Which two cocktails can I learn to make that everyone will love?
Two? Do you realize that there are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of cocktail recipes out there? Ok, I get that actually learning “hundreds” might be a bit of a stretch. Some of those cocktails are just plain obscure anyway. There are, however, a fairly large handful that qualify as well-loved, popular favourites. So, which to choose? Let’s break the choices down even more. A Mai Tai is like a Mojito is like a Daiquiri is like a …. Right, in other words there are lots of variations on a theme. You don’t need to buy a case load of different kinds of alcohol to make a few cocktails. Buy one or two types, say rum and gin, or vodka and bourbon. Your choice, and make it a couple of your favourites, too. You’re probably not going to be able to please everyone’s taste for alcohol, so you might as well please yourself. From there, explore the myriad cocktails that use the alcohol you bought as a base. There are tons of cocktails that require rum, choose your favourites. Beyond that, make sure your fridge is stocked with juice, citrus and fruit. Those can be combined in a whole lot of ways to make a whole lot of different cocktails. If you’re still stuck, keep the two below on file.
Italian Screwdriver
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 oz citrus vodka
- 3 oz orange juice
- 2 oz grapefruit juice
- 1 splash ginger ale
Instructions
- Pour all ingredients into a sugar-rimmed parfait glass. Garnish with a slice of lime, and serve.
Wasabi Bloody Mary
Ingredients
- 1/2 fresh lime juice
- 4 1/2 tsp wasabi
- 6 cupslow-salt V8(R) vegetable juice
- 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups vodka
Instructions
- Combine lime juice and wasabi with a whisk, until wasabi dissolves. Pour into a pitcher, and add veggie juice, worcestershire sauce, pepper sauce and salt. Chill. Stir in vodka and serve over ice, with a stalk of celery or pickled asparagus. Serves 8.
Photo: TechCocktail