Vodka

Grapefruit Rose Martini

April 5, 2019 By Darla Leave a Comment

This fruity, floral cocktail will be a favorite at your warm weather gatherings! Enjoy the essence of summer with a Grapefruit Rose Martini.

Why create a new cocktail?

April 6th, 1945 welcomed twin baby girls Barbara (my mother) and Beverly. These sisters were very close and loved each other immensely. There’s no doubt that twins have an incredible bond. My aunt misses her sister as much as I miss my mom. So, today I will toast them both with a Grapefruit Rose Martini.

My mom passed away over nine years, and the world lost a little bit of its beauty that day. Every year for my mother’s birthday we buy a big bouquet of roses. My family and I celebrate her life by retelling fun stories about her. This year, I decided to celebrate with a new cocktail.

Why put the flavor of rose in a martini?

Many people enjoy the flavor of flowers, most notably rose. I have seen and tasted many cocktails made with floral flavors, and I am delighted to have created one of my own.

My mother was well known for her ability to grow the most incredible roses. She had every basic color as well as many colors that no one had ever seen before. She had the greenest of thumbs! I cannot pass by a rose of any color and not think of her.

Is grapefruit used in many cocktails?

Grapefruit is used in iconic cocktails like a Paloma or a Gin and Juice! There are many ways to use grapefruit juice in mixology!

Grapefruit was a favorite of my mom’s. I recall that in 1970-something she went on the grapefruit diet for a while. She claims that she had to quit that diet before she started to hate her favorite fruit! That is why grapefruit is the perfect citrus to blend with the flavor of roses for her birthday, cocktail!

My mother, Barbara didn’t drink much liquor. She loved white wine and mimosas, but when she enjoyed a cocktail, it was a very special occasion such as Mother’s Day or her birthday. The Grapefruit Rose Martini is a classy cocktail, perfect for any special event!

To all of the incredible women in the world! Cheers!

This Grapefruit Rose Martini is raised to a woman who was incredibly kind and treated plants and animals with the same gentleness with which she treated people. Everyone knew they had a friend in Barbara. I also raise this glass to my sweet aunt, (who doesn’t drink alcohol) she treated me as her own when my mom passed away. You are two amazing women! Happy Birthday, Mama! Thank you for watching over us. Happy Birthday Aunt Beverly, thank you for loving me so much! I love you both!

Grapefruit Rose Martini

This fruity, floral cocktail will be a favorite at your warm weather gatherings! Enjoy the essence of summer with a Grapefruit Rose Martini.

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Keyword Cocktail, grapefruit, martini, rose

Ingredients

2 ounces grapefruit rose vodka Or 1 ounce rose vodka and 1 ounce grapefruit vodka
1/2 ounce triple sec
3 ounces pre-made grapefruit juice
rose infused sugar see notes

Instructions

Dip the rim of a martini glass into simple syrup and then dip into rose-infused sugar to rim the glass.
In a cocktail shaker add ice, vodka, triple sec, and grapefruit juice. Shake for 20 seconds or more.
Strain into the sugar-rimmed glass and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Rose-infused sugar is easily created by adding 1/2 cup dried culinary grade rose petals, 1 cup of sugar and 1/8 tsp of rose extract to a spice grinder, food processor or mortar and pestle. Blend very well.

Homemade Raspberry Vodka Liqueur

December 20, 2018 By Darla Leave a Comment

This Homemade Raspberry Vodka Liqueur is tasty enough to drink straight! The vanilla beans and frozen raspberries beautifully flavor your favorite vodka.

Is it difficult to make flavored liqueurs?

I have become obsessed with making my own liqueurs! It is shockingly easy! I needed a raspberry liqueur for a cocktail, and I decided to make it the way that I wanted it to taste. Since, I have made several liqueurs so that my cocktails are extra special.

Frozen or fresh raspberries?

I used frozen raspberries in this liqueur, but fresh would work beautifully. If raspberries were in season, I would go berry picking myself!

Should I use real vanilla or imitation vanilla?

