Bright and Rainy

A refreshing take on the Dark and Stormy for Spring.

Author: Malgosia Ip (honestcooking.com)
Recipe Type: Cocktail

Ingredients:
1.5 oz. Gin
0.5 oz. Peach Schnapps
0.25 oz. Lime Juice
3 oz. Ginger Beer/Ginger Ale

Stir all ingredients in a rocks glass.  Enjoy.

Watermelon Cooler

1 cup Svedka Vodka Stars & Stripes
1 cup seedless watermelon juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup simple syrup
Pinch of salt
Splash of soda


Combine all ingredients except soda into a shaker set.
Shake and strain into a Collins glass.
Add ice and top with soda.
Garnish with watermelons and cherries.

Scotch Sour

Brian Macdonald/Photodisc/Getty Images

Ingredients:

1 1/2 ounces Scotch Whiskey
3/4 ounce Lemon Juice

Preparation:

Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
Shake well.
Strain into an old fashioned glass filled with ice.



http://cocktails.about.com/od/whiskeyrecipes/r/scotch_sour.htm

The Wall

The Wall drink is made from orange vodka (aka Absolut Mandrin), Passoa and cider, and served in a highball glass.

                                       The Wall Ingredients:

1 oz. Orange Vodka (Absolut Mandarin)
1 oz. Passoã
Apple Cider
Garnish:  Red Maraschino cherry, orange slice
Glass:  Highball

The Wall Instructions:

Fill a highball glass with ice.
Add the vodka, Passoa and fill with apple cider.
Garnish with a maraschino cherry and orange slice.

(Spiritdrinks)

Bourbini

Bourbini

This cocktail, created by bar manager Jacquelyn Zykan at Doc Crow's Southern Smokehouse and Raw Bar in Louisville, KY, makes even a dark spirit like bourbon approachable thanks to the addition of peach flavors and sparkling wine.

1 oz. Heaven Hill 6-year bourbon
2 dashes peach bitters
.5 oz. Mathilde Peche peach liqueur
Sparkling wine

Shake ingredients with ice, strain into flute, top with sparkling wine, and garnish with mint sprig.

 

Courtesy of Doc Crow's

Lemon Ginger "Tulep"

Try a Lemon Ginger "Tulep" if you're celebrating the Kentucky Derby at home this year.
Makes one serving

3 Tablespoons ginger simple syrup (recipe follows)
6 to 8 fresh mint leaves, plus a sprig for garnish
1 cup lemon iced tea, “Pure Leaf” recommended
cold club soda
candied ginger, for garnish
Ginger Simple Syrup (makes 1½ cups)
½ cup fresh ginger, thinly sliced
½ cup sugar
1½ cups water

Simple Syrup: In a saucepan, combine ginger, sugar and water and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove pan from heat and cool. Strain the syrup and refrigerate syrup. Good up to one week.

In an old-fashioned glass, muddle ginger simple syrup with mint leaves. Add ice and iced tea; stir well.
Top with a splash of club soda and garnish with a slice of candied ginger and a sprig of mint.

To make a cocktail, add 1½ ounces Kentucky bourbon before adding the tea.

Source: Adapted recipe from Gail Simmons’, “Top Chef” judge and Food & Wine Magazine contributor.
Photo Courtesy: Pure Leaf Iced Tea

Bourbon Smash

Laurey W. Glenn / Food Styling: Norman King 

Ingredients:

6 fresh or frozen raspberries, thawed
1 tablespoon sugar
1 small lime wedge
3 to 4 mint or basil leaves
Crushed ice
1/4 cup bourbon

Preparation:
Place raspberries, sugar, lime wedge and mint or basil leaves in a chilled 10 ounce tumbler. Gently press raspberry mixture against sides of cup with a cocktail muddler or back of a spoon to release flavors.  Fill glass with crushed ice and bourbon; stir well. Serve immediately with a cocktail straw.

Southern Living