Sunday Cocktail

Sip into Spring with the classic Gimlet cocktail

Published by admin on Tue, 03/30/2021 - 10:32am

Spring has officially sprung! The days are longer, a bit warmer, and hopefully sunny afternoons will return shortly. I'm not sure if springtime is made for gin cocktails, or if gin cocktails are made for spring, but 'tis the season to combine the two. It's time to shift gears from the winter Martini to a proper spring cocktail, the classic and underappreciated Gimlet.
The Gimlet is one of those classic drinks that has a long and storied past, but for one reason or another was not brought into the fold when the classic cocktail revival began over a decade ago.

Try this twist on the Mai Tai Cocktail

Published by admin on Tue, 03/23/2021 - 10:06am

If you were fortunate enough to visit Hawaii at any point between the mid-1960s and the early 2000s, there is a good chance that you were able to catch the legendary Don Ho Show at the Polynesian Palace. A trip to our 50th state was not complete without hearing the man in the raspberry-tinted glasses sing “Tiny Bubbles” while enjoying the Don's signature cocktail, the Polynesian Palace Mai Tai.

If you are thirsty for a stiff drink, try the Rusty Nail

Published by admin on Tue, 03/16/2021 - 10:35am

In January of this year Drinks International released its annual list of the 50 most popular cocktails in the world. The usual suspects occupy the top spots on the list with the Old Fashioned remaining the undisputed king of cocktails, followed by the Negroni and the Daiquiri in the second and third spots, respectively.
What's not on the list? The Rusty Nail. The Scotch-based Rusty Nail will have to wait until next year to return to the top 50, perhaps 2021 will be a comeback year for this forgotten classic.

Which is the better Margarita, fresh or frozen?

Published by admin on Tue, 03/09/2021 - 10:31am

National Margarita Day came and went this year, it was February 22 and it was largely uneventful. Bar service remains nonexistent in some areas, and it seems that over half of the country was covered in snow for the 2021 installment of National Margarita Day.
My annual tradition is to provide a Margarita refresher course on or around National Margarita Day. Whether you are washing down Baja tacos with a Margarita on the rocks or enjoying happy hour with a Frozen Margarita, there are a few basic principles that separate the good Margaritas from the bad.

Have a taste of the Chicago born cocktail, New York Sour

Published by admin on Tue, 03/02/2021 - 1:10pm

The list of Chicago-born classic cocktails is by no means a long list. Cohasset Punch, The Mamie Taylor, Chicago Fizz, and The Mickey Finn were all born in the Windy City, but Chicagoans for the most part have historically been a no-frills “beer or whiskey” group of consumers from working class roots. There is one classic cocktail that hails from Chicago that was renamed once it became popular in the Big Apple, the delightfully complex New York Sour.

Switch cocktails up with a Black Russian

Published by admin on Tue, 02/23/2021 - 12:33pm

Jeff Bridges consumed nine White Russians in the hit 1998 film The Big Lebowski, cementing the drink's cult status for generations to come. The White Russian began a run of popularity in the 1970s that shows no sign of slowing down as the White Russian remains the “go to” drink for many.

The official cocktail of grounded flights

Published by admin on Tue, 02/16/2021 - 2:14pm

Old Man Winter is showing no signs of going peacefully. Snow on the ground, snow in the forecast, and O'Hare Airport recorded the largest snowfall since November 2015. Hundreds of flights have been cancelled in the last week alone, perhaps more cancellations are on the way. This is the type of situation that calls for the official cocktail of grounded flights, the Irish Coffee.
I'm not actually sure that there is an “official” cocktail of grounded flights, but if there were it would have to be the Irish Coffee.

Palmer vs. Daly on the golf course and cocktails

Published by admin on Tue, 02/02/2021 - 1:17pm

First came Arnold Palmer, then came John Daly. Yes, Palmer's mastery of the game predates Daly's career, but we're not talking about the players. We're talking about the cocktails.
Legions of fans have enjoyed an Arnold Palmer ether on the course or at the 19th hole, and what's not to enjoy? Arnold's preferred mix of iced tea and lemonade is the perfect reward after a well-played round, or the perfect consolation prize following less than your best performance on the course.

Take yourself back to the beach with a Diamond Head Cocktail

Published by admin on Tue, 01/19/2021 - 10:19am

The calendar has turned to a new year, and more than likely plenty of friends, co-workers, and marketing emails have already wished you a happy New Year! If nobody has wished you a happy Wave Season yet, let me be the first to do so.
What, and when is Wave Season? Wave Season starts right about now and runs through early March, think of it as a “Black Friday” for the cruise industry. In a “normal” year, this is the time of year when the best deals on cruise packages to top destinations can be found online.

Get a taste of 80’s with a Madras cocktail

Published by admin on Tue, 01/12/2021 - 9:49am

Once upon a time, the Madras was “must know” drink that was taught in every bartending school. The drink is still taught, but thanks to the resurgence of pre-prohibition cocktails it is not a drink that is widely ordered. The peak for Madras popularity was the 1980s into the early 1990sm this week we re-live the magic!