I deeply love vanilla. It can’t be just any vanilla, and it absolutely cannot be imitation vanilla. Because of this obsession of great vanilla, I used the most aromatic, perfect pods.

The vanilla gave the homemade raspberry vodka liqueur a lovely flavor that is easily drunk on the rocks.

It is essential that the combined ingredients for the raspberry vodka liqueur are left to rest in the refrigerator for at least five days! Make sure to shake it two to several times per day. I set the jar on a shelf so that I see it every time I open the refrigerator door. Doing this reminds me to shake it often.

How does the homemade raspberry vodka liqueur get that pretty color?

I don’t use any food colorings in the liqueurs that I make. The idea behind making your own liqueurs is that there are very few ingredients and nothing artificial!

You can use this raspberry liqueur in any cocktail that calls for raspberry liqueur. I daresay that you will be delighted with the outcome. Making this Homemade Raspberry Vodka Liqueur will elevate your cocktails! Cheers!

Homemade Raspberry Vodka Liqueur

This homemade raspberry vodka liqueur is tasty enough to drink straight! The vanilla beans and frozen raspberries beautifully flavor your favorite vodka.

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Keyword Liqueur, Raspberry, Vodka

Ingredients

750 ml Vodka
2 Cups Frozen or Fresh Raspberries
2 Cups White sugar
1 Vanilla Bean

Instructions

Wash the vanilla bean. Gently slice the vanilla bean and open. Scrape the seeds into a quart jar and drop in the pod.
To the quart jar, add raspberries and sugar.
Fill the quart jar with vodka. There will be some remaining.
Shake the jar until the sugar dissolves and place in the refrigerator. Leave for no less than five days. Shake the jar twice daily.
After five days or more strain the liqueur into a bowl. Using a funnel, pour the liquid into a container of your choice and top it off with the remaining vodka. Or pour it directly into the vodka bottle that contains the remaining amount.

Cran-Cherry Amaretto Kiss

November 20, 2018 By Darla 2 Comments

Barb’s Amaretto Kiss aka Cran-Cherry Amaretto Kiss has a unique twist of cherry to enhance the amaretto. It pulls the flavors together so that this drink dances across your tongue and makes your lips smile.

Barb’s Amaretto Kiss

I wanted to make a birthday drink for my dear friend, Barb, but it needed to be perfect! I know that she loves amaretto and vodka which lead me to do a twist on an Amaretto Kiss. That part was easy but how to make it uniquely Barb?

Which flavors pair well with Amaretto?

Barb’s Birthday is right around Thanksgiving, so I wanted to incorporate some of those flavors into her drink. Cranberry goes well with amaretto, and so I wanted both cranberry juice and Betty’s Cranberry Sauce (the best cranberry sauce I have ever tasted) by Michelle from The Complete Savorist who is a brilliant part of our Tribe.

I also wanted a flavor that brought it all together. My mother used to make a cherry almond tart, and that lead me to cran-cherry because the almonds and cherries are perfect together. This is how the Cran-Cherry Amaretto Kiss came to be.

Why make a pitcher of cocktails?

Barb’s Amaretto Kiss, aka Cran-Cherry Amaretto Kiss, also needed to be in a large pitcher so that it can serve many. Barb is warm and welcoming and often has her friends over for food, drinks, crafting or just hanging out on the deck watching the sunset.

She is someone who is always willing to help whether it is watching a sick dog, helping with kids, bringing food when illness has left one of us in bed or to be a listening ear.

Cocktails and Friends!

Barb is incredible in so many ways. She is highly intelligent and always wants to learn. She’s both humble and a natural leader.

She is creative, fun, loving, and kind. Her beautiful family is her world, and it shows on the faces of her “men” (which is what calls her husband, Sam and their two boys Rhett and KJ.)

Barb adores her dog Luna who is the sweetest dog alive. She’s a Bernese Mountain Dog who is lucky to have a mom that is also addicted to hiking!

I feel so grateful to have Barb and the rest of our Tribe, in my life. These strong, amazing women help keep me grounded and sane in this crazy world.

