Stylelist assistant editor / former CBGB bartender Phebe Hunnicutt stepped away from the shoe closet for a sec to share her recipe for a crowd-pleasing Bloody Mary. Post your favorite variations in the comments below.

With the possible exception of the Martini, there is no cocktail more personal than the Bloody Mary. Love it or loathe it, everyone seems to have an opinion about this tomato-based drink. After years of bartending and bringing along my personal variation to countless friendly gatherings, I have come up with what I can confidently call a crowd-pleasing mix. If you're already a Bloody Mary-lover there's no doubt you'll have your own personal tweaks, but if you're new to the mixology of the Mary, this recipe is guaranteed to provide you with a yummy starting point.

Recipe after the jump.

Yesterday I reviewed Vya Vermouth and so today I would like to give you some aperitif cocktail recipes to try out.


Extra Dry Vya
2 ounces Vya Extra Dry
Pour over ice.
Add a twist of lemon or orange.

More recipes after the jump.

Three simple coffee based cocktails - a great end to a meal

Cafè Amaretto

• 1 shot Amaretto Liqueur
• 1 shot coffee liqueur
• top up with filter coffee

Place liqueurs in a glass and top up with coffee. Float lightly whipped cream on top.

Cafè Gates

• 1 shot Grand Marnier
• 1 shot Coffee Liqueur
• 1 shot dark crème de cacao
• top up with filter coffee

Again mix all in a glass and float lightly whipped cream on the top.

Cafè Toledo

• 1 shot Chocolate syrup
• 1 shot Irish cream liqueur
• 1 shot coffee liqueur
• top up with filter coffee

And agian mix, top with hot coffee and float cream on the top.

[Image is a fridge magnet available from Get Unique for $5.99]

Three cocktails to play with on a Friday night or Saturday morning -

Adonis

• 3 shots Fino Sherry
• 1 1/2 shots sweet vermouth
• 4 drops orange bitters

Beleived to have been created to celebrate a Broadway musical in 1886. Stir with ice and strain.

Morning Glory

• 2 shots Cognac
• 1 shot orange curacao
• 1 shot fresh lime juice
• 4 dashes angostura bitters
• 8 drops absinthe

shake all with ice and strain into a martini glass.

Love Junk

• 1 shot vodka
• 3/4 shot melon liqueur
• 3/4 shots peach schnapps
• 3 shots apple juice

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into an ice-filled glass.

Three tasty cocktails to sooth away a hot week.

Cool Breeze

• 2 shots Melon Liqueur
• 1 shot Gold Tequila
• 2 Shots Cranberry Juice

Shake ingredients with ice and strin into a martini glass. Strangly tastes nothing like its ingredients.

Cloud 9

• 2 shots Irish Cream Liqueur
• 1 shot Black Raspberry Liqueur
• 1 shot Amaretto
• 3 scoops vanilla ice cream

Blend all with lots of ice until slushy, pour into a class and see if you can float some whipped cream on top.

Bohemian Iced Tea

• 1 ½ shots Becherovka Liqueur
• ½ shot Citron Vodka
• ½ shot honey vodka
• ½ shot Peach Schnapps
• 3 shots chilled earl grey tea

Stir all ingredients with ice in a tea pot and serve.

To be filed in the "If you mention, just one more time, how bloody hot you are I am going to tip this glass of pimms over your head".

Hot Passion

• 1 shot Passoa
• 1 shot Vodka
• 3 shots Cranberry Juice
• 3 Shots Orange Juice

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into ice-filled glass.

Niagara Falls

• 1 shot Vodka
• 1 shot Grand Marnier
• ½ shot Fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 shot sugar syrup
• Top Up With Ginger Ale

Shake first four ingredients with ice and strain into a glass. Top up with the ale and stir gently.

Summer Breeze

• 2 shots Vodka
• ½ shot Elderflower Cordial
• Top Up With 2/3 Cranberry Juice and 1/3 Cloudy Apple Juice

Pour ingrdients into ice filled glass. Lovely.

God, I'm hot.

