Another Tequila Sunrise!

I played bartender at my dear friend Jackie's birthday bash yesterday! It was great fun, of course. We had a special cocktail in her honor which was pretty popular, I have to say.

It must have reminded us all of our dreams of lying around on a beach somewhere warm and tropical, sipping . . .

A special cocktail for Jackie's birthday celebration!

Another Tequila Sunrise (please!)

Combine as much tequila as you think you can handle with orange juice over ice. Drizzle with a little grenadine if you have it. If not, don't sweat it – just drink it and enjoy!!

  

 

Catching up on promises

Hey, I promised to tell you how the bartending class went (see Imagine ME as your Christmas present!) It was SO much fun! First of all, Jess and Brian have a sweet house on a winding street up a hill overlooking all of San Francisco, so you can imagine the setting was to die for. We organized the bar in the kitchen, which had a clear view out the living room window to beauty, and went to work.

There were eleven vodka cocktails on the class outline, and we motored through all of them. I made them, explaining each one and talking about variations. Then we passed the drink around to everyone who was drinking (all except Wayne, who has a bad reaction to alcohol, and Jess, who's pregnant!). There was a lot of sippin' goin' on, believe me, plus a few people with their own straws doin' a little more than sippin'. You know who you are! Meanwhile there were snacks - artichokes and dip, veggies, crackers - to keep us upright.

Finally, after all eleven drinks had been constructed and sampled, everyone decided what their favorite drink was and Brian and I made that for them to have with Lee's wonderful salmon dinner.

What do you think the drink with the most  "favorites" was? I was pretty blown away that it was the Bloody Mary. I mean, it wasn't even morning! Nevertheless, several people wanted their very own.

Brian, the giftee, opted for the Vodka Collins, which I'll admit was good and refreshing. Lee, the giftor, went for the Cosmo. These drinks are already on this blog (look to the right under The Best Cocktails)...well, the Vodka Collins is there under Tom Collins, which is gin. Just substitute vodka, of course, if that's your preference.

A good time was had by all, especially by ME! I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

No, silly, that's not us in the photo!! We looked similar though. You know, happy.

Imagine ME as your Christmas present!

Well, ha-ha, not exactly. But my friend Lee has given my skills as a bartender to her son-in-law as a Christmas gift. Here's how it happened.

Brian asked for a good bar book for Christmas, so he could learn to make his favorite vodka cocktails. Lee thought it would be a better idea to have a bona-fide bartender (me) teach him how to make the drinks, and then she'd make dinner and we'd all have a party. What a great idea!

It's going to happen later this month. Here's the "lesson plan": •

Classic Vodka Cocktails 

                                                                                      

•          Vodka Martini 

•          Cosmopolitan

•          Lemon Drop 

•          Vodka Gimlet 

•          Madras 

•          Cape Cod 

•          Greyhound and Salty Dog 

•          Bloody Mary 

•          Kamakazi 

•          Vodka Sour 

•          Vodka Collins

 

How fun is that?! As I envision it, we'll all gather round while Brian and I make drinks. Of course, there are so many drinks we'd have to check in at ER if we drank them all. Instead we'll use drink straws to take "bartender sips" of each drink, and then decide what we want to drink more of. At the end, I'll give him a hand-made book of recipes for these drinks, and we'll eat Lee's delicious dinner (she's a great cook, as well as an inspired mother-in-law).

I'll let you know how it goes, and even pass along some of the drink recipes that aren't already here on my blog under The Best Cocktails over on the right-hand side.

Cheers!

The Best Cosmo

My, my, my, what a busy time it is! Not only are Wayne and I whirling around buying, making, and wrapping presents for family and friends, but the holiday party scene is really heating up too. By now you know I'm a bartender for parties and events at the fabulous Claremont Resort and Spa in the Berkeley/Oakland hills, and they're really keeping me busy this year!

