Sexy House Mix!!

Bringing Magic to Cocktailing! Just cause Valentines Day is over doesn't mean the magic has to stop.

Our friends from Baddish Group have shared a delicious little secret...



Everyday their are new products and just like anything else it has popularity for a short time and then it fizzles out!

I always love to find an ingredient that can be used for special occasions as well as be kept in the liquor cabinet and indulged upon as you wish. Since our main love is Vodka we are excited to share....

Chambord Flavored Vodka.

  "Chambord Flavored Vodka is the World's Most Romantic Vodka," said Dr. Jane. "It is perfect in so many cocktails that can add that touch of romance to any date, Valentine's Day or not."

The French Martini

Dr. Jane says: "This cocktail is so smooth and scrumptious, perfect for the

couple who likes Ballroom Dancing.  I can see something very elegant - like

Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers - floating across the dance floor."

1 1Ž2 oz. Chambord Flavored Vodka

1Ž2 oz. Chambord Liqueur

2 oz. Pineapple Juice

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a martini glass.  Garnish with

raspberries.

The Parisian Cosmo

"I love this drink so much. It's light and refreshing and I can definitely

see it in a pitcher or by the beach.  Think Group Date Activity if you enjoy

this cocktail," Greer said.  Marc Snowman added: "If you are having a

Cupid's Cocktail Party, this drink is a winner."

1Ž2 oz. Chambord Flavored Vodka

2 oz. Cranberry Juice

1Ž2 oz. Sour Mix

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass.  Garnish with a

lemon twist.

French Sparkle

"This is an elegant cocktail and should be enjoyed when it's truly a date

that's a night on the town," said Greer.  Husband Marc added: "If a man

ordered this for his date, she would know how astute and intuitive he is."

1 oz. Chambord Flavored Vodka

1 oz. Champagne

2 oz. Mango Nectar

Shake vodka and mango nectar with ice and strain into a chilled martini

glass. Top with champagne.  Garnish with a mango slice and a black

raspberry.

Chambord Vodka and Perrier

"An active couple - one who likes date night to be bowling, paintball or

even charades - would love this," said Greer.  Added Marc: "This is the all

around winner for a man to order on any date."

1 oz. Chambord Flavored Vodka

3 oz. Perrier ®

Pour Vodka into a glass filled with ice and top with club soda.  Garnish

with a lemon wedge and a black raspberry.

For more information about Chambord Flavored Vodka, please visit

www.chambordonline.com

National Margarita Day February 22, 2012

Ahhh! National Margarita Day! We love margarita's and their delicious blend of salty, sweet and bitter! No one really knows the true inventor of the margarita but there are some great stories to be told.


Smithsonian Blog says:

As with so many popular things, more than one person has claimed to have invented the margarita. One of the most prevalent stories is that Carlos “Danny” Herrera developed the drink at his Tijuana-area restaurant, Rancho La Gloria, around 1938. As the legend goes, Herrera dreamed up the cocktail for one of his customers, an aspiring actress named Marjorie King who was allergic to all hard alcohol other than tequila. To make the liquor more palatable to his fussy client, he combined the elements of a traditional tequila shot—a lick of salt and a wedge of lime—and turned them into a refreshing drink.


Banderas News says:


My favorite story is about a Dallas socialite, named - you guessed it - Margarita Sames, whose favorite party game was to duck behind the bar and mix up all kinds of drinks for her guests with whatever was available. During a 1948 Christmas party at her vacation home in Acapulco, Mexico - must be nice - she threw together tequila, Cointreau and lime juice with great success. Her friends took the recipe stateside, and it spread like melted cheese sauce over nachos.


The third most commonly told tale comes from Tommy's Place in Juarez, Mexico. Pancho Morales was working the bar in 1942 when a woman came up to him and ordered a drink called a Magnolia. Morales could not remember what was in a Magnolia, except Cointreau. So, he decided to fake it. After mixing Cointreau with tequila, he named the new concoction after another flower, the daisy. Bet you a margarita that you can guess what "daisy" is in Spanish.


Either way does the inventor affect the flavor or it's presentation in today's world! We say NO! But with that being said we drink it anyway. Though I would prefer a margarita on a hot summer day, what better day to enjoy a libatio n than on its own "National Holiday".


Here's a basic recipe for a plain ol' margarita that you can enjoy as-is - or tailor to your heart's content (like that Dallas socialite Margarita Sames):

2 oz. tequila
2 oz. lime juice
1 oz. Triple Sec, Grand Marnier or Cointreau
Salt
Garnish: lime wedge



We have had the pleasure of an industry friend pass along some delicious recipes with a tequila that he represents and we would like to pass that onto you!

