COCKTAILS

Crown Royal Apple Cranberry Caramel Cocktail

categories: COCKTAILS, Liquor Reviews

CAA

I love it when I discover a new liquor to enjoy and lately my liquor of the moment has been Crown Royal Apple.   I was introduced to Crown Royal Apple a couple of years ago at an industry event.  I had forgotten how good it was until a friend recently recommended it to me again.

I’ve always been a fan of Crown Royal Whiskey, it has a smooth mild taste and mixes well with anything. But once I tasted the Crown Royal Apple it quickly became my new favorite.  It can be enjoyed straight or on ice, it goes down easy and the apple flavor is strong but not overpowering.  Lately I’ve been drinking it with cranberry juice, but I decided to kick it up a notch and create this Crown Royal Apple Cranberry Caramel Cocktail – It’s a mouthful I know, but worth it.

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Ingredients: 

2 oz  Crown Royal Apple

1 1/2 oz Butterscotch Schnapps

2 oz Cranberry Juice

Instructions: 

Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker

Shake well

Pour mix serve over ice

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It’s that easy!  Have you tried Crown Royal Apple?  What is your favorite way to drink it.?

3 Easy Champagne Cocktails To Help You Ring In The New Year

categories: COCKTAILS, Holidays
Champ
Photo Credit: Arlisappetite.com

“I only drink champagne on two occasions. When I’m in love and when I’m not.”  – CoCo Chanel

I couldn’t have said it better myself!  I can never get enough champagne.  I drink it in the morning with my mimosa and at night just because.  Champagne is normally reserved for a celebration or special occasion, but I see it as an inexpensive, no fuss, easy cocktail. Not to mention it always give you a little buzz. Some champagnes can be expensive, but there are also good quality champagne options that are not.   If you are looking to add a little kick to your annual midnight champagne toast, here are a few of my favorite champagne recipes.

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Love Cocktail (Photo Credit: freixenetusa.com)

3/4 Glass of Champagne, Add Strawberry Liquor to fill glass, garnish with a strawberry

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V Kiss Cocktail (Photo Credit: freixenetusa.com)

2 oz Vodka (I prefer flavored, any flavor you’d like), top with 3 oz. Champagne

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Cran Ginger Cocktail (Photo Credit: Pop Sugar.com)

2 oz Cranberry Juice, 1 oz Ginger Beer,  2 oz. Champagne

And if you want to take your champagne drinking to another level, check out these 8 Tips on How To Drink Champagne correctly.

What is your favorite champagne cocktail?

5 Easy Cocktail Ingredients That Transition Your Fall Favorites Into Winter Winners

categories: COCKTAILS, Holidays

December 22nd is the official start of Winter here in the United States.  Even though it’s been an unseasonable Fall and Winter with temperatures reaching 70 degrees, I’m still looking forward to creating traditional winter cocktails.

There are so many great traditional cocktails that come to mind when I think of Winter – Egg Nog, Hot Cider, Mulled Wine, Boozy Hot Cocoa and many more. Below are just a few of my favorites that I like to use in my cold weather cocktails.

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1. Chocolate – Many people know that my favorite cocktail of all time is a Chocolate Martini.  Chocolate drinks tend to be reserved for cold weather, especially a flavorful Boozy Hot Chocolate with lots of marshmallows and whipped cream. Creme De Cocoa is a sweet chocolate liqueur used to make a chocolate martini or it can be added to added to coffee or hot chocolate.  Check out the recipe below for my favorite Boozy Hot Chocolate.

1 oz. Pinnacle Marshmallow Vodka 

Add it to the Hot Chocolate

Top with CREAM Vanilla (Alcohol Infused) Whipped Cream

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2.  Mint – When I think of Christmas I think of candy canes, peppermint patties and those mint candies the old ladies would give us in church. Mint is definitely a staple of the Winter season.  It’s also a great ingredient to add to your cocktails. The Food Network has a perfect and easy to make Candy Cane Cocktail.

3.  Cinnamon – Cinnamon is a popular spice in the world of Winter Cocktails.  It’s great with cold or hot cocktails.  I like to make my own cinnamon simple syrup. It’s quick to make and easy to store and you can add it to just about anything. Below is one of my favorite cinnamon cocktails, it can be a Summer or Winter cocktail if you leave out the ice.

BlueChairRecipe

4. Cranberry – Cranberry season in the United States technically starts in November right around Thanksgiving.  That’s when we begin to see cranberry sauce and cranberries incorporated into holiday dishes.  We can continue this holiday tradition well into the Winter months.  Fresh cranberry cocktails with cranberry garnishes are all the rage, but if fresh cranberries aren’t your thing you can always add a splash of cranberry juice to your favorite cocktail. Bonappetit has a great New Years Eve Cranberry Champagne Cocktail. 

