Hey Amy! » liquor

Wallis Simpson

Amy — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 11:53:13 +0000

It’s Sunday morning and perhaps you are thinking about brunch. I am thinking of drinking an entire sea of water minus the salt. It’s dry here and I need some liquid. If you had a rough night, uh hem, this is the perfect drink to ease your pain. It’s called a Wallis Simpson.

Ms. Simpson was an American socialite that turned the head of Edward, Prince of Wales. Having two living ex-husbands the then King Edward caused a constitutional crisis in the UK which lead to him abdicating the throng to marry the woman he loved. He then was known as the Duke of Windsor and they lived happily ever after.

If you are looking for a fairy tale today, this drink may just bring you to it.

Ingredients:

1 shot Southern Comfort
1 tsp. 10x sugar
dash of bitters
chilled champagne

Pour the Southern Comfort into a chilled champagne flute, add sugar and stir well until dissolved. Add a dash of bitter and fill with chilled champagne.

I need a fairy tale today. And it looks something like a designer shoe sale. Enjoy!

xo–me

Zipper

Amy — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 13:09:38 +0000

This drink is meant to be shot but I enjoy sipping it. It makes for a nice after dinner drink that I can savor while lounging in my PJ’s.

I know it’s going to be a long day for me and since it’s Friday, it may just be along day for you as well. When you get home tonight, make a few of these, slip into your evening wear (and I don’t mean that evening gown) and put your feet up. I will be over here joining you.

Ingredients:

crushed ice
1 shot tequila
1/2 shot Grand Marnier
1/2 shot light cream

Pour all ingredients over crushed ice in a cocktail shaker. Close and shake vigorously for 10-20 seconds, until the outside of the shaker is frosty. Strain into (shot) glass.

Like the other drink recipes I have shared this week, multiplying this recipe is very simple and it will allow you to make a pitcher so you don’t have to leave the sofa. Enjoy!

xo–me

Dry Smile

Amy — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 13:21:15 +0000

I am on a plane heading to a very dry place. Some of you may be in the same boat, er I mean, plane. Every April I make my annual pilgrimage to the desert to enjoy the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Three days of heat, smiles and dry weather. When I stumbled onto this recipe a few months back, I knew I had to try it for the purpose of sharing this week. With a name like Dry Smile, it just seems right to be making while I am getting ready for the show or when I get back from the show or while I am at the show. (Yes, I am known for smuggling contraband.)

This is a dry drink (the title says so) but if you want a really dry drink, edit your pineapple pouring.

Ingredients:

1 shot Cinzano extra dry
1 shot mandarin vodka
I shot orange curacao
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 Tbsp. strawberry syrup (I have used juice and it’s almost as good)
ice
pineapple juice

Shake the first five ingredients well over ice. Pour into a tall glass and fill with pineapple juice to taste.

Like most of my grown-up recipes, this one can be made in multiples and tossed into a pitcher for sharing. Or a jug so you can travel with the contraband easily. I am not talking about drinking and driving people. I am talking about making it, putting in the trunk and smuggling into the nearest party destination. Enjoy!

xo–me

Gin & Juice

Amy — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 13:20:37 +0000

Summer is right around the corner and in some parts of the country, it has already arrived (like Indio, CA for example). For those heading to this warmer destination, this is a great recipe that travels well (meaning your walk from your campsite to the concert) and is very refreshing in the hot desert sun.

Snoop made the saying gin & juice famous years ago. This is my interpretation of his infamous drink.

Ingredients:

3 shots gin
1/2 tsp. grenadine
1 shot orange juice
1 shot lemon juice
splash of club soda

Shake the first four ingredients together ofver ice until frosted. Strain into a chilled tall glass (or your water bottle) and fill with club soda. Enjoy!

This is also a great ‘hair of the dog’ morning pick-me-up. Not that I have had that problem before. I have just heard of it.

xo–me

Bloody Mary

Amy — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 11:55:48 +0000

Hands up, who is slightly hungover from last night’s football festivities? What a game! Whether you were celebrating or nursing your broken heart, many of you have a hangover this morning. I support a run to McDonald’s, right Lisa?, or make this Bloody Mary before you head out today. Even if you are going to work. Hee hee.

Ingredients:

dash Worcestershire sauce
dash Tabasco sauce
cracked ice
2 shots vodka
slash dry sherry
6 shots tomato juice
juice 1/2 lemon
pinch celery salt
pinch cayenne pepper
celery stalk with leaves and olives

Sash the Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco sauce over ice in a shaker and add the vodka, dry sherry, tomato juice and lemon juice. Shake vigorously until frosted. Strain into a tall chilled glass, add celery salt and cayenne and decorate with celery and olives.

Nothing beats the hair of the dog. Congrats Green Bay! Glad you got it and Brett didn’t.

xo–me

The Champion

Amy — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 12:57:14 +0000

This week I am sharing all sorts of recipes you will surely want to share at your giant Super Bowl Party on Sunday. Today’s recipe I came upon in my favorite cocktail cookbook and it really seemed appropriate–the Champion! I made a jug of the Champion once for a party and the men loved it.

