It’s Mixology Monday again and we are hosted this month by Thinking of Drinking and North Shore Distillery’s Sonja Kassebaum. She has deemed this month’s theme to be absinthe, why because she simply adores the stuff. I am sure the cocktails coming forth from this one will surely not disappoint.

I decided to go call up a classic, the Monkey Glad. This classic cocktail was either created at by Harry MacElhone at his Harry’s New York Bar in Paris in the 1923 or by Frank Meier over at the Ritz. My vote is on Harry. The cocktail’s name comes from a surgical technique of the time that involved grafting monkey “glands” to humans.

Monkey Gland

1 1/2 oz. Gin
1 1/2 oz. Orange juice
2 tsp. Absinthe
2 tsp. Grenadine syrup

Combine in a shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Mixology Monday XLVI

It’s President’s Day. Not all of out Commander and Chief’s have been drinker’s, but many have. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson even ran distilleries as part of their households. Distilling and brewing was quite common in those days.

Here’s a cocktails our commander and chief’s preferred.

Gerald Ford: Gin and Tonic
Herbert Hoover: Martini
Richard Nixon: Rum & Coke
Franklin D. Roosevelt: Scotch or Brandy
Harry Truman: Bourbon
Lyndon Johnson: Scotch and Soda
Warren Harding: Everything

FDR Portrait of a Drinking President from Modern Drunkard
Our Drunkest Presidents
Cigar Smoking President

see what the Queen of England drinks on Mental Floss…

Green tea balances well in a cocktail. It’s a nice soothing counterpoint to gin and goes well with the spiciness of ginger.

Hence this delightful cocktail we created in collaboration with our friend Savvy Housekeeping! The result has the satisfying kick of a gin martini with some added layers of flavor.

Green Tea and Ginger Cocktail

1 1/2 oz gin (we used Tru Gin)
1 oz Ginger Liqueur
3/4 oz green tea, brewed
Lots of ice
Lemon for garnish

Brew 1 tea bag in 1 cup of water. Combine 3/4 ounce of tea with gin, ginger liqueur, and ice in a cocktail shaker. Swirl the cocktail in the shaker until it is cold. Fill a martini glass with ice. Pour in the cocktail and garnish with a slice of lemon.

Photo credit Savvy Housekeeping

Jim mixes up Gin & Tonics and his Tea-quila Highball for Jimmy, John Oliver and the Roots.

Well that’s it 2009 is almost a wrap, but not before we have a few cocktails first. As always Drink of the Week has some clever new cocktails for your enjoyment. First, a couple of cocktails for New Year’s Eve. Start with the New Year’s Sparkler and then just around midnight switch to the Midnight Kick for just that. A bit of tequila will keep the night going strong. On New Year’s Day you can start working on you 2010 resolutions, we have a few cocktail themed solutions. Booze will definitely make them easier to keep.

New Year’s Sparkler

Infuse passion into the New Year with a classic cocktail with SKYY Infusions Passion Fruit, fresh juice and raspberries. The New Year’s Sparkler is an easy way to spice up your champagne flute this New Year’s Eve. Even better? This cocktail is a smart, low calorie option to help you get started on your New Year’s resolutions.

1 oz. SKYY Infusions Passion Fruit
1.5 oz. Pomegranate Juice
3.5 oz. Champagne
5-6 Raspberries

Combine SKYY Infusions Passion Fruit and pomegranate juice in a chilled champagne flute and top with champagne. Garnish with raspberry tree.*

*Slide 5-6 raspberries onto long skewer and place vertically in champagne glass.

Midnight Kick

2 oz. Cabo Añejo Tequila
Orange Slice
Cinnamon

Wet the rim of a chilled shot glass with the orange slice. Then rim the shot glass with powdered cinnamon on a plate. Be careful not to turn the glass right side up until it has been rimmed. The orange liquid will drip otherwise. Shake the Cabo Tequila with ice in a shaker and strain into the chilled shot glass. Slam the shot and then bite into the orange slice to finish.

(more…)

I was mulling over different ideas for a end of year post and landed on this fun list while looking at the years site activity. This list is as democratic as they come, it basically the top cocktails determined by views. The biggest surprise? The sidecar at #1, glad to see. It was always Rachel’s favorite. It knocked the much derided Appletini from the top spot (it’s #2 this year), a spot it had held for several years.

So here it is with out further ado - the top 10 cocktails Drink of the Week readers looked at most in 2009.

1. Sidecar
2. Appletini
3. Bahama Mama
4. Tom & Jerry
5. Witches Brew Punch
6. Mai Tai
7. Manhattan
8. Margarita
9. Flirtini
10. Long Island Iced Tea

We love punches for the Holidays, they never seem to disappoint guests or host. This one from Beefeater 24 Gin is no exception, it’ll warm your soul on a cold winter night.

Burroughs Festive Plum Punch

1 part Beefeater 24 Gin
1 part Sloe Gin
1 ½ parts Lemon Juice
½ part Orange Juice
¼ part Simple Syrup
1/8 part Marmalade
1 ½ parts Raspberry Cordial
3 parts chilled Earl Grey Tea
2 parts Prosecco

Mix first 8 ingredients in a punch bowl and chill with ice. Add Prosecco and garnish with Berries, Citrus Wheels, Plums, and Grated Nutmeg.

more Holiday Cocktails and Punches
more Drink of the Week Cocktails

recipe & photo courtesy of Beefeater 24 Gin