Drinks

Cheers, Oct, 2006

Global Flavors

WEDDING CAKE MARTINI

Kristi A. Svane, bartender at Magnolia Lounge, Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa, Asheville, N. C, says this is one of her most popular drinks.

1 1/2 oz. Amaretto di Saronno
1/2 oz. Stolichnaya Vanil Vodka
1 oz. pineapple juice

Shake all ingredients well and strain into a Martini glass. Drop a Maraschino cherry with stem into bottom of glass.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ELECTRIC BLUE MARGARITA

This cocktail was featured at a VIP dinner including Carmen Electra at the Star Room in New York's posh Hamptons in August hosted by Cointreau with proceeds to aid Aniridia eye disease research.

1 oz. Cointreau
1 oz. Herradura Silver Tequila
1/2 oz. peach schnapps
1/2 oz. blue curacao
4 oz. sour mix

Shake all ingredients with ice. Fill cocktail glass with ice, strain over fresh ice. Garnish with lemon slice.

JACK-O-LANTERN

Eben Klemm, director of cocktail development for B.R. Guest Restaurants, created this fall-inspired libation.

2 oz. Gosling's Dark Rum
1 oz. pumpkin molasses
1/2 oz. cold coffee
Splash Kahlua

Shake all ingredients with ice and serve up with a gingerbread cookie.

SUNSET IN SEVILLE

Alan Napier, mixologist at Ferneau in Little Rock, Ark., shakes this feisty drink.

3 oz. habenero pepper-infused vodka
2 oz. Fentimans Seville Orange Juice
1 oz. simple syrup
1/2 oz. creme de cassis

Add first three ingredients in a tin. Shake carefully, as the juice has some carbonation. Strain into a chilled Martini glass. Take the cassis and run it down the side of the glass; it will layer on the bottom.

KENTUCKY GOLD RUSH

Contemporary Cocktails Inc. mixologists Alisha Sharpe, Leo DeGroff and Willy Shine concocted this gold-themed drink for the launch of the interactive reality program "Gold Rush" last month in Los Angeles.

1/2 oz. lemon juice
1 1/2 oz. simple syrup
3 juicy orange slices
6-8 mint leaves
1 1/2 oz. Maker's Mark Kentucky Straight
Bourbon Whisky

In a pint glass muddle together the first four ingredients. Add the Maker's Mark and shake with ice. Strain over ice with a mint sprig and orange slice.

CHAI GOLDFINGER

Oregon Chai brings us this gilded cocktail.

5 oz. Oregon Chai
2 oz. Stolichnaya Vodka
Splash of Goldschlager Schnapps
Splash of cream

Steam all ingredients together and dust with gold crystals. Top with whipped cream.

SV SILK CAIPIROSHKA

This simply sophisticated libation was created by bar maven Robert Plotkin for the launch of SV Supreme Vodka.

1/2 fresh lime quartered
3/4 oz. simple syrup
2 1/2 oz. SV Supreme Vodka
Lime wedge for garnish

Place lime quarters and simple syrup into 9-oz. rocks glass. Muddle the ingredients and add ice. Pour in the SV Supreme vodka. Garnish with lime wedge.

Cheers welcomes original drink ideas! Send recipes to: Cheers Drinks Department, 17 High Street, 2nd Floor, Norwalk, CT 06851 or evansavage@m2media360.com.

RELATED ARTICLE: WORLD PEACE COCKTAIL

Jonathan Pogash, mixologist at The World Bar in New York City, concocted this drink, with 15 percent of sales benefiting the United Nations.

1 1/2 oz. Bombay Sapphire Gin
1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice
Splash elderflower syrup
2 drops blue curacao
2 drops almond syrup

Shake all ingredients and strain into a chilled Martini glass. Garnish with a white chocolate dove hanging on the edge of the glass.