Drinks

Cheers, Oct, 2005

Mezquite

Nicasio Vasquez, mixologist at Pedro's Restaurant & Cantina, Santa Clara, CA, shakes this one.

1 1/2 oz. mezcal
1/2 oz. triple sec
1 teaspoon cane sugar
1 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice
splash soda water
splash orange juice

Shake all but orange juice, then pour into a rocks glass.

Top with splash of orange juice.

Ghengis Han

Han Asian Vodka brings us this fruity drink.

2 1/2 parts Han Asian Vodka
1 part Finest Call sweet & sour
dash mango puree
2 parts lemon-lime soda
squeeze fresh lime

Shake all over ice and strain.

Garnish with lime and cherry.

Love's Potion

Victor Rinaldi, manager at Maples Restaurant and Pizza, Middlebury, CT, created this drink.

2 oz. Grey Goose L'Orange
1/2 oz. Stoli Razberi
1/2 oz. peach schnapps
7-Up
splash of cranberry juice

Fill snifter glass with crushed ice.

Add first three ingredients; top with 7-Up and cranberry juice.

Garnish with orange slice.

Bojito

Steve Haugh. gen, mgr., Straub's Seafood, Orlando, FL, used fresh basil in this variation of the Mojito.

4-5 fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon simple syrup
splash lime juice
lime wedges
2 oz. light rum
2 splashes Sprite
2 splashes soda
sour mix

In a tall glass, muddle well the basil, 3 lime wedges, simple syrup and lime juice. Fill the glass with ice, add the others; shake well. Garnish with a lime wedge.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Pretty In Pink Cosmopolitan

Created to honor Fashion Week in NYC last month, this drink was served at the StyleLounge.

2 oz. Players Extreme Cherry Infused Vodka
1/2 oz. triple sec
splash of cranberry juice

Shake all vigorously with ice.

Moisten the rim of a Martini glass with grenadine. dip into pink cocktail sugar. Pour mixture in glass.

Green Apple Margarita

Bridget Zlab, bartender at Fat Boy's Sports Bar & Grill, Aurora, CO, offers this drink recipe.

1 1/2 oz. Tuaca
1 1/2 oz. Midori
1 1/2 oz. Cuervo Gold
splash sweet & sour

Blend all and pour into salt-rimmed glass.

The Brentwood

Ocean Spray and Cointreau teamed to unveil this at a party for Brooke Shields at the Brentwood Lounge, Los Angeles.

2 oz. Cointreau
2 oz. Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice Cocktail
1 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice
lemon-lime soda

Shake first three and serve over ice in a highball glass: top with soda. Garnish with fresh cranberries (berries filled with air will float on top).

DayQuill

Kerry Atwood, owner, Shamrock Pub & Grill, Conway, MO, concocted this one.

3 oz. Red Bull
2 oz. cherry sloe gin
7-Up

Mix first two in a 12-oz. glass with ice, top with 7-Up.

Alegria

Elad Zui, bartender at SushiSamba in NYC, shakes this cocktail.

1 1/2 oz. Beleza Pura Premium Cachaca
1/2 oz. vanilla vodka
splash pineapple juice
1 oz. fresh lime juice

Mix all in a shaker with ice and shake. Strain into a sugar-rimmed Martini glass.

Snow White Martini

Neige apple ice wine from Quebec created this drink.

2 oz. vodka
2 oz. Neige apple ice wine
1 frozen lychee (for snowball effect)

Combine first two in shaker with ice. Coat rim of Martini glass with sugar, if desired, drop in frozen lychee. Strain Neige mixture into glass.

CHEERS WELCOMES ORIGINAL DRINK IDEAS. PLEASE SEND THE RECIPE TO: CHEERS DRINKS DEPARTMENT, 17 HIGH ST. 2ND FLOOR, NORWALK, CT 06851