CHOCOHOLICS DELIGHTED

Valentino's Delight Recipe:

Luscious, opulent and complex

1 1/2 oz. bourbon
1 oz. ruby port, the sweeter the better
1 oz. Kahlua
1 1/2 oz. heavy cream
Ground nutmeg

Chill, then strain into a large chilled martini glass. Gently sprinkle nutmeg on top and impart these words: "Doubt thou the stars are fire, doubt that the sun doth move, doubt truth to be a liar, but never doubt that I love." — Shakespeare, Hamlet

 

CHOCOLATE MANDARINE:
This divinely decadent and sensual cocktail is wonderful for a romantic Midsummer's Night, Twelfth Night — or any night for that matter.

1 1/2 oz. mandarin Absolut vodka
1 oz. Godiva white chocolate liqueur
1/4 oz. mandarin Napoleon liqueur
1 tbs. sweet cocoa powder
1 tsp. dark chocolate shavings
Orange wedge

Rub the orange wedge around the lip of a large chilled martini glass. Lightly rim the lip of the glass with cocoa powder. Fill a shaker with ice and add vodka, liquor and liqueur. Shake well for five to 10 seconds, and pour into a chilled, rimmed martini glass.

Scatter the chocolate shavings around the top of the drink, serve with a chocolate candy kiss and say: "Love goes toward love. I can express no kinder sign of love, than this kind kiss." — Shakespeare, King Henry VI

SPANISHTINI:

2 oz. coffee liqueur
3/4 oz. crème de cacao
3/4 oz. Cointreau
2-1/2 oz. chilled black coffee
1/2 oz. Bacardi 151
sugar
heavy cream
cinnamon
nutmeg
chocolate

In a shaker, combine 2 oz. coffee liqueur, 3/4 oz. crème de cacao, 3/4 oz. Cointreau, and 2-1/2 oz. chilled black coffee. Shake vigorously and let stand. Pour 1/2 oz. Bacardi 151 into a cocktail glass with a sugared rim. Strike a match, let the sulphur burn off and carefully light the 151 on fire. Rotate the glass at a 45-degree angle, letting the flames caramelize the sugared rim. Sprinkle in nutmeg and cinnamon over the flames. Extinguish the fire and strain the contents of the shaker into the glass. Top with heavy cream and garnish with cinnamon and grated chocolate. 

Almond Joy Martini:

Miss trick-or-treating days? This adults-only drink tastes like an Almond Joy candy bar, with a mixture of chocolate vodka, hazelnut liqueur and coconut rum.

1 oz. Three Olives chocolate vodka
1 oz. Frangelica
1 oz. coconut rum

Chill, then strain into a chilled martini glass.

CO COJITO:

a mojito with Chocolate-infused Van Gogh Chocolate Vodka

Fresh mint and limes

dark chocolate shavings for garnish 

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Co Cojito
Signature creation on the menu at Co Co. Sala in Washington, D.C.
1 lime
6 mint leaves
½ ounce simple syrup
1 ½ ounces clear chocolate-infused vodka
Soda water
Dark chocolate shavings
Cut the lime in three pieces and combine with the mint leaves and simple syrup in a shaker; muddle. Add ice and the chocolate-infused vodka. Shake well and pour contents into a rocks glass. Add a splash of soda water and top with dark chocolate shavings.

BROWNIE COGNAC:

1 1/2 oz. Courvoisier® VSOP cognac
1 oz. amaretto
Dash of chocolate syrup

1. Fill pint glass with ice.
   
2. Add1 1/2 oz. cognac.
   
3. Add 1 oz. of amaretto.
   
4. Add a dash of chocolate syrup.
   
5. Shake and pour into a chilled martini glass.  

THANKSGIVING COCKTAIL

Thanksgiving marks the traditional beginning of the holiday party season. It's a time to share with relatives, good friends, and a nice holiday cocktail. Here are some ideas for you.

This award-winning cocktails will make its debut at the Inaugural Ball or the Hawaii Delegation at the Mandarin Oriental in Washington, D.C. All created by Bridget Albert, author of Market-Fresh Mixology: Great Seasonal Cocktails and master mixologist for Southern Wine and Spirits of Illinois.

THE APPLE COCKTAIL:

Recipe from Market Fresh Mixology by Bridget Albert

1 Whole Apple
juice of 1 lemon wedge
1 apple wedge (cut in half)
1 oz apple juice (unsweetened if you can find it)
1 oz limoncello
1/2 oz vanilla vodka
splash cranberry juice
cinnamon stick (for garnish)

Using an apple corer (or a knife, if you’re skilled), core the apple to the halfway point. DON’T cut through the bottom, or your drink will leak out all over your guests’ pants. Squeeze the lemon wedge on the inside – this will stop the apple from going brown.

In a mixing glass or a cocktail shaker, muddle the apple wedge and the apple juice. Add ice, limoncello, vanilla vodka, and cranberry juice. Shake well. Strain into the cored apple and serve with a short straw. Garnish with the cinnamon stick.

This is a great cocktail to make in batches. Core 4 or 8 apples at once, being sure to prep them with lemon, then multiply up the recipe to make a small pitcher’s worth. You can even keep a refill on hand for everyone.

AMERICAN DREAM COCKTAIL:

1 ounce PAMA pomegranate liqueur
1 ounce black cherry rum
1 1/2 ounces POM Wonderful pomegranate cherry juice
1/2 ounce fresh sour mix
White fondant
Blueberries

Cut mini stars out of white fondant. Using water, gently wet the back of each star and press into the inside of the cocktail glass. Let sit for 5 minutes.

In a Boston shaker, fill mixing glass with all ingredients and add ice to tin. Shake together well and strain into star-studded cocktail glass. Garnish with blueberries on a pick.

AIR FORCE ONCE COCKTAIL:

2 ounces Hpnotiq liqueur
1 ounce citrus vodka
fresh lemon juice
Lemon-lime soda
Lemon spiral

Fill tall glass with all ingredients and add ice. Stir well. Garnish with lemon spiral.

Cinnamon Cider Martini:

3 oz. HAN Asian Vodka
½ oz. Cinnamon simple syrup
1 oz. apple cider

Cinnamon stick and/or Fuji apple slice
Shake with ice and strain into glass.

"I love Thanksgiving turkey... it's the only time in Los Angeles that you see natural breasts."

Arnold Schwarzenegger

RAISE AWARENESS

The Pink Ribbon became worldwide symbol to help awareness about disease that strikes at the heart of families, friends and neighbors.

Mixologist all over the world are joining in the pink cause by creating a special pink ribbon themed with a percentage of the proceeds going to Breast Cancer research.



THE PINK RIBBON:
2.0 OZ Stoli Vanilla
1.0 OZ fresh Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice
1.5 OZ PAMA Liquor
chill and strain into cocktail glass



THE PINK RIBBON II:
Sparkling rosé wine or sparkling water, to top off the glass
2 oz pomegranate juice
1 oz rose petal vodka
fresh rose petals

Add pomegranate juice and vodka to a cocktail shaker with crushed ice. Shake and strain into chilled champagne flute. Top off with sparkling water or sparkling rosé wine. Garnish with fresh rose petals.


BAY OF PASSION:
1 part 42BELOW Passionfruit Vodka
3 parts Pineapple Juice
2 parts Cranberry Juice
Finely Diced Ginger
Orange Twist Garnish

Combine liquid ingredients and diced ginger in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake to blend and chill. Strain into highball glass over fresh ice. Garnish with twist of orange.