Breakfast Martini

We haven't been able to think why this martini is called what it is other than marmalade being in the list of ingredients. Which honestly has subtle bearing on its taste. It's quite light and zesty which one could see being served at brunch or a late sunny summer afternoon. Refreshing, yes! breakfasty... remains to be decided although brunch is what this cocktail is better suited for. 

Breakfast Martini

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makes 1 martini

1 teaspoon marmalade

ice

50ml gin

15ml Grand Marnier

15ml aperitif wine (like Lillet)

15ml lemon juice

orange zest for garnish

In a cocktail shaker, place the marmalade with ice, stirring to dilute.

Add the rest of the ingredients and shake with more cubed ice for 10 seconds.

Double strain, by using a regular strainer in your cocktail shaker and holding a fine mesh strainer over your glass. Pour through both strainers into a martini coupe glass. Garnish with orange zest.

Have a nice weekend, stay safe and stay warm! - JD

Crimson Cocktail

A vibrant and refreshingly sweet but dry cocktail. 

Crimson Cocktail

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makes 1 cocktail

1 1/2 oz Dry Gin

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon Grenadine

Port Wine, for topping up

cherry, for garnish

Place all ingredients into cocktail shaker with cracked ice and shake well. Strain into 3 oz cocktail glass, leaving enough room on top to float 3/4 oz Port Wine. Garnish with a cherry, if you wish.

The temperatures have plummeted and more snow is on the way. Stay warm and have a great weekend everyone! - JD  

Prosecco Cooler

A sparkling cocktail with a hint of citrus that is refreshing and bubbly. 

Prosecco Cooler

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makes 1 cocktail

1 oz Aperol

4 oz Prosecco

2 1/2 oz Sparking water

lemon juice

ice cubes

Place ice cubes and a slice of lemon in a cocktail glass. Fill with the Aperol, Prosecco and sparkling water and a splash of lemon juice. 

Getting organized for the Holidays is always a rush. Stay warm and have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

French 66

For any occasion and just fancying something a bit different, the French 66, is the cocktail to serve. 

French 66

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makes 1 cocktail

1 oz Lemon juice

6 dashes Orange Bitters

Champagne

lemon slice

Add lemon juice and Orange Bitters into a champagne glass. Top up with champagne. Garnish with a lemon slice.

Stay warm and have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

Scofflaw Cocktail

This bright blushing cocktail comes with a bit of a kick. Just a hint of citrus and slightly sweet with a strong finish.

Scofflaw Cocktail

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makes 1 cocktail

2 oz Bourbon or Rye Whiskey

1 oz Dry Vermouth

1/4 oz lemon juice

1/2 oz Grenadine 

2 dashes of Orange Bitters

Add all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Have a great weekend everyone! - JD  

Graduate

Moving on to this chill cocktail... subtle citrus flavours and a smoothness that hails a balanced bitterness, thanks to the Campari. 

Graduate

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makes 1 cocktail

1 oz Creme de Cassis

1 oz Campari

1/2 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice

Chilled Brut Champagne, or Sparkling Wine

Ice cubes

Fill a cocktail shaker halfway full with ice cubes. Add the Creme de Cassis, Campari, and lemon juice. Shake well. Strain into a fluted glass, and top with the champagne.

Have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

Imperial Martini

Strong however a little bit bitter. Certainly a slow sipping cocktail. 

Imperial Martini

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makes 2 cocktail 

6 oz Gin

2 oz Dry Vermouth

1 oz Maraschino liqueur

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker with cracked ice and shake well. Strain into chilled martini glasses.. Garnish with a lemon twist, if you wish.  

Plenty of bright sunshine to go around. Have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

Maiden's Prayer

Surprisingly strong with a sweet citrus note.

Maiden's Prayer

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makes 1 cocktail

1 oz Gin

1 oz Triple Sec

1/3 oz Lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon Orange Juice

Place all ingredients into a cocktail pitcher with ice. Stir. Strain into cocktail glass. 

Have a nice weekend everyone! - JD 

Orange Fizz No. 2

A blast of citrus that is refreshing, fizzy and sour. This one will make you pucker up! 

Orange Fizz No. 2

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makes 1 cocktail

2 oz Dry Gin
juice of 1/2 orange
juice of 1/2 lime
juice of 1/2 lemon

Shake well with ice and strain into glass. Top up with soda water.

Notes: club soda or seltzer will work as well. 

Happy Robert Burns Day! Stay warm, enjoy the sunshine and have a great weekend everyone. -JD  

Sea Fizz Cocktail

On one of the most snowy days, we tried this light frothy cocktail. A fresh summertime drink that will have you floating along regardless what the temperature may be outside. According to some, this cocktail was founded in 1946 in the Stork Club Bar Book by Lucius Beebe.   

Sea Fizz Cocktail

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makes 1 cocktail

1 1/2 oz Absinthe

1/2 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 oz simple syrup

1 egg white

chilled club soda

Fill a cocktail shaker half way with ice cubes. Add the absinthe, lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg white. Shake the cob webs out (which means shake well).

Fill a highball glass halfway full with ice cubes. Strain the sea into the glass.

Fill the glass almost to the top with the chilled club soda, and stir well.

Stay warm and have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

Stairs Martini

This light and fresh fruity cocktail is a moreish one; that will fill up your daily quota of Vitamin C in one cocktail. 

Stairs Martini

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makes 2 martinis

2 oz vodka

4 oz cranberry juice

2 oz grapefruit juice

1 oz apple juice

1 oz pear juice

a splash of lemon juice

2 dashes of orange bitters

1 spills of simple syrup

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Add all of the ingredients. Shake and strain into chilled cocktail glasses.