Having these close, strong, steady friendships can be a miracle in a time of life that is overrun with responsibilities. We can lose touch with what it means to have people in our lives that have our backs.

Happy Birthday, Barb! I hope that Barb’s Amaretto Kiss gives you some of the same warm fuzzies that you give to the people in your life! You are wonderful and you are loved!

5 from 1 vote

Cran-Cherry Amaretto Kiss

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Ingredients

5 Cups Cran-Cherry Juice
3 Cups Vodka
1 1/2 Cups Amaretto Liqueur
1 Cup Cranberry Sauce
1/2 Cup Prepared Orange Juice
Garnish Candied Mandarin Oranges

Instructions

Start a party! Birthday or otherwise.
In a very large pitcher combine all of the ingredients, stir, and refrigerate until ready to use.
Add ice to a shaker cup. Stir the contents of the pitcher and pour 4-6 ounces (depending on glass size) into the shaker cup.
Shake well and strain into a cocktail glass
Garnish with candied mandarin orange or an orange slice
Makes 14-22 servings

Pumpkin Pie Martini

November 18, 2018 By Darla Leave a Comment

This Pumpkin Pie Martini tastes like the holidays! It is sweet, creamy, and full of wintery spices. Light a fire and grab your favorite throw. You’ll want to savor every sip.

What is in a Pumpkin Pie Martini?

Since the leaves started changing and the air became crisp, I have been obsessed with Pumpkin Pie Infused Vodka.

With the holidays swiftly approaching, I am putting it in a lot of my cocktails.

First, because pumpkin is amazing. Next, because it makes me excited to think of watching the snow fall outside my windows. Finally, it gets me into the spirit of the holidays.

Sometimes, we need a bit of a boost to get us into the spirit of the holidays. Flavors and smells can bring back memories of happy times. That is what this Pumpkin Pie Martini does for me.

When should I have a Pumpin Pie Martini?

One of my favorites cocktails has been the Pumpkin Pie Martini. It is creamy, boozy and perfectly spiced! It honestly tastes like a pumpkin pie in a glass with a kick!

I absolutely love it, and so does my husband! We often drink it as an after-dinner treat or as a special cocktail for a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Perfect cocktail for the holidays!

I was very excited to write up the recipe for this Pumpkin Pie Martini. Ther is maple syrup in it for a little extra pizzazz!

I love that the rim is done with maple syrup and dipped in cinnamon and sugar. The problem is that it is not very pretty to photograph, but it tastes so good that I did it anyway!

How will you dress up your Pumpkin Pie Martini?

Make the Pumpkin Pie Martini your own! You could easily top it with a dollop of whipped cream! I love it with a dusting of cinnamon, but I am obsessed with cinnamon.

How you dress up your Pumpkin Pie Martini is entirely up to you but no matter what you do, you will love this holiday cocktail!

Pumpkin Pie Sangria

November 12, 2018 By Darla Leave a Comment

Pumpkin Pie Sangria is perfect for any holiday gathering! It has all of the lovely flavors of pumpkin pie, sweet pears, crisp apples, and white wine. It is a balanced drink that will delight your guests and leave them asking for more!

What cocktail can I serve my guests on Thanksgiving?

First of all, I love Thanksgiving! The smells, the bustle, the food, and the wine join together in a symphony of Turkey Day joy! I usually host, and I like it that way. My husband smokes a turkey, and I do one in the oven. I do a couple of sides, and maybe a pie or two and the rest of the food comes with the guests. My kitchen is filled with people that I love and mountains of fantastic food.

Because I believe that the drinks are just as important as the food, I try to make a fun cocktail. I love to use Pumpkin Pie Infused Vodka in my holiday cocktails. It is all the flavors of pumpkin pie infused into a quality vodka. The only problem is that we typically have quite a few guests and the liquor and mixers go very quickly. This year, I want to have a drink for the adults that will be enough to last beyond the appetizers. Furthermore, it must be tasty without being too sweet. Sangria will be perfect!

What goes into a holiday sangria?

