Midsummer's Cocktail

This is from the Three Olives website, again they call it a Martini, but we know better.
A warning to the gentle reader, these are very tasty and light which could lead quite easily to excessive consumption before you know it.

Perhaps that's the source of the name, just a few of these and you may find yourself dancing nekkid under the Midsummer's moon. I used a bit more lime juice and that produced just the right balance between sweet and tart.

This is now in the top of my list of aperitifs. You could use less lime juice & a sugar rimmed glass for a slightly sweeter dessert version.

Midsummer's Cocktail
3 oz. Three Olives Orange Vodka
1 oz. Grand Marinier
1/4 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice

Add ice to stemmed cocktail glass and set aside to chill.
Fill cocktail shaker with ice.
Add all ingredients to cocktail shaker and shake well, till outside of shaker is frosty.
Empty ice from cocktail glass and strain contents of shaker into cocktail glass.
Serve with a twist of orange.

What flavor Martini are you?

Ok, we all know what they really mean is 'What flavor cocktail are you?' but we won't hold their obvious error against them. This is my result:

You Are a Chocolate Martini

You're an elegant drunk, who only likes the best bars and the most expensive drinks. A bit of a cheapskate, you're likely to mooch ten dollar drinks off both friends and strangers. You should never: Drink and dash. You're gonna get caught leaving someone with the tab! Your ideal party: A posh celebrity party you crash, with an open bar. Your drinking soulmates: those with a Classic Martini personality Your drinking rivals: those with a Blueberry Martini personality

What Flavor Martini Are You?

The Tuaca Cocktail

This is a lovely little libation by way of the fabulous Liquore Italiano, Tuaca. A hint of vanilla, some lovely fruit and it's all good. Maybe too good, these are quite easy to drink.

Tuaca Cocktail
2 oz. Shakers Rye Vodka
2 oz. Tuaca
1 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice

Add ice to cocktail glass and set aside to chill.
Fill cocktail shaker with ice.
Add all ingredients to cocktail shaker and shake well, till outside of shaker is frosty.
Empty ice from cocktail glass and strain contents of shaker into cocktail glass.
Serve with a twist of orange.

Between the Sheets

An oldie but a goodie. Another 1920's recipe recently regaining favor amongst the well heeled drinker. We tested with both Grand Marnier and Cointreau and were amazed at how different the taste was. The Grand Marnier is smoother, mellower. The Cointreau is decidedly more 'orangey'. I prefer the Grand Marnier, but you may like the extra fruity kick with the Cointreau.

Between the Sheets
2 oz. Jean Duree VSOP Cognac
1 oz. Rondiaz White Rum
1 oz. Grand Marnier or Cointreau
1 oz. fresh squeezed lemon juice

Add ice to rocks glass til half-full or fill cocktail glass with ice.
Fill cocktail shaker with ice.
Add all ingredients to cocktail shaker and shake well, till outside of shaker is frosty.
Strain into rocks glass or empty ice from cocktail glass and strain into cocktail glass.
Serve with a twist of lemon.

The Ecstasy Cocktail

Well, drink menus tend to call this a Martini. However, you and I know that a true Martini has the following ingredients only:
Plain Gin or Vodka shaken over ice, a wisp of dry Vermouth and a garnish of olive, all served in a cocktail glass. Granted you can have a dirty martini by adding olive juice to the aforementioned items, and there are a few, very few, other acceptable variations.
However this has gotten out of hand and people seem to have decided that anything served in a stemmed cocktail glass is a Martini. I'm personally out to stem that tide of incorrectness and will henceforth refuse to use the term Martini unless specifically referring to the actual drink.

That said...here's a lovely purple cocktail made with Three Olives Grape Vodka. "Grape vodka?" you ask quizzically. "Trust me." I say reassuredly. "It's quite tasty."


The Ecstasy
(This is listed on the Three Olives website as the Barney, but in the recipe book as the Ecstasy, presumably they've realized it's bad form to name a cocktail after a beloved children's character, though...what about the Scooby Snack? Nevermind.)
2 oz. Three Olives Grape Vodka
1/2 oz. Blue Curacao
1/2 oz. grenadine
Splash of soda water

Fill cocktail glass with ice and set aside to chill.
Fill cocktail shaker with ice.
Add Three Olives Grape Vodka, Blue Curacao and grenadine, shake well.
Empty ice from cocktail glass.
Strain shaker contents into chilled cocktail glass.
Garnish with an orange slice.

A personal suggestion...just add a splash each of the Blue Curacao and grenadine, too much makes the drink too dark to appreciate the beautiful purple color. Also...add a dash of lemon juice to cut the sweetness.