Articles

The Kamikaze. Unlike the Harvey Wallbanger, you might actually serve these. Often. I must have sold thousands of them when I worked down in the Lower East Side, NYC right around the turn of the century, in the insanely packed Hip Hop club (yes, I 've worked all genres of bar) Angel.

This is a martini version, always an easy default. But they also make very crowd pleasing shots.

1 oz vodka
1 oz triple sec
1 oz lime juice

Shake all ingredients over ice, strain into an martini glass, and serve. Garnish with fresh lime wedge.

p.s. Can't remember the ingredients? Here is a trick. What is, or who were kamikaze? They were pilots who dived bombed into Pearl Harbor. You could say a Kamikaze is a Very Tragic Landing , or Vodka Triple Sec, Lime. Damn, I'm good.

The Harvey Wallbanger! Come on, you gotta love it.

1 oz vodka
1/2 oz Galliano® herbal liqueur
4 oz orange juice

Pour vodka and orange juice into a Collins glass over ice cubes and stir. Float Galliano on top and serve.

Mostly I like this drink just to be able to say the phrase "Who wants a Harvey Wallbanger?" Hilarity, nudity, rejection, celebration are all things that might occur.

p.s. Galliano is anise liqueur..

It's like dessert and a drink.

MY GOD.

It's really good. Here is a slamming recipe:

1.5 oz. Stoli Vanil
1.5 White Creme de Cacao
1.5 Godiva Caramel Milk
0.5 Baileys

Shake hard over ice. Pour into a cocktail glass. You can garnish with a strawberry (sliced down the middle hanging on the glass) or with a Hersheys Kiss (dropped in like a surprise waiting to hapen) or a orange twist.

Thanks bartender and lovely gal Jessica Shapiro of Michael Lomanaco's Porter House in the Time Warner Center for this recipe.

Here is a simple, timeless elegant that has earned it's keep in cocktail Pantheon, the Gimlet.

Gimlet

2 oz gin
1/2 oz lime juice (fresh)
1/2 oz simple syrup
1 lime wedge (freshly cut)

Pour the gin and lime juice into a mixing glass half-filled with ice cubes. Shake hard. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with the lime wedge. You could also simple pour the ice and mixture into a rocks glass and it's a on the rocks version.

Some people may ask you to make this with Rose's lime syrup. It may be they don't know that a freshly made one tastes better, or they might just really like it that way. Be flexible! (But fresh is better).

I always enjoyed making these, just because hey're so timeless, cool and delicious. It seems to be a martini person's real insider drink. And the name, Gibson, harkens back to the lovely Gibson girls of the 20's, when it roared...

Gibson

1 1/2 oz gin (or vodka)
3/4 oz vermouth
7 cocktail onions

Stir gin and vermouth over ice cubes in a mixing glass. Strain into a cocktail glass. Add the cocktail onions . Serve. You can also skewer the cocktail onions and place them on the edge of the glass. Now order a steak. Heaven.

This is one of those drinks that nobody drinks but everyone knows, so here you are fuzzy navel. You've earned it:

Fuzzy Navel

1 part peach schnapps
1 part orange juice
1 part lemonade

Mix equal parts of each ingredient in a highball glass, top with ice, and serve.

Mmm, sugar water.

I include this recipe partially in jest. Through the years behind the bar I had a "no blue drink"policy. I mean, do you want to be guzzling something that looks like air conditioning coolent, or something you don't really find too much in foods in nature? Having said that, there is always a time to roll up your sleeves and get wacky:

Blue Hawaiian

1 oz light rum
1 cherry
2 oz pineapple juice
1 oz Blue Curacao liqueur
1 oz cream of coconut
1 slice pineapple

Blend light rum, blue Curacao, pineapple juice, and cream of coconut with one cup ice in an electric blender at high speed. Pour contents into a highball glass. Decorate with the slice of pineapple and a cherry.

The funny thing is, this tastes pretty good. I'm going to bartending hell!

I've never seen this not hit. A perfect winter drink. Think fire, a loved one, a great snowfall and this:

Brandy Alexander

1 1/2 oz brandy
1 oz dark crème de cacao
1 oz half-and-half
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg

In a shaker half-filled with ice cubes, combine the brandy, crème de cacao, and half-and-half. Shake well. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with the nutmeg.

Simple, classy and delicous:

Amaretto Sour

1 1/2 oz amaretto almond liqueur
1 1/2 splashes sweet and sour mix (our version: half fresh lime juice, half simple syrup..a must)

Pour the amaretto liqueur into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes. Add a splash or two of sweet and sour mix, and shake well. Strain or pour into an old-fashioned glass, garnish with a maraschino cherry and a slice of orange, and serve.

No take me to the races.

You don't think I don't have a soft spot for fun party drinks, do you? Here is a classic!

Alabama Slammer

1/2 oz amaretto almond liqueur
1/2 oz Southern Comfort® peach liqueur
1/2 oz sloe gin
1 splash orange juice
1 splash sweet and sour mix

Pour above ingredients into a stainless steel shaker over ice (or mixing glass with stainless steel top) and shake until completely cold. Strain into an old-fashioned glass and serve.

Sometimes people forget the ingredients and in a pinch a fun little memory trick can be to say "hmmm, people from alabama are (jokingly)said to be Southern, Slow And Old! or (Southern Comfort, Sloe gin, Amaretto & Orange Juice". Fun trick, eh?