Finally, I settled on sangria, and I started looking at white wine sangria recipes. Because none that I found were festive enough, I decided to create my own sangria that was both seasonal and plentiful. It had to be a good match with the turkey feast that we will create and it had to make my guests swoon with delight!

Conceived from the combination of my love for fall, hosting parties and, Thanksgiving. This Pumpkin Pie Sangria made with, white wine (I used a dry Riesling) , Pumpkin Pie Infused Vodka, sparkling apple cider, cinnamon, brown sugar, pears and, apples was a hit with my taste testers. As a result of having a large guest list, I will triple the recipe for Thanksgiving and hope to impress!

Pumpkin Pie Sangria

Perfect for any holiday gathering!

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Ingredients

750 ml 1 Bottle White Wine
750 ml 1 bottle Sparkling Apple Cider
2 Cups Pumpkin Pie Infused Vodka
1 C Brown Sugar
2 Pears Sliced
1 Golden Delicious Apple Sliced
4 Cinnamon Sticks

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a pitcher
Stir to dissolve sugar
Refrigerate for no less than 4 hours and serve

Meyer Lemon Olive Oil and Cucumber Cocktail

August 6, 2018 By Darla Leave a Comment

Meyer Lemon Olive Oil and Cucumber Cocktail is a light, lemony, and fresh. The Meyer lemon olive oil gives this cocktail a sumptuous mouthfeel and rich flavor.

Why Use Meyer Lemon Olive Oil in a Cocktail?

I am intrigued by new ideas regarding cocktails and mixology. I’ve been experimenting with olive oil from We Olive and Wine Bar, and I’m having a great time adding these quality products to my cocktails. I love the Meyer lemon olive oil drizzled over cucumbers. One of my favorite summer snacks, sparked an idea for a cocktail!

This post is sponsored by We Olive and Wine Bar in Salt Lake City, Utah. I received the delicious products to review, However, all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

Cucumber vodka is the perfect liquor to highlight the flavor of the Meyer lemon. The characters in this drink play off of each other leaving a crisp, light taste. The citrus enhances the taste and feel of the olive oil. Muddling some cucumber in the shaker adds to the layers of flavor.

Shake That Olive Oil Cocktail!

The key to the perfect cocktail that has olive oil as an ingredient is to shake, shake, shake that shaker! It takes 30-40 seconds of vigorous shaking to get it blend perfectly. I like to add the egg white so that it has a layer of tasty fluff on top.

What Other Olive Oil Would Be Amazing in a Cocktail?

There are so many different flavors of olive oil at We Olive and Wine Bar that the possibilities are endless! Not to mention the vinegars! The Meyer Lemon Olive Oil and Cucumber Cocktail was so much fun to make that I can’t wait to become inspired to create another!

Meyer Lemon Olive Oil and Cucumber Cocktail

This is something new and unusual and very refreshing.

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Keyword Cocktail, Cucumber, Meyer Lemon Olive Oil

Ingredients

3 slices Cucumber
2 ounces Cucumber Vodka
3/4 ounce Simple Syrup
3/4 ounce Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
1/4 ounce Meyer Lemon Olive Oil
1 Egg white

Instructions

Muddle cucumber slices in a shaker. Add remaining ingredients.
Add ice to the shaker to about 3/4 full and shake vigorously.
Shake for 30-40 seconds and strain into a cocktail glass.

Blackberry Balsamic Mule

April 14, 2018 By Darla Leave a Comment

Give your mule a little kick by making it a Blackberry Balsamic Mule! The Balsamic adds the perfect flavor to blend with the ginger and the lime.

A new interpretation of a Moscow Mule is always a fun idea! It is my favorite cocktail and is always up for a twist on flavor! This Blackeberry Balsamic Mule is a beautifully balanced blend of flavors. The key is an exquisite balsamic, a great vodka and a craft ginger ale. I love to use vodkas from our local distilleries and I have a couple of favorite ginger ales. Just make sure you really like the ginger ale! I was inspired by the incredible blackberry balsamic from We Olive and Wine Bar.

Why Use Balsamic in a Cocktail?