I always enjoy helping people have a good time! Of course, bartending for holiday parties in the hotel is a lot different from bartending poolside in the summer, which I've written about before. For one thing, the drinks people want are different. Not a single customer I've had during the holidays has asked for a Bloody Mary at 10:00 p.m., and who would think of a Pina Colada when it's cold outside and you're wearing velvet and lace?

So what's the most popular drink at my holiday party bars? I have to say it's the Cosmopolitan, otherwise known as the Cosmo. It's a pretty drink, and festive, and, yes, it's pink, but guys order it too. Here's how you can make one, or two or three, at home:

The Best Cosmo

Put a scoop of ice into a cocktail shaker*. Add 1 oz. vodka, 1 oz. sweet and sour, 1/2 oz. Cointreau, and 2 oz. cranberry juice.

Shake vigorously.

Strain into a martini glass, or if you wish into a champagne flute.

Garnish with a lime wedge on the rim.

*No cocktail shaker? No problem. Just serve this drink over ice in a pretty clear glass, short or tall. Stir well before sipping. It's just as delicious!

Sip and enjoy!

Eating and drinking in Clearwater FL

So much has happened, it seems ages since I was in Clearwater, Florida, lazing around in the sun and soaking up fabulous music. It's really only been two weeks. Nevertheless, while the taste of all the good food Donna and I ate still lingers, I'd better tell you about it.

We decided to eat late lunch/early dinner out each day before going to the Clearwater Jazz Holiday, which started mid-afternoon most days. This way we would only eat two meals (breakfast and late lunch) and we wouldn't be starving enough to have to eat at the park. What a great decision! I think I actually lost a pound or two this time.

Of course we had to hit Frenchy's Rockaway Grill, right on Clearwater Beach, first. We always go to Frenchy's when I'm in Clearwater for grouper, a delicious fish that's not available in California. Here's a photo from our outdoor table on the patio at Frenchy's:

Sure enough, I ordered grouper, but this time I had Walnut Encrusted Grouper Salad instead of a grouper sandwich. Yum! It had arugula and cranberries and pears and spinach, and a great big filet of grilled grouper on top. Fabulous.

Pair that with a couple of Cuba Libres (Mt. Gay rum and Diet Coke with lime) and you've got a little slice of beach heaven.

The next day we dined at Rumba Island Bar and Grill, which was on the way to the park. Yum again! This time I had to deviate from fish, because they had Caribbean Pulled Pork and I just had to! Plus I had a side of Jamaican Greens and one of Island Cole Slaw - wow, my mouth was happy. Prices are really good here, too!

Another Cuba Libre went really well with all that island food. And you know me, I'm a red wine girl. Apparently not when I'm in Florida!

The third and last day of late lunches (boo-hoo), we hit the Bonefish Grill in nearby luxurious Belleair Bluffs. Back to the fish, as this is the home of fabulous Bang Bang Shrimp - crispy fried shrimp with a hot little mayo/chili sauce dip that was to die for. What a pleasure!

At the Bonefish Grill, Donna convinced me to try a favorite cocktail of hers, Winter White Cosmo. It was delicious, and I think it would be a good drink, whether celebratory or consolatory, for today, which is ELECTION DAY! Don't forget to vote today!!

Here's the recipe for Winter White Cosmo so you can at least celebrate fabulous YOU:

• Shake 1 1/2 oz Stoli Cranberi Vodka, 1/2 oz Cointreau, 1 oz lime juice, and 2 oz white cranberry juice with ice in a shaker.
• Strain into a chilled martini glass.
• Garnish with a lime or with 2 fresh cranberries.

Enjoy!!

The Best Bloody Mary

OK, so I've been bartending a lot this summer at a resort swimming pool. Guess what the most popular first-drink-of-the-day is...you got it! It's a Bloody Mary!

I will admit that other drinks take over in popularity as the day goes on and early evening approaches. But from opening time (usually Noon during the week and 11:00 a.m. on weekends) until about 2:00 p.m., the Bloody Mary reigns. Here's a photo of a Bloody at opening time - first one of the day on an sunny Friday morning.

