It's the Cat's Meow

Meet the Moscow Mule, my new favorite drink that has been around since the 1940s. It’s a tasty mix of vodka, ginger beer, and lime juice served on ice. The drink was created in Los Angeles, and is starting to show up on a lot of cocktail menus again. Surprisingly vodka was relatively unknown in the United States until 1942 when the owner of Smirnoff Vodka got together with his friend who was the owner of the Cock ‘n’ Bull British Pub in Los Angeles. It just so happened that the Cock ‘n’ Bull brewed their own ginger beer. Together they created the Moscow Mule. Traditionally served in a copper cup, the drink became all the rage at LA bars and across the country. In 1948, a New York food critic gave the Moscow Mule the following review: “the nicest thing about the mule is that it doesn’t make you noisy or argumentative, or quiet and sullen, but congenial and in love with the world.” I’ll drink to that!

The Moscow Mule
2 shots Vodka.
Juice from 1/2 a fresh lime.
Ginger Beer (to taste).
Squeeze the lime into a glass filled with ice, and then add the Vodka; finally, add Ginger Beer to taste.

Since the recipe is so easy, I’ve started making them at home too. Be sure to use a good quality vodka. I usually drink Ketel One or Effen, but was recently introduced to Tito’s Vodka. Trader Joe’s sells it for $16.99! It’s award-winning, and made in Austin, Texas of all places. Trust me, I know vodka, and it’s smooth. You’ll also need ginger beer which is priced at around $5.99 for a four-pack. The most readily available is Reed’s Jamaican Ginger Beer. Fever Tree also makes ginger beer and it’s my favorite. And, there is the original, from Cock ‘n’ bull. All three are available at BevMo in the soda/mixer section or can be ordered online. If you are hooked on details and authenticity, like myself, you can also buy copper cups from Ebay. Otherwise, you can serve the drink in an old fashioned glass. Cheers!

No Comments | In: Drink, Entertain | tags: ginger beer, moscow mule, Smirnoff, Tito's Vodka, Vodka. | #

Complimentary in-flight cocktails included in the price of your airfare? Yes way! Not only does Mexicana Airlines still serve free drinks on all flights like it’s 1965, they now also offer signature cocktails. Earlier this year, Mexicana, in a partnership with BACARDI®, commissioned mixologist Junior Merino, known as the “Liquid Chef”, to create a new signature cocktail menu. These one-of-a-kind cocktails are served on all flights with a duration of 4 hours and 25 minutes or longer.

At the core of each drink is one of the following BACARDI brands: BACARDI Superior rum, Cazadores® tequila, Eristoff® vodka, or Dewars® whisky. A new drink has been introduced every 2 months since July 2009. Such tasty libations currently on the menu include:  Sweet Turbulence which is described as “an explosive combination of Cazadores Tequila, lime Soda, grenadine, lime, and orange juice”, and “Black Wing” which is a mix of Eristoff vodka, lime juice, lime soda, and cola. Not going to make it on a flight anytime soon, then enjoy the Liquid Chef, Junior Merino’s newest holiday cocktail creation in the comfort of your own casa instead:


Caribbean Stinger Recipe by Junior Merino:
1 1/2 oz Chairman’s Reserve Rum
3/4 oz buckwheat honey
3/4 oz fresh lime juice
1/2 oz fresh pink grapefruit juice
1/2 oz Cherry Heering
1 1/2 oz Porter Beer
Put all the ingredients, except the beer,  in a shaker. The beer needs to be poured directly into a tall glass. Then add ice to the shaker, shake and pour into the glass. ¡Salud!

1 Comment | In: Drink, Go | tags: BACARDI, Caribbean Stinger Recipe, Cazadores Tequila, Dewars, Eristoff Vodka, In Flight Cocktails, In Flight Drinks, Junior Merino, Liquid Chef, Mexicana, Mexicana Airlines, Signature Cocktails. | #

Thanksgiving’s this week—time to kick off the beginning of the holiday season with a new drinky-poo! This elegant cocktail is the perfect libation to serve  during the holidays—or any time you want to bring on some holiday cheer! Recipe is for one martini. You can also make a batch just before your guests arrive, and serve in a martini pitcher.

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Ingredients

Ocean Spray® Raspberry/Cranberry Juice (Or any Cranberry Blend)
Trader Joe’s® All Natural All Berry Juice (Or any Organic Pure Berry Juice)
Three Olives® Cherry Vodka
Lime


Mix

2 oz. 3 Olives Cherry Vodka
1 oz. Raspberry/Cranberry Juice
1 oz. All Natural Berry Juice
Squeeze of Lime


Pour Ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake well. (Note The mix of the two juices is key because one is sweet and the other is tart–the mix balances the flavors and creates a perfect blend).
Strain into a cocktail class. Garnish with a cherry or pomegranate seeds at the bottom, and serve.

1 Comment | In: Drink, Entertain | tags: 3 Olives Vodka, Cherry Vodka, Christmas Cocktail, Cocktail, Cranberry Juice., Holiday Cocktail, Martini, Thanksgiving Cocktail. | #