It's a French thing - poor people ran around with sticks and clubs trying to nick cake from some big-haired old Queen (possibly Elton John but not sure) while the rich people lost their heads; probably from drinking far too many cocktails such as these. History - any excuse for a drink!

Corsican Breeze

• 1 shot Grand Marnier
• 2 shots Bitter Lemon
• 2 shots Orange Juice

Stir ingredients with ice and strain into a glass

French 75

• 3/4 shot Gin
• 1/2 shot fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 shot sugar syrup
• top up with Champagne

Named after the French armies World War I field artillery. Shake first three ingredients with ice and strain into a flute. Top up with champagne and garnish with a cherry in the glass.

French Mule

• 2 shots Cognac
• 1 shot fresh lime juice
• 1 shot sugar syrup
• 4 dashes Angostura Bitters
• top up with Ginger Beer

Shake first four ingredients with ice and strain into ice-filled collins glass.

I seldom venture into a cinema these days; much preferring to watch a DVD on my own (rather impressive although now aging) surround sound system. Alexander arrived from the DVD rental people yesterday. So my cocktail selections for this Friday are, obvioulsy, named after Alexander...

Alexander The Great

• 2 shots Vodka
• 1 shot Coffee Liqueur
• 1 shot White Creme de Cacao
• 1 shot Single cream

Shake with ice and strain into a glass. Garnish with a sprinkling of chocolate.

Alexander's Big Brother

• 1 ½ shots Gin
• 3/4 shot Blue Curacao
• 3/4 shot single cream
• 3/4 shot milk

Not tired this one; not that keen on milk. Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a martini glass.

Alexander

• 1 ½ shots Gin
• 1 ½ shots White Creme de Cacao
• 1 ½ shots single cream

Also known as Gin Alexander. Shake over ice and strain. Garnish with a grating of nutmeg.

To be honest it is far too cold in the UK for any type of garden party. Spring might be here in the form of daffodils and other spring flowers but the weather is not yet conducive for sitting outside. Not today anyway. Still the one thing, drink-wise, that sums up warmer days is Pimms. Quintessentially English - days of tennis, cricket, river regattas and lazy days sitting in fields or parks.

Created by James Pimm in his 1820`s Oyster Bar. Pimm began to market it ready-mixed in 1859, such was its popularity. It was taken as a digestive tonic, due to the high level of quinine and the mash of herbs involved in its production. Fashionable society began to drink Pimm`s as a cocktail during the later part of the 19th century, partially for the alcoholic lift and partially because it was weak enough to be drunk all afternoon.

There are innumerable cocktail recipes using Pimms; some place great play on shoving as much fruit in the cup as possible others are more understated. This is my classic version

Pimms Original

• 2 measures of Pimm`s
• 2 measure of Ginger Ale
• 2 measures of Lemonade
• 1 slice of Cucumber
• 1 slice of Lemon
• 1 slice of Orange
• 1 slice of strawberry
• Fresh Mint

2 measures of Pimm`s

Mix and drink.

In a vain attempt to keep the Friday cocktail imbibing relevant to the week's news here on Slashfood I offer -

Bird of Paradise

• 1 shot Gold Tequila
• 1 shot White crème de cacao
• ½ shot Amaretto Liqueur
• 2 shots single cream

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a martini glass.

Sword of Damocles

• 3/4 shot melon liqueur
• 3/4 shot light rum
• ¼ shot fresh lime juice

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a shooter glass.

Scotch Bounty

• 1 shot Scotch whisky
• 1 shot white crème de cacao
• ½ shot coconut rum
• 2 shots orange juice
• 1/8 shot grenadine

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a martini glass.

A friend of mine hails from Poland. He returned from a trip home with a rather nice bottle of bison grass vodka and enthused about mixing it with fresh apple juice. And by heck, laddie, it was good! In addition to this, mix two other cocktails that use this distinctively flavoured vodka for this weeks happy hour. Bison is a type of grass with a blade usually placed in the bottle. It is native to the Bialowieza forest, home of the European bison.

Tetanka

• 2 shots Bison Vodka
• 