Mixology Monday: Key Lime Delight

Here's a fun dessert-inspired cocktail that's sure to please anyone with a sweet tooth. It's called Key Lime Delight and it contains a whipped cream vodka that appears to be quickly gaining popularity among the lady folk. Cheers to Mondays!

Photo courtesy of Smirnoff.com

Key Lime Delight:

1.5 oz. Smirnoff Whipped Cream vodka
0.75 oz simple syrup
3 dashes of orange bitters
A squeeze or two from a fresh lime
Ginger ale

Mix the first four ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake for 30 seconds. Strain into a glass and top with a float of ginger ale.

Mixology Monday: Kahlua Candy Bar

I've had a major sweet tooth lately so this edition of Mixology Monday sounds especially delicious. This tasty beverage is called a Kahlua Candy Bar and here's what's in it:

1 oz. Kahlua liqueur
1 oz. heavy cream
1/2 oz. creme de cacao
1/2 oz. Frangelico hazelnut liqueur

Mixology Monday: Sage Brown Derby

Hello all! I hope you had a fantastic weekend and you're ready to start your week off with a bang. But if you're not, I may have just the thing you need. Now that I've got the mommy thing mostly under more control, I'm bringing back Mixology Mondays. Hooray!

So if you have a case of the Mondays, today's little pick-me-up may be just what you need to relax, recharge, and get your creative juices pumping tonight. It's called a Sage Brown Derby, it features grapefruit juice, and it's fabulous. There's just something about the scent of citrus this time of year that gets me out of my January blues and into better spirits.

Sage Brown Derby (courtesy of this month's Bon Appetite magazine)

2 oz. rye whiskey
1 oz. Ruby Red grapefruit juice
1/2 oz. lime juice
1/4 oz. agave or simple syrup
2 dashes of bitters

Combine in a shaker with ice. Shake for 30 seconds. Strain into a glass. Squeeze one sage leaf between your hands until your palms become fragrant. Float atop your cocktail and enjoy!

Mixology Monday: Secret Starbucks Menu

I hope you all had a fantastic weekend. We had a blast doing some indoor skydiving, checking out a classic car show and puttering around in our backyard. Plus, it didn't rain much so we'll call that a double win!

In today's mixology tip - have you heard of the secret drink menu at Starbucks? It's been around for a very long time, but I only found out about it recently. Here are some of the drinks you'll find:

Raspberry Cheesecake - White chocolate mocha with raspberry shots and whipped cream.
Zebra Mocha - White chocolate mixed with chocolate mocha.
Cake Batter Frappuccino - Vanilla frap with vanilla bean and almond flavoring.

Don't they all sound wonderful? Remember this the next time you're in a Starbucks!

Mixology Monday: Martini Mantra

On Friday, we went out to dinner with our good friends Brian and Wendy.  We finally got to try this sushi restaurant we've been eyeing for months and it was worth the wait.

One of the funnier points of the evening came when our waitress offered us a bit of advice:  if you order a dirty martini, ask for a side of olive juice.  That way, if it's not dirty enough, you can adjust the olive juice as needed without having to send your drink back.  Personally, I like my martinis so dirty they resemble swamp water, which means I'm always sending them back and feeling guilty about it. Now I don't have to sweat it. Now that's news I can I can drink to!

Mixology Monday: Creme de Violette Martini

Hopefully you've all had a lovely weekend. I know I did!  I tried a fantastic new restaurant here on Saturday night called Re:public. While the food was to die for (try the crispy pork belly with ginger-glazed carrots), the drinks left the biggest impression on me, especially the Creme de Violette Martini.  Wow.  Just, wow.

If you've never had Creme de Violette liqueur, it's essentially brandy flavored with violet flowers. It's very sweet with a subtle, floral aroma.  It's also a deep, dark purple color, which sort of makes you feel like you're drinking something that should actually taste awful.  

I would definitely try this cocktail again, though it looks like there are many other interesting Creme de Violette combinations out there. I wonder if any other joints here in Seattle serve them?  

Looks like I've got some exploring to do!

My Creme de Violette Martini backlit by candles. 

A snapshot of Re:public's eclectic drink menu. The
Creme de Violette cocktail is there in the middle. 

P.S. Stay tuned for some cool DIY projects this week that don't have anything to do with cocktails, I promise! :)

Mixology Monday: Atholl Brose

Let's face it: any way you slice it, Monday is the roughest, longest day of the week.  To help pass the time, I've decided to implement a new weekly blog post. I'm calling it Mixology Monday. My goal is simple: to share one drink a week with you lovely readers, as well as bar reviews as necessary.  Up this week?  The Atholl Brose cocktail at MacLeoad's Scottish Pub in the Ballard district of Seattle, Washington.

Since I'm Irish, I naturally assumed that there was no such thing as a Scottish pub or if there was, it had to be the lamest kind of pub in the world.  After all, it's the Irish, not the Scottish, who have their own drinking-themed holiday. Erin go bragh!

Long story short, it turns out Scottish pubs DO exist and this one is amazing!  If you like Scotch-based drinks, you'll love this place.  Even if you don't like Scotch, there's still something for everyone.

The lovely menu. So many Scotch drinks to choose from!

The most amazing Scotch drink I've ever had: the Atholl Brose.

The unassuming exterior on Ballard Avenue NW.