Have lovely weekend everyone! - JD 

Bacardi Cocktail, Ritz Version

With any cocktail there are bound to be multiple versions. Slight tweaks and alterations to suit ones taste. The Ritz version of the Bacardi Cocktail is refreshingly light and fruity. This recipe was adapted from The Artistry of Mixing Drinks by Frank Meier, published in 1936 by the Ritz Hotel, Paris. 

Bacardi Cocktail, Ritz Version

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makes 1 cocktail

1 1/2 oz White Rum, preferably Bacardi 
1/2 oz French Dry Vermouth
1/2 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 oz simple syrup
1 teaspoon grenadine

Combine rum, vermouth, lemon juice, and grenadine in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.   

Have a fabulous weekend everyone! - JD 

12 Mile Limit

This punchy creamy fruity cocktail is slow sipable one. strong, I feel one too many of these will creep up on you therefore limit this cocktail to one.   

Twelve Mile Limit

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makes 1 cocktail

1 oz white rum

1/2 oz rye whiskey

1/2 oz brandy

1/2 oz grenadine

1/2 oz fresh lemon juice

Shake in an iced cocktail shaker, and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon. 

Have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

Modern No.2

This is a strong and peculiar cocktail with an interesting warm blend. Definitely worth a sip.

Modern No.2

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makes 1 cocktail

2 oz Scotch Whiskey

1 dash Lemon juice

1 dash Pernod

2 dashes Jamaica Rum

1 dash Orange Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass. Serve with a cherry.

Have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

The Astronomer

Light and crisp as a summer breeze. The Astronomer offers a refreshingly sherberty gaze to any starry night. 

The Astronomer

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makes 1 cocktail

1 1/2 oz gin

3/4 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice

3/4 oz watermelon and star anise syrup

5 pink peppercorns

2 sprigs cilantro, optional

1 thin slice fresh watermelon, optional

1 1/2 oz tonic water

Muddle the peppercorns in a shaker and ass the gin, syrup, lemon juice and sprigs of cilantro, if using. Shake for 10 seconds. Double strain over ice into a highball glass. Top with tonic water. Garnish a sprig of cilantro and or a slice of watermelon. 

Notes: we could not find watermelon and star anise syrup so instead we used a low sugar watermelon juice. We also added a few pomegranate seeds to swirl and float around in the glass.   

Have a lovely weekend everyone! - JD 

The Fitzgerald

A simple yet exceptionally smooth cocktail with a bitter citrus flavour. This cocktail was created by Dale DeGroff, otherwise known as King Cocktail, as he was the mixologist at New York's the Rainbow Room during the 80's. It was called the Gin Thing however it was suggested he give it a more classier name and The Fitzgerald was it!  

The Fitzgerald

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makes 2 cocktails

4 oz gin

1 1/2 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 1/2 oz simple syrup

2 dash of Angostura bitters

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker over ice. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. 

Have a fabulous weekend everyone! - JD 

Violet Fizz

Dreaming of summer? A cloudy pale floral drink to refresh and clear the mind. 

Violet Fizz

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makes 2 cocktails

2 oz Gin

1/2 oz Créme de Violette

1/4 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 oz simple syrup

chilled club soda

ice cubes

Fill a cocktail shaker halfway full with ice cubes. Add the gin, crime de violette, lemon juice and simple syrup. Shake really well. 

Fill a highball glass about three quarters full with ice cubes. Strain the mixture into the glass. Fill the glass with the chilled club soda, stir well, and drink. 


Notes: It is unfortunate that the pale violet colour, of the drink, did not show up quite so well.

Plunging temperatures, a balmy minus 40! has been the norm throughout this week. Stay warm and have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

French 75

This cocktail has a buck's fizz quality that is light and airy. Perfect for brunch or whenever you want to make a celebratory toast.   

  French 75

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makes 2 cocktails

2 oz Gin
1 oz lemon juice
2 teaspoon powdered sugar
Champagne

Divide the mixture into 2 glasses. Pour over cracked ice. Stir. Fill with Champagne. 

Have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

Vampire Ritual

There are a few versions of this cocktail. One uses beet syrup in replace of blueberry. Supposedly it gives this cocktail a more earthy taste. It has a very dark sinister colour that one can assume is supposed to mimic blood therefore, apart from the name, it's vampiric  implications are pure. 

Vampire Ritual

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makes 1 cocktail

1 1/2 to 2 oz gin

1/2 oz triple sec

1 1/2 oz blueberry syrup/juice

10 - 15 fresh blueberries

3/4 oz lemon juice

Muddle the blueberries and syrup/juice together, the pout the mixture and all the other ingredients into a cocktail shaker, with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a martini glass. 

Notes: to make the syrup, just boil equal part of water and sugar, add some fruit, in this case blueberries, strain out the chunky bits and use the liquid. 

Halloween is almost here. Have a fabulous weekend everyone! - JD 

Skeleton Key

Most Halloween cocktails seem spicy in nature. Why? I do not know. The Skeleton Key has all the backbone of a very moreish fall cocktail. An enchanting spicy floral beverage that is sure to unlock... or rival any Halloween trick or treat.    

Skeleton Key

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1 1/4 oz Bourbon

3/4 oz St. Germain liqueur ( and elderflower liqueur)

1/2 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 to 5 oz Ginger Beer, top as needed

8 dashes Angostura Bitters

Place the bourbon, St. Germain, and lemon into a cocktail glass, like a Collins glass, fill with ice. Top it off the the ginger beer. Garnish with the 8 dashes of Angostura Bitters and serve with a straw. 

The few days of warmer temperatures may have lifted my spirits; as this terrible cold is still lingering. Have a fabulous weekend everyone! - JD