This post is sponsored by We Olive and Wine Bar in Salt Lake City, Utah. I received the delicious products to review, However, all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

Balsamic is thick, sweet and gorgeously glossy. It gives a tangy pleasure to the palate and is a hot commodity in the mixology world. Craft cocktail makers are always trying to find a new way to shake things up for their guests. The broad array of divine balsamics at We Olive and Wine Bar are an inspiration to anyone who likes to create excellent cocktails.

Can There Be Too Much Balsamic in a Cocktail?

Balancing the balsamic in the Blackberry Balsamic Mule took a few tastings. The tastings are the best part of creating a cocktail! I love balsamic and I started with too much then, I leaned toward too little. If you know you like the extra tang in your own cocktail, feel free to add more than this recipe calls for. The recipe below is what I found to be a great balance for the average palate.

It is very important that you use a lovely, sweet bunch of blackberries. Muddle a few in the the bottom of of the mule mug to create a great balance for the blackberry balsamic and the fresh berries.

Why Use Blackberry Balsamic from We Olive and Wine Bar?

When choosing a balsamic, quality matters. This blackberry balsamic is made from organic blackberries from the coast of California and aged to perfection. I like it in cocktails and drizzled over a yummy vanilla bean ice cream!

Blackberry Balsamic Mule

Give your mule a little kick by making it a Blackberry Balsamic Mule! The Balsamic blends perfectly with the sweet ginger ale to make a delicious cocktail

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Ingredients

3-5 Fresh Blackberries
2 tsp Blackberry Balsamic
1/2 Juice from 1/2 a lime
2 ounces Vodka
ice
6 ounces Ginger ale

Instructions

Muddle blackberries in a copper Moscow Mule mug. Add blackberry balsamic, lime juice and vodka
Fill mug with ice and top it off with ginger ale. Fill to the top and stir with a cocktail straw. Garnish with lime wheels and blackberries or crystallized ginger

Butterbeer

March 13, 2018 By Darla Leave a Comment

Most people who visit Hogsmeade at Universal and has butterbeer wants to know how to make it at home. You can make one for the kids and one for the adults!

“Does anyone fancy a butterbeer?” Harry Potter

I love all things Harry Potter. I am always excited to go to one of the Universal parks and step into the Wizarding World. I feel like a little kid who can’t wait to see the magic wands and drools over the colorful candy.

The Butterbeer sensation!

Butterbeer was a quick success that had HP fans buzzing with excitement. I was told by the kind young man who served us last week in Universal California, that this magical drink was meant for everyone to enjoy and so there is no dairy. I could not solidly verify this but for the record, there is dairy in my version.

My favorite part of visiting Hogsmeade is wandering around the shops with a butterbeer in hand. After visiting with my two teens and my husband, we decided that I needed to make a kid version and an adult version of butterbeer.

What’s in that yummy “cream” on top of the butterbeer?

There is a buttery/carmelly kind of fluffiness that gets put on top of the butterbeer. It really does make an already wonderful drink, divine. Honestly? I don’t have clue how Universal makes it. I used cream in mine and I did three different versions of this before settling on the one below. My husband and my kids had to taste-test it for me each time (I heard no complaints!) The recipe below won by a small margin. They were all quite tasty!.

Whether you are a Harry Potter fan or not, chances are that you’ll like this drink! Give Harry my best, next time you are in Hogsmeade!

Brown Sugar Whipped Cream

According to the taste buds of my family memebers, this is the best whipped cream to pile on top of butterbeer!

Ingredients

1 pint whipping cream
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

Mix all ingredients with hand mixer, stand mixer or by hand, vigorously until stiff peaks form.

Butterbeer

To make a this without alcohol for the kiddos, omit the vodka and the butterscotch liquer and add butterscotch syrup. Stir together, ice, cream soda and 1 1/2 tablespoons of butterscotch syrup. Use a cocktail strainer to ditch the ice and pour your butterbeer into a tall glass. Top with a generous amount of brown sugar whipped cream.