If you're looking for ways to spice up the same-old margarita, try adding a splash of Tuaca, a vanilla citrus liqueur with Italian roots that date back 500 years to when Lorenzo de Medici ruled Florence. Rediscovered in 1938 and consumed by American servicemen in Italy during WWII, Tuaca is still enjoyed today either chilled as a shot, served over ice, or as a base to a wide range of cocktails, including the two margarita recipes below:

TUACArita
1 oz TUACA
1 oz Herradura® Silver Tequila
1/4 oz triple sec
3 oz sweet and sour
lemon wedge, squeezed
salt
lemon twist

Mix ingredients, including squeezed lemon wedge, in a shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a salt-rimmed glass. Garnish with a lemon twist

Tuaca® Tropical Margarita 

2 oz Tuaca® Liqueur
1 oz part Tequila Herradura® Reposado
½ oz simple syrup (or Agave Nectar)
¼ oz fresh-squeezed lemon juice
4 one-inch squares fresh pineapple

Muddle the pineapple squares well in a cocktail shaker (be sure to get all of the juice out) and then add the remaining ingredients and fill shaker 2/3 full with ice. Shake enthusiastically and strain over fresh ice into a pre-chilled Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with a pineapple wedge and (since it's a tropical drink) a neon red cherry.

Ocean Spray® Solutions - February 2012 Cocktail of the Month

ICED TEA WITH AN ADULT TWIST!! Check out these beautiful recipes!

SipSum Cocktailz is happy to share some great recipes we found on our search for amazing libations.....

Iced tea cocktails

by Michele Borboa, MS

Blending tea and spirit

Tea, particularly green tea, is the second most popular beverage in the U.S. after water. Green tea's antioxidant-rich health benefits as well as the growing cultural influence of Asia have inspired tea drinkers to experiment with new ways to sip (and cook with) their favorite steeped drink.

James Labe is the nation's first tea sommelier whose signature tea cocktails have been featured at W Hotels and India's Taj Hotels. He says the combination of tea and spirits offers a refreshing beverage experience. "Tea and spirits have traveled along parallel roads toward our enjoyment of leisure and life's luxuries," says Labe. "Spirits have long been at home in fine dining, but only recently has that cocktail moment included tea."

ZEN Green Tea Liqueur, a unique blend of the finest Japanese green tea leaves, premium herbs and natural flavors is the first green tea liqueur to debut in America. Well-suited for today's sophisticated cocktail culture, the light, aromatic spirit is featured on the cocktail menus of the most prominent establishments in the country. ZEN is delicious chilled, on the rocks, stirred into unsweetened iced tea or mixed into a wide variety of impressive cocktails.

Iced tea cocktail recipes

Ready to enhance your iced tea drinking experience? Try one of Labe's signature iced tea cocktails featuring ZEN Green Tea Liqueur. These refreshing drinks are ideal for balmy afternoons, summer cocktail parties and poolside sipping. For more information on ZEN Green Tea Liqueur and to find a retail location near you, visit ZenLiqueur.com.

ZEN, White & Blue Iced Tea Cocktail

Ingredients:3 parts prepared Silver Needle White Tea
1-1/2 parts ZEN Green Tea Liqueur
1-1/2 parts SKYY Infusions Raspberry
3 parts fresh blueberries, muddled or pureéd
Fresh mint, for garnish

Directions:1. To prepare white tea, combine 1 part cold and 5 parts boiling water (water should be about 180 degrees F.). Use 1/2 cup dry tea leaves to 2 cups hot water. Steep 3 minutes. Strain and chill.

2. Combine with remaining ingredients and stir. Serve on the rocks, garnished with fresh mint.

ZEN Goddess Iced Tea Cocktail

Ingredients:3 parts prepared Iron Goddess of Mercy Oolong Tea
1-1/2 parts ZEN Green Tea Liqueur
1 part passion fruit juice
1 part Cabo Wabo Blanco Tequila
Grapefruit slices, for garnish

Directions:1. To prepare oolong tea, combine 1 part cold and 5 parts boiling water (water should be about 180 degrees F.). Use 1/4 cup dry tea leaves to 2 cups hot water. Steep 2 minutes. Strain and chill.

2. Pour tea and remaining ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into glass. Garnish with a large, thin grapefruit slice.

ZEN Blossom Iced Tea Cocktail

Ingredients:

4 parts prepared Jasmine Pearl Green Tea 1-1/2 parts ZEN Green Tea Liqueur
1-1/2 parts Flor de Cana White Rum
1 part coconut cream
Edible flowers, for garnish

Directions:To prepare green tea, combine 1 part cold and 5 parts boiling water (water should be about 180 degrees F.). Use 1/4 cup dry tea leaves to 2 cups hot water. Steep 2 minutes. Strain and chill. Pour tea and remaining ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into glass. Garnish with edible flower.

ZEN Dew Iced Tea Cocktail

Ingredients:4 parts prepared Gyokuro Green Tea
1-1/2 parts ZEN Green Tea Liqueur

1-1/2 parts Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey
Lime zest
Lime wedge, for garnish

Directions:1. To prepare green tea, combine 1 part cold and 5 parts boiling water (water should be about 180 degrees F.). Use 1/4 cup dry tea leaves to 2 cups cold water. Steep 3 to 4 minutes. Strain and chill.

2. Combine and stir ingredients. Garnish with a lime wedge.