Ingredients:

1/2 shot dry vermouth
1/2 shot whiskey
1/4 shot Benedictine
1/4 shot white curacao
ice
club soda

Shake the first four ingredients over ice until well frosted. Strain into a small tumbler filled with ice and top off with club soda.

When I made the jug, I multiplied the recipe by 10 and put it into a stainless jug pushed into a tub of ice. Enjoy!

xo–me

Good and Plenty

Amy — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 12:56:17 +0000

I have read about this infamous Good and Plenty cocktail that emulates the flavors of that delicious movie theatre licorice candy but never tried one. Finding bottles of liquor in your cabinet will change that for a girl. Perhaps you should go hunting in your bar and see what is in there?

Ingredients:

1 oz. brandy
1 oz. Sambuca
1 oz. spiced rum
1 oz. vodka
splash lemon juice
1 oz. orange juice

Pour brandy, Sambuca, rum, vodka and lemon juice into a cocktail shaker over ice. Add orange juice, shake and strain into a chilled glass.

Enjoy it with some popcorn and sno-caps. Kidding…

xo–me

Grown Up Finger Jell-o

Amy — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 12:35:46 +0000

I was a child when the finger Jell-o craze began. I recall every school party, Brownie event, and birthday sleepover had finger Jell-o. Some mom’s didn’t dissolve the Knox gelatin well so the bottom was super thick. I was a finger Jell-o snob I suppose because I would always ask for an adult to cut off the bottom when it was too thick. The striped multi-flavors were my favorite not only because they were delicious but I was always mesmerized by the layers of color.

Fast forward now to our adult life and I feel that finger Jell-o is missing somehow. I am single handedly making it my mission to reintroduce it into our world. I see it as a great addition to any casual affair, particularly when you add some vodka to the recipe as I have below. Everyone remembers the first time they had finger Jell-o. Putting it back in the mix at an adult gathering usually brings most people to reminisce about when they last had it, who made it for them and, quite frankly, at whom they threw it. I can think of a few people who tossed the Jell-o in more ways than one. Yet I digress. This dish is the perfect treat for those BYOB parties of New Year’s Eve. Or a great way to nurse your hangover the next day.

Ingredients:

3 pkg. Knox gelatin
4 3-oz. boxes Jell-o (any flavor)
3 c. boiling water
1 c. Vodka

Put Jell-o and Knox gelatin into a bowl. Add water and stir until dissolved (very well dissolved, see my complaint above). Add vodka. Pour into 9×13 inch pan. Cool in refrigerator. When firm, cut into squares (or use a cookie cutter to be creative and save the leftovers for yourself).

Make sure you let everyone know that vodka was included in the prep. I would hate for anyone to have a bad experience (I am sitting here recalling the Independence Day party I threw in the summer of 2001. Sigh.). Enjoy!

xo–me

Tequila Cosmo

Amy — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 11:22:26 +0000

What could be a cooler way to have a Cosmo than to add tequila? I had a particularly hectic and, at times, frustrating weekend (frustrated at my own mistakes BTW) so I woke this morning thinking today I should skip school (by school, I mean work) and lounge on my deck (by which I mean the park) and drink these!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 oz. silver tequila
1 oz. Cointreau or triple sec
1 oz. fresh lime juice
1 oz. cranberry juice
1 lime wedge

Shake ingredients together with ice. Strain into glass and squeeze lime wedge on top. Discard lime and relax.

I am heading off to the office but perhaps you will be stronger than I and skip to the deck, porch, patio or simply the park. Enjoy!

xo–me

Daiquiri

Amy — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 13:57:12 +0000

I can’t believe the summer is almost over. I am trying to understand what that means to me as a new New Yorker. Summer is year round in Los Angeles so I am certain I am about to have the shock of my life when Labor Day comes and goes and suddenly I have to wear tights and coats! Regardless, I am hoping to have a nice Labor Day weekend and celebrate the end of the season with some adult beverages. Today I am sharing some flavorful ways to make daiquiri’s. You can substitute any fruit puree for the mango to create your custom daiquiri.

Mango

1 1/2 oz. light rum
1 Tbsp. triple sec
1 1/2 oz. lime juice
1 tsp. sugar
2 oz. pureed mango

Combine ingredients in a blender with 1 c. crushed ice. Blend until smooth and enjoy!

Banana Daiquiri

1 1/2 oz. light rum
1 Tbsp. triple sec
1 1/2 oz. lime juice
1 tsp. sugar
1 ripe banana sliced

Combine all ingredients plus 1 c. crushed ice in a blender. Blend and serve.

Classic

2 oz. light rum
1 oz. lime juice
1 tsp. sugar

Combine all ingredients plus 1 c. crushed ice in a blender. Blend and serve.

Let me know what kinds of flavors you create! I would enjoy a strawberry/banana or a blueberry/raspberry.

xo–me