This appetizer will lend an air of sophistication to your cocktail party, even though it is super easy to make. Anything with this many foreign words in it has to be good, right?

I was inspired to create this recipe because I had a little bit of leftover champagne that was about to go flat. But you could easily use a dry white wine instead if you didn’t have any bubbly on hand.

For mushrooms, use three to five varieties. I used white button, crimini, portabello, oyster and shitake. It’s better to use fresh mushrooms, so go with whatever you are able to find.

Bon appetit!

Champage-Mushroom Crostini With Chevre

1 baguette, sliced into 24 pieces
2 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. butter
3/4 lb. mushrooms, sliced
1 tbs. garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 tsp. fresh rosemary
1/3 cup sparkling wine (Brut)
1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 tbs. balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
4 oz. chevre (goat cheese)

For crostini: Lay baguette slices on a cookie sheet and brush lightly with olive oil. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes until golden and cripsy. Your time may vary, so you may need to bake longer.

For mushrooms: Melt butter in frying pan. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add shallots, mushrooms, rosemary. Sprinkle with a little olive oil. After about 7 minutes, mushrooms will begin to soften and brown. Then pour in sparkling wine, broth and balsamic vinegar. Bring to a boil to cook off liquid, which takes roughly 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper. Reduce heat to keep it warm.

To prepare: Spread chevre on crostini and top with mushroom mixture. Sprinkle finely chopped parsley on top as a garnish if desired.

Starters
Sweet Potato Bourbon Soup
Drunken Crab Bisque
Roasted Beet and Smoked Sturgeon Salad with Vodka Vinaigrette

Meats
Grilled Molasses and Rum-Glazed Fresh Ham
Red Wine Braised Beef Brisket
Roasted Goose With Apple Rum Stuffing

Veggies
Whiskey-Glazed Carrots
Zest White Wine Green Beans (The recipe suggests canned, but why not use fresh!)

Potatoes
Potato Latkes with Wine Syrup

Dessert
Baked Figs with Honey and Whiskey Ice Cream
Figgy Pudding with Rum Butter Sauce

The Hal Ligon originated in Key West sometime in the 1930’s when famous local/author Ernest Hemingway and fishing buddy, Hal Ligon, began ordering the drink at nearby bars.
The drink migrated north into mainland Florida but its name eventually evolved into today’s Screwdriver. You can still order the drink by its original name in many south Florida bars. We encourage you to revive its name in your local bar or wherever fine cocktails are enjoyed.

Hal Ligon

2 oz. Premium Vodka
2 oz. Orange Juice
Splash 7up

In a Collins glass filled with ice, add the Vodka and OJ. Top with 7 up.

A trend that seems practically made for St. Patrick’s Day is the Pickle Back — a shot of Irish whiskey followed with a shot of pickle juice. It may sound strange, but it’s a phenomenon that’s hitting New York hot spots like the Breslin and the Randolph and making national news and getting attention.

And you know what? It actually is pretty amazing! I tried it with some Jameson and Krugerman Frischgurkens … and the flavors really complimented each other.

So if you don’t see this at your favorite St. Paddy’s Day pub, you may want to try it at home.

Photo Credit: Washington Post

Looking for a green cocktail for St. Patrick’s Day? Beefeater 24 concocted this pretty and tasty treat to add a little flair to your St. Paddy’s day festivities.

Irish Sour

1 ½ oz. Beefeater 24 Gin
2/3 oz. Suze
2/3 oz. Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
½ oz. Yellow Chartreuse
2 barspoons Monin Green Tea Syrup
1 whole fresh egg white

Shake ingredients over ice and strain into an ice-filled glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Courtesy of Pernod Ricard

Seems like it isn’t St. Patrick’s Day without a little Irish whiskey. On second thought, make that a lot of Irish whiskey. If you’re looking for a way to mix it up instead of downing it straight, here are some tasty Paddy’s Day cocktails for you!

Irish Tea Party

4 parts Sweetened Green Tea (chilled)
1 part Jameson Irish Whiskey
½ part Pernod Absinthe
Rinse rocks glass with Pernod Absinthe. Add ice. Pour Jameson over the ice. Add Green tea and garnish with a lime slice.

Irish Apple

1 part Jameson Irish Whiskey
1½ parts Hiram Walker Sour Apple Schnapps
5 parts Ginger Ale

Jameson Whirlaway

2 parts Jameson Irish Whiskey
1 part Hiram Walker White Peach Schnapps
Dash Bitters
Splash of Club Soda

Mix all ingredients except Club Soda in a shaker with cracked ice. Pour into a tumbler and top with Club Soda.

Courtesy of Pernod Ricard

This St. Patrick’s Day we thought it was time for a green cocktail that’s a little different.

The little bit of celery juice  and mint add a fresh Spring flavor and scent. Use your best gin in this one, as the flavor really comes through and the other ingredients are a good compliment to that spirit.

We concocted this with our friend Savvy Housekeeping, inspired by a drink we had at The Alembic in San Francisco.

One of the most difficult parts about creating these new drinks is naming them. We had a good laugh with this one before coming up with Irish Spring. Here are a few of our outtakes:

Patty McCelery
The Celery VirGIN
Cell Block
Luck O’ The Celery
Celery McGinington

Slainte!
Irish Spring Cocktail

1 oz celery juice from 1-2 ribs of celery
1 1/2 oz gin
1/2 oz simple syrup
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
5-6 mint leaves

Grate the celery ribs into a bowl. Then put the celery in a sieve over the bowl and mash until you get all the juice out of the celery. Juice 2-3 limes for fresh lime juice. Muddle the mint, simple syrup, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker. Add in the celery juice, gin, and ice. Shake thoroughly for about a minute. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with mint.

St. Patrick’s Day cocktails
How to pour a perfect Guinness pint

St. Patrick’s Day may be about drinking, but you still have to eat! Here’s a fun way to turn the classic corned beef and cabbage meal into a finger-food appetizer for your Irish festivities this year.

Erin go Bragh!

Corned Beef Cabbage Rolls

(Makes 12)
6 Savoy cabbage leaves
1/2 cup stone-ground mustard
2 slices dark rye bread
1/2 lb. corned beef

Trim off the white core at the bottom. Steam cabbage leaves for no more than 2 minutes.  Rinse with cold water and pat dry. Cut leaves in half length-wise.

Cut rye bread and corned beef into strips. Spread mustard onto the bread strips and place corned beef on top. Lay the bread/corned beef section on a half cabbage leaf and roll.

Ideas for optional dips or alterations:

• Dip idea: Mix equal parts mayonnaise and chopped dill
• Dip idea: Mix 1/4 cup sour cream with 3 tbs. prepared horseradish
• Alteration: Leave out the bread for a low-carb appetizer
• Alteration: Don’t steam the cabbage for a crispier treat

Other St. Patrick’s Day party recipes:

Irish Car Bomb cupcakes
Whisky cupcakes
St. Patrick’s Day cocktails
How to pour a perfect Guinness pint
Recipe inspired by The Food Network