 

And here's how to make The Best Bloody Mary:

Fill a tall glass (plastic at poolside) with ice.

• Add 2 oz. vodka of your choice. We use Hangar One, which is a locally made vodka.
• Fill with canned tomato juice (not Bloody Mary mix, you'll notice)
• Add a tablespoon Worchestershire sauce (or more)
• Add a few drops Tobasco Sauce (or more)
• Add a good sprinkling of ground pepper
• Add 1/4 teaspoon of prepared horseradish (or more). We use Beaver Extra Hot.

Stir very well to mix in the horseradish.

We garnish with olives and a lemon wedge. Celery sticks are traditional. Lime is also good, as are pickled green beans and peperoncini. You get the picture, be creative with the garnish, although savory works better than sweet.

Here's the view from my bar. Pretty cool, huh?

A thought for this day, September 11, 2012: When we fight hate with love, we win.

The Best Mojito

An abundance of mint prompted me to perfect this refreshing drink. Mmmm.....heaven on a hot day. You'll swear you've taken a rocket run to the tropics - well, that's where the mojito originated!

Put a few ice cubes in a shaker glass, then add 4 or 5 fresh mint leaves. Fill shaker with ice.
Add 2 oz. Jamaican rum, 2 oz. fresh lemon-lime juice (equal parts fresh-squeezed lemon and fresh-squeezed lime), and a good splash of simple syrup. Shake, preferably to a reggae beat.
Pour all, including ice, into a tall glass. Top with club soda, and garnish with a sprig of mint and lime slices.
Adjust glam shades, apply sunscreen, and enjoy.

The Best Tom Collins

I read in the New York Times that commercial sweet & sour has ruined the taste of a classic Tom Collins, and it made me curious. Sweet & sour is really nothing more than fresh lemon juice (sour) plus simple syrup (sweet), so I gave the "real" thing a try:

Fill a tall glass with ice and add 1-1/2 oz gin (see Best Basil Gin Gimlet for Bar Tip about gin). Add the juice of a lemon (no seeds, of course) and 1/2 oz of simple syrup. Fill the glass with club soda and a generous squeeze of lime. Stir and sip.

It tastes amazing! And if you use vodka instead of gin, you have a John Collins.

Bar Tip: You can easily make your own simple syrup by bringing 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar to a boil in a small heavy saucepan. Simmer on low to medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Let cool to room temperature before using. Keeps for a week in the refrigerator.

The Best Basil Gin Gimlet

I had an amazing gin gimlet the other day at Five, a new lounge in Berkeley. Julio the Bartender generously shared the secret with me:

In a shaker with ice, put 1-1/2 oz gin, 1-1/2 oz fresh lime juice and 1/2 oz simple syrup. Add 2 or 3 basil leaves that you have torn in half or thirds. Bruise, don't muddle, the leaves gently with the back of a bar spoon against the side of the shaker.

Shake briefly and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Sip and savor your tasty, frosty, refreshing drink!

Bar Tips:

• Fresh lime juice is crucial here; the plastic lime or Rose's won't do.
• There's a lot of difference in taste from one gin to another. You do have to use a good gin. There are many, but my fave is Tanqueray, which is around the mid-point of the expense continuum.

The Best Cadillac Margarita

I call the Margarita my specialty....here's how it's made:

Moisten the rim of a barrel glass with a cut lime, then dip in salt. Fill the glass with ice.

Add 1-1/2 oz tequila, 1/2 oz triple sec, 1-1/2 oz orange juice, and 1-1/2 oz sweet and sour (or substitute 1 oz fresh lemon juice and 1/2 oz simple syrup for the sweet and sour).

Stir, then float 1/2 oz Grand Marnier on the top and squeeze a wedge of lime.

Yum!

Bar Tip: Don't waste "sippin'" quality tequila on a mixed drink - save it for shots or sippin'. That said, a decent tequila is important even in a mixed drink. My fave is Zapopan Reposada, available at Trader Joe's for $9.99.