Brandy Recipes

Red Hot Chocolate

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Ingredients:
1 oz. Campari
2 oz. Brandy
3 oz. Whole Milk
0.5 oz. heavy cream (optional)
2 tablespoons of dark chocolate chips

Directions:
Put milk, cream and chocolate in a milk frothing cup used for espresso. Froth milk as you would for cappuccino. When milk is hot remove frothing wand and whisk or stir vigorously until chocolate is completely melted. Add Campari and Brandy. Pour into heat-resistant cup. Can be garnished with 1 large hand-cut … Read more

The Great Pumpkin

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This week’s drink is perfect for Autumn and a nice change of pace from many of the ultra-sweet cocktails that make the rounds on Halloween.  You can sip the Great Pumpkin while you wait for the Great Pumpkin to appear (or while you watch “It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown” on TV).

The level of DIY-ness in this cocktail is up to you! I juiced apples from a local farm but used organic pumpkin puree … Read more

The Apricot Haunt

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Ingredients:
1 part Courvoisier VSOP
1 part fresh lemon sour
1.5 part apricot brandy
4 parts apple cider

Directions:
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon spiral twist and a dash of fresh ground cinnamon.

Courtesy of Courvoisier Cognac.… Read more

A Happy Jewish New Year

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We know that the Jewish New Year officially started last week and the high holidays are ending with the Yom Kippur, which is starting this evening. But, we figure that late is still better than never.

I don’t find it easy to make drink recommendations for most Jewish holidays. Most of the holidays are somber and don’t seem quite as festive as the Christian holidays (and for my love of other cultures, I will admit … Read more

Dra-Kahlúa

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Welcome to the 31 Drinks of Halloween!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz Kahlúa
1/2 oz Martell V.S. Cognac
1/2 oz Triple Sec
3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz simple syrup
Blood orange wedge, garnish

Directions:
Shake ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a n chilled, half sugar-rimmed martini glass and garnish with a blood orange wedge.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Kahlúa.

    Even more Halloween Drinks and Punches.

Read more

Sangria Basics

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Sangria is a DIY dream. It’s a wine punch with fruit and liquor in it. What kind of wine, fruit and liquor? That’s up to you.

Some people like to top off their sangria with ginger ale, lemon-lime soda or club soda. Some people like it room temperature, while others drink it over ice. It’s hard to find anyone who doesn’t like sangria. It’s possible they wouldn’t be people worth knowing.

Using expensive wine is … Read more

Independence

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Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz Camus VSOP Elegance Cognac
3/4 oz Ruby Port
3/4 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth

Directions:
Stir over ice. Strain into Champagne flute.

Created by Ted Kilgore – St. Louis, MO. Courtesy of Camus Cognac.… Read more

Fancy Bourbon Punch

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Ingredients:
1 liter Maker’s Mark
1 cup granulated sugar
Peels of 3 lemons and 1 orange
Juice of peeled fruit
1 liter of strong tea (preferably green tea)
250 ml champagne (club soda can be used for a less fancy version)
Freshly grated nutmeg

Directions:
Combine sugar and citrus peels in the bottom of a punch bowl. Muddle together until sugar starts to clump together. Let sit for about 2 hours, (while not necessary, this … Read more

Via Veneto

Ingredients:
1 ½ oz brandy
½ oz Sambuca
½ oz lemon juice
1 ½ teaspoon sugar syrup

Directions:
Combine ingredients in a shaker filled with ice, shake, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

 … Read more

Strawberry Pisco Sour

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When Pisco Portón sent me a bottle of its spirit, the first thing that sprung to mind was, “It’s Pisco Sour time!” As I reached for the simple syrup in the fridge, right next to it, I saw a jar of strawberry syrup I made. That gave me an idea.

The floral and light fruit notes in the pisco seemed like a natural match for strawberry. In keeping with the light spring tone of the … Read more