Rikke Hagen Cognac Glasses

These beautifully designed cognac glasses look like spinning tops but function like a snifter should. Empty or full, they look great.

Rikke Hagen’s cognac glass is a glass constructed with consideration to its content’s aroma, temperature and volume. The shape of the glass increases the intimate experience of drinking cognac by accentuating the deep color and movement of the liquid.

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How to Make Cocktail Foam

If you want to get fancy, cocktail foam is a fun way to add another layer of flavor and texture to your cocktail. Jamie Boudreau shows you how to do it in this video, with a recipe for the Mexican Cloud topped with elderflower and lemon foam.

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Cinco de Mayo Food and Drinks

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Here’s a quick and easy guide to everything you need to know to have a tasty holiday, Drink of the Week style. Enjoy!

Not exactly sure what you’re celebrating? Here’s a brief primer on Cinco de Mayo.
 
Margaritas are an essential part of the party. Here’s a classic Margarita recipe, plus a few variations.
 
Try these twists: Arizona Margarita made with prickly pear, Piña Perfection Margarita with pineapple juice and Blood

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Kentucky Pecan Chocolate Pie

It’s almost Kentucky Derby time! If you’re looking for a traditional Southern treat to serve along with Mint Juleps on Derby Day, look no further than Kentucky Pecan Chocolate Pie. It’s chocolatey with a touch of bourbon. Whether your horse wins or loses, you’ll still have pie. Delicious, sweet pie.

Ingredients

½ cup flour
1 cup sugar
½ cup butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
3 tbs bourbon 
1 cup chopped pecans
11 oz semi-sweet chocolate

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Tips for Spicing Up Your Margarita

If you love the spice, as I do, why not add a little heat to your Cinco de Mayo margaritas? From easy-peasy to a wee bit involved, here are some ways to spice it up:

Instead of a plain salt rim, use a combination of kosher salt and cayenne pepper OR kosher salt and chili powder to rim your glass. We have simple instructions on how to rim a glass, if you need a refresher.

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Pico de Gallo

Serving chips and salsa along with your margaritas on Cinco de Mayo? Try this simple pico de gallo recipe. It takes no skill and tastes much better than the stuff you can buy in the store. I like it spicy, so I left the seeds in the jalapeños. Remove the seeds for less heat. I also like it a little crunchy, so I included bell peppers. Mix it with some avocado, and you have a … Read more

Essential Glassware – Champagne Flute

Generally, I feel that you can serve spirits and wine from whatever glass you want. However, there are benefits to using the traditional glassware choices for your beverage. A perfect example is the champagne flute.

Bubbles are (of course) part of the essential champagne or sparkling wine experience. The shape of the champagne flute keeps the carbonation going longer, since the smaller surface area exposed to air means the effervescence dissipates more slowly and the … Read more

DIY Irish Cream

St. Patrick’s Day is coming up, so whip out the Baileys Irish cream … or don’t!

I saw this recipe for homemade Irish cream that sounds like a winner.

As the authors of DIY Cocktails, we’re always on the lookout for ways to add more homemade ingredients to cocktails.

From 52 Kitchen Adventures:

This is a ridiculously easy recipe that makes me question buying Bailey’s ever again. It tastes better, you can make as

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Essential Glassware – Snifter

If you enjoy drinking brandy or whiskey neat, then a snifter is essential glassware for your home bar.

This type of stemware is wide at the bottom with a narrower top. The shape allows you to swirl the spirit to coat the glass and directs the spirit’s aroma to your nose, heightening the aromatic experience of sipping cognac, scotch, bourbon or another aged, brown liquor you like.

Though they hold about six ounces, it’s best … Read more

DIY Juice-to-Alcohol Kit

Is a fridge full of boring juice cramping your style? Then turn it into booze! “How?” you might ask. “Science,” I would then answer.

The DIY Juice to Alcohol Kit contains yeast packets you can use to turn the fructose into alcohol in just 48 hours.

It’s as simple as pouring the yeast into a 64-ounce bottle, screwing on the cap and waiting. You’ll be rewarded with a sparkling beverage with about 14% alcohol.

The … Read more