 1 1/2 oz white rum
• 1/2 oz Triple Sec
• 1/2 oz guava juice
• 1 oz pineapple juice
• 1 oz orange juice
• 1 dash Myer’s rum
• Dash grenadine
Shake well and serve in a tall glass over crushed ice. Garnish with orange slice, cherry and a broken umbrella