5.  Apple –  Apple how do I love thee? Let me count the ways – Apple Cider, Apple Sangria, Apple Martini and the list goes on. Apples are everywhere during the Winter months. You can always find apples at Supermarkets and Farmer’s Markets all year round. Apple is the perfect Fall/Winter fruit to include in any cold weather cocktail. One of my favorite to make is the Apple Cidecar.

3 oz Apple Cider

1  1/2 oz Brandy

1/2 oz Triple Sec or Cointreau

1/2 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice or sweet & sour mix

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Those are just a few of my favorites.  What are your favorites?

Jameson Coffee Cocktail

categories: COCKTAILS

coffeecocktail

While making my holiday party rounds, I attended the Lord Baltimore Hotel‘s annual holiday party.  Of all the holiday events I’ve enjoyed this season, I was pleasantly surprised that this party included a hot holiday cocktail.

The drink was created by staff at the hotel’s restaurant The French Kitchen . This cocktail is called “Cafe’ Irlanda’s” it is delicious and easy to make.

Ingredients: 

1 oz Jameson Whiskey added to a coup of Coffee

Top with Almond Vanilla Whipcream (or any whip cream) and add Brown Sugar.

What is your favorite hot holiday cocktail?

Cherry Tart Pinot Noir

categories: COCKTAILS, Liquor Reviews

Last night I finally cracked open the bottle of Cherry Tart Pinot Noir I purchased three months ago.  I saw it on display at the liquor store and it immediately caught my attention because I love sweet wine.  What better way to test out my new Olivia Pope Wine Glass I ordered on Black Friday from Crate and Barrel.

Cherry Tart Wine

When I do drink wine, I prefer Pinot Noir.  Pinot Noir is a medium-bodied red wine and it tends to be the sweetest of other red wines.  I didn’t expect it to taste exactly like a cherry tart, but I did expect it be a little sweeter than it was.

When I poured it into the glass I could smell the sweet fruity aroma and when I gave it a sip I could taste the cherry fruit notes. It was fruitier than your average Pinot Noir and it was easier to drink.  It goes down smooth and before I knew it I was on my second glass.

This wine is great alone but would be excellent in a Winter Sangria or a Mulled Wine cocktail.

Winter Red Wine Sangria

Ingredients: 

1 (750-ml) bottle red wine

1/2 cup Brandy

1/4 cup  Triple Sec

2 Apples and 2 Oranges (occasionally I like to add 1/2 cup orange juice)

2 cups of sparkling water or sparkling cider

Instructions: 

Stir the wine, Triple Sec and Brandy.

Cut apples and oranges into slices and add to the mixture

Add the sparkling water or cider

Pour mix serve over ice and enjoy

Have you tried any other fruit inspired wines?  Comment below and tell me what you think.

Tiki Tuesday at Pen & Quil

categories: COCKTAILS

Warm days call for tropical cocktails and Pen & Quill in Station North, Baltimore has the best Tiki Tuesday in town. Possibly the only Tiki Tuesday in town, at least the only one I’ve come across, offers a variety of tropical themed cocktails complete with fresh ingredients and fruit garnishes.

I’ve been to  Pen & Quill a handful of times, but I can specifically remember two times I visited on a Tuesday. The first time was on a whim and I liked the cocktails so much that I went back on another Tuesday.

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“Zombie” Cocktail at Pen & Quill

My favorite tiki cocktail at Pen & Quil is the “Zombie”.  It’s not your typical tropical drink, it’s sweet but strong.  So strong that the menu has a warning “a limit of two per customer is necessary lest it carry you away to the other side”.  What a warning! My kind of drink.  The “Zombie” includes a blend of three rums, fresh juices and marachino liquor.

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Tiki Tuesday Cocktails at Pen & Quill

They also offer classic cocktails such as the Mai Tai or Pina Colada (rum, coconut, pineapple and lime.)  They even have a local themed cocktail “Baltimore Grog” that includes a blend of three rums, grapefruit, lime and honey syrup. There are nine cocktails total on the Tiki Tuesday menu, they are $10.00 each and all except one includes rum. The other ingredients and juices are made fresh by the Pen & Quill bar staff.

We also ordered Deviled Eggs and Fried Oyster Steam Buns from the Happy Hour menu.

If you are looking for a tropical getaway on random Tuesday evening, visit Pen & Quill (1710 N. Charles Street) or use the ingredients mentioned above and make your own tropical drinks at home.

And always follow my foodie and cocktail adventures on social media …  

  

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