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Servings 1

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces Vodka
1/2 ounce Butterscotch Liqueur
6 ounces Cream Soda
1 Tbs Brown Sugar Whipped Cream

Instructions

Stir all ingredients until blended and chilled. Using a cocktail srainer, pour into a tall glass (8 ounces or bigger) and top with brown sugar whipped cream.

The Blueberry Cosmo

February 24, 2018 By Darla Leave a Comment

Almost everyone loves a good Cosmopolitan, but it’s so much fun to make variations of the classic Cosmo. The Blueberry Cosmo is incredible! I can’t wait to make these for my next party!

Why a Blueberry Cosmo?

I love to make classic cocktails. When I decided to make a Classic Cosmo, it occurred to me that there are many ways to put a spin on that recipe! Instead of cranberry juice, I used blueberry juice. I substituted the lime for lemon and the Triple Sec for Blue Curacao. Combined, it is not too sweet, a bit tangy and so pretty!

As I was creating this cocktail, my friend Danny stopped by to chat. He declared that he does not like blueberry at all, but he was willing to try the drink. He loved it! I thought that perhaps he was just being nice, but he knows I need honesty. Also, I heard him telling some friends at a party how much he like the Blueberry Cosmo!

How to Change Cosmo Flavors

It isn’t hard to do. Just by swapping out one ingredient, you have put a spin on the Cosmo! It is typically easiest to try a different juice. How about pomegranate? Should we get crazy and use rasberry juice? That sounds fantastic!

This is one of those cocktails that can be served all year round and served to an eclectic group of people. It appeals to a broad range of palates. The key is to get an excellent blueberry juice! Anything but the best juice will kill the drink. Also, use a vodka that you love! I used a Utah vodka called Fives Wives Vodka from Ogden’s Own Distillery. I like to support Utah businesses, and it really is a great vodka!

The Blueberry Cosmo

A nice twist on the classic Cosmopolitan

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces Lemon Citrus Vodka
1/2 ounce Blue Curacao
1 ounce Blueberry Juice
1 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice

Instructions

Fill a shaker cup 3/4 full of ice and add in the ingredients. Shake vigorously for a 10-15 seconds. Strain into a chilled martini glass.

How to Make a Great Cosmo

February 16, 2018 By Darla 1 Comment

The first time Carrie Bradshaw ordered a Cosmo in Sex and the City, she made people wonder what it was and where they could get one. Now, they are a favorite cocktail for women and men everywhere! Here’s How to Make a Great Cosmo at home.

Is it a Cosmoplitan or a Cosmo?

The Cosmopolitan or as it’s better known, the Cosmo, is an iconic drink made extremely popular by Carrie Bradshaw, a character in the popular TV series, Sex and the City. There are tales of a cocktail called The Daisy, published in Pioneers of Mixing at Elite Bars 1903-1933, which was published in 1934. This drink is called the mother of the Cosmopolitan because it looks and tastes strikingly similar to it. The Daisy has gin instead of vodka and raspberry simple syrup in place of the cranberry juice.

The key to a great cosmo is the quality of the vodka. I love to use citrus or lemon vodka made from a great company and created with flavor as the priority.

How Pink is Your Cosmo?

The color of the drink varies, depending on the amount of cranberry juice. I like a bit more cranberry, so my Cosmo is darker while some are quite pink.

“I’d like a cheeseburger, large fries, and a cosmopolitan.” – Carrie

My drinking companion while I am creating cocktails is my German Shepherd, Sieg (ZEEG) who stares at me while I talk to myself. I taste each cocktail just enough to make sure it’s right. Sometimes, I turn up the music and make the dog dance with me! Trust me, he loves it!

Cosmopolitan or The Cosmo

Easy on the palate and visually appealing, the Cosmo is a fun drink for any occassion!

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces Citrus Vodka
1/2 ounce Triple Sec
1 ounce Cranberry Juice
1/4 ounce Fresh Lime Juice

Instructions

Put ice in a shaker cup about 2/3 of the way full. Put all ingredients in the shaker cup and shake for a few seconds. strain the cocktail into a cold martini glass. Garnish with a lime wheel and serve.