Better than cake! Happy Birthday martinis

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Have your cake and drink it, too! Especially when it's your birthday...

As you've probably figured out, celebrations with my friends (almost) always call for a signature drink. Of course birthdays are no different. We've enjoyed birthday-tinis in the past - try vanilla vodka, pineapple juice, and amaretto for a surprisingly cakey flavor! - but for last night's soiree, we went for full-on decadence!

These drinks are creamy delicious, but the presentation really makes it special.

Birthday cake martinis
2 oz. vodka (cake, vanilla or whipped flavor)
1.5 oz. amaretto
1 oz. white chocolate liquor
1 oz. half & half
Presentation:
   Honey
   Party nonpareils
   Lemons
   Birthday candles

Measure: I made them in batches of 1 cup, 3/4 cup, 1/2 cup, 1/2 cup respectively until I had a pitcher full. Prep was key because I didn't want to keep the birthday girl waiting once she was ready to make her wish!

Prep part 1: Rim the martini glasses with the nonpareils using honey to make them stick. Usually I use lemon or lime juice as the "sticking agent" but with nonpareils the liquid melts the colors into a brown mess. Honey is the better choice! Arrange the rimmed glasses on a tray or table.

Slice lemons into discs until you have enough for one per glass. Tuck a birthday candle into each slice so they stand up.

Then it's time to "make the cake!"

Shake: Shaking is key. Add batches of the martini "batter" to a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously for about 30 seconds. Get it good and frothy.

Pour into rimmed glasses. Repeat until the whole arrangement of glasses is full.

Prep part 2: Carefully float a lemon slice with candle on the top of each filled glass. 

Light the candles and start singing!

Happy birthday, dear Kelli! Happy birthday to you!

sip. savor. celebrate.

Fruited Old Fashioneds - the Martini Lady breaks new ground!

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What was I to do? We were celebrating a guy friend's birthday, and he's a big bourbon fan. I couldn't do my normal birthday-tinis. I had to break out of my comfort zone, and move more into a "Southern Comfort" zone!

Here's what I came up with - to rave reviews... and refills.

Fruited Old Fashioneds
(sorry this one has already
sipped!)

Fruited Old Fashioned
4 oz. Bourbon
1 oz. Herring Cherry Liqueur
3 Maraschino cherries
3 Orange slices (3/8" inch thick semi-circles)
2 sugar cubes
2-3 dashes of bitters










Start at the bottom and work your way up: 

1. Saturate one of the sugar cubes with the bitters. Place it and the plain cube at the bottom of an old-fashioned highball glass (a new experience for me!) 
2. Wipe the rim of the glass with an orange slice then add two of the orange slices to the bottom of the glass.
3. Add two maraschino cherries and a bit of the juice from the jar.

Muddle: Lightly mash the fruit and sugar cubes to get the juice out of the fruit, crush and dissolve the sugar cubes, and get a nice base of syrupy sweetness!

Add the cherry liqueur and stir.

Fill the glass with ice.

Pour the bourbon over the ice. 

Stir to get the syrup "all up in that bourbon" and some of the fruit off the bottom. 

Garnish with another cherry and orange slice.

Happy Birthday, Brian!

sip. savor. celebrate!

Big Red Martini - perfect for watching the big Red Carpet?

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What better way to enjoy the Big Red Ball dinner/dance than with a Big Red Martini?

The Big Red Ball - a wonderful evening of cocktails and conversation, dining and dancing... all shared with great friends and toasted with this magical martini! But given the timing, I'm thinking this might be the perfect way to watch the red carpet and the Golden Globes tonight! (Yeah, I know it's Sunday. Just have one.)

Here's the recipe:





 
Big Red Martini
4 oz. vodka
2 oz. Triple Sec or Cointreau
2 oz. pomegranate juice
1 oz. cranberry juice
1 t. Rose's lime juice


Measure: Making them for a group, measure into a 4-cup measuring glass. I started with 2 cups of vodka and kept the proportions from there.

Rim the glass: I used Williams-Sonoma Cosmopolitan Froster. Pour the sugar onto a small plate and dip the lime-wiped top of the glass into it. Swirl the glass in the rimmer until you get a nice even coating.

Shake: Pour a batch of the martini mixture into a shaker 2/3 filled with ice. Shaking is key - shake vigorously for a good 15-30 seconds.

Pour into rimmed glass.

sip. savor. celebrate!

Here's to 2015! Celebrate with a New Years Rockin'-tini!

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Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, friends!

I don't know about you, but I'm ready for a new year.  A fresh start. Resolutions. Well wishes. You know the drill. So, let's celebrate with a special toast:

"May 2015 be a little sweet, a little sassy, and a lot rich with beautiful strength and happiness!"

Share this toast with friends and family...and a special New Years Rockin'-tini (a special shout out to Cheryl and Karin for helping perfect it):


New Years Rockin'-tini
2 oz. citrus vodka (We used Smirnoff.)
2 oz. blue raspberry mixer (We used Rose's.)
2 oz. champagne

Measure: Making them for a group, measure the vodka and blue raspberry into a 4-cup measuring glass.

Rim the glass: For this one, go with pure white sugar - the classic - to hold the wish for a simple and sweet new year.

Shake: Pour a batch of the martini mixture into a shaker 2/3 filled with ice. Shaking is key - shake vigorously for a good 30 seconds.

Pour into rimmed glass until 2/3 full.

Top with champagne to add a little sass!

diamond ice

Garnish with a diamond of ice. Check these out! I made them with a silicone form that my girlfriend and I found in Georgetown. (Thanks, Shel.) They represent a 2015 rich with strength and happiness.

So simple, yet so wonderful. Wishing you all the best in 2015!

sip. savor. celebrate!

Introducing....The Martini Lady!

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In my circle of friends, I'm always the one who brings the drinks. It's my thing. Why? I love matching drinks to the occasion - whether it be birthdays, holidays or a themed party. And I hate to cook, so it conveniently gets me out of that.

So after years of pursuing the unofficial title of The Rachel Ray of Signature Drinks, I bring you this blog - a place to share my creations, cocktail recipes, tips, and discoveries. I've been threatening it forever. It all came together at a party a couple of weeks ago. One of my girlfriend's guests who I had not met before was saying her goodbyes at the end of the evening.

"Hey, where's the martini lady?" I heard her shout from the door. "Those were great! Thanks!"

And that was it.

Enjoy!


P.S. Seeing as this is a cocktail-related blog, and I'm a suburban mom at heart, I would be remiss if I didn't give a shout out to moderation. And, of course, to not drinking and driving. In our group, if I'm mixing martinis for the girls, the guys drive home. Besides, by and large, what I will share are specialty drinks. They are meant to be enjoyed, not guzzled. Thus I will end each post with this reminder:
sip.  savor.  celebrate!