Picking up slack with originality

Tart with a subtle sweet note.

1oz Southern Comfort
.5oz Vanilla Thrilla (I know! I'm sure something better could be substituted. It's what I had on hand.)
2oz Pomegranate juice (Pom)
.5oz Lemon juice

Shake with ice, serve in cocktail glass.

Honestly, it's really good. I just wanted to use some of the things I had on hand. And follow through on doing a SoCo cocktail, even though I didn't have a complete ingredient list for the ones I had listed earlier.

Meh!

*face in hands*

I am a drinking SLACKER. I heartily apologize. Life and a bit of a tight money situation has left my cocktail and other beverage exploits a bit lacking.

Imbibe Unfiltered asks, "What makes a great bar?"

To me, it's a healthy combination of atmosphere, bartenders, the likelihood of finding a seat at the bar... and bar hooks.

1. A bar must have bar hooks. This requirement MUST be fulfilled for a bar to even be considered for favoritism.
2. If it's gonna be a bar I go to regularly, I want to get to know my bartenders. A seat at the bar is a must for this to happen. (comfy barstools are even better!)
3. Friendly, knowledgeable staff/bartenders. You don't have to be a cocktilian, but don't bite off more than you can chew.
4. I like to hear myself, and others at the bar. I want music, but I want it at a comfortable volume -- even if it's live.
5. Bonus 1: I love old-style decor at a bar. Wood paneling, brass accents... all of that stuff just makes it feel like "home".
6. Bonus 2: Plenty of stuff to look at. I love bars that have funky, weird stuff tucked away in every corner. Great for when your buddy goes to the bathroom and you need to avoid eye contact with that creepy guy in the corner. Plus, if you're tipsy/drunk, finding new stuff is an adventure!
7. Bonus 3: If it's summer, an outdoor bar is wonderful.

Side note: What is it about this Blogger template that screams "COCKTAILS!"? I've noticed most every blog about cocktails that I've encountered on Blogger uses this template (though, generally, the lighter variation - part of the reason why I chose this color scheme). It must be the retro dots.

Mojo diminuitively

I finally found a place that serves good mojitos. Granted, there was no crushed ice, but there was plenty of mint, a healthy dose of lime, and a hint of sweetness without being cloying. If they weren't $9.50 a pop, I would've downed at least two. Damn Columbia and its exorbitant prices.

Way to go, Clyde's of Columbia.

Dearie.

Hello forlorn blog. It's been a while. I haven't even kept my promise to try the new and exciting SoCo cocktails below... and I even have a bottle of SoCo. It's mostly due to the lack of fresh lime/lemon in the house, and a rather hectic time schedule, making it hard to concentrate on creating a good cocktail.

I have to admit that I'm absolutely obsessed with the Mojito. Obsessed. So, so, good. There has been much talk about the Mojito around the cocktail blogs I frequent, so apparently I'm not the only one :)

Next summer will definitely see the addition of a mint plant in a tub on my deck. Perhaps I'll even order that Cuban mint that is the authentic Mojito mint.

I've decided, too, that I may have found a nice, easy, bar drink (I generally refrain from "interesting" cocktails at bars, as the generally don't know them, or they're just too complicated, and I don't want to annoy the bartender... especially since most cocktails can go horribly wrong if done incorrectly): A rum and tonic, with a wedge of lime (to squeeze into said drink).

One night as I got lazy making Mojitos (because, really, it's pretty labor intensive, especially as one gets tipsy) I started just refilling my glass with rum, lime, and topping with tonic. By the second time around doing that, the mint flavor is pretty much gone... but it was still tasty! Ergo: new bar drink!

I mean, there's Gin & Tonics, Vodka Tonics... why not a Rum Tonic!

Rum is, after all, my favorite liquor.

Sangria Blanca - Test Run

I did a test run this past weekend using a split of cava - Freixenet, my favorite.

1 cup Brandy (not flavored) Wound up forgetting to buy brandy, so I used the SoCo that I had purchased for cocktails. Wasn't half bad.
1/2 cup Amaretto (vice orange liqueur)
No sugar
1 thinly sliced peach I used a nectarine, which strangely had pink-colored flesh; it was surprising. This time I blanched (to de-skin) before slicing. Next time I think I'll slice, then de-skin each individual slice, in order to get thinner slices)
1 cubed/sliced mango
1 pint raspberries Oops, I forgot. Will remember for next time, though. I'm sure the flavors will go well
Cava

I over-estimated the amount of cava in the split (I'm not sure why I didn't check the mL to cup ratio and then go from there, but a split only has about a cup and a half of liquid) and put in a tad too much SoCo/Amaretto (1/2 cup and 1/4 cup, respectively). It was still tasty, just a little too alcohol-y.

I also added tropical-mix juice. A little more than I would do normally, simply to counterbalance the poor alcohol ratios above. I'll probably add maybe a cup or so to the full recipe.

All in all, the flavors came out great. I really enjoyed the anisette and how it complemented the flavors of the fruit. Definitely a winner.

Sangria Blanca - more thoughts

Okay, so here are my preliminary thoughts on a non-citrus Sangria Blanca

1 cup Brandy (not flavored)
1/2 cup Amaretto (vice orange liqueur)
No sugar
1 thinly sliced peach
1 cubed/sliced mango
1 pint raspberries
Cava

Theoretical method: mix Brandy and Amaretto together, add peach and mango, and let sit. Before serving add raspberries and Cava.

Possible garnish: Use a melon-baller (or other small scooper) to create small scoops of Mango/Tropical/Peach sorbet. (Last time I wanted to attempt this, I could not find a melon baller. Of course, I only looked at the grocery store.) Add a couple to glass to help keep Sangria chilled.

I think the woody flavors of mango will complement the sweet peach/amaretto and tart raspberries, well. Here's hoping!

Adventures in Bad Mojitos

California Pizza Kitchen (Baltimore) wasn't much better. I'm not sure what the deal was, but it definitely was not good. I think they might have confused ginger ale and club soda. I should've gone for one of their "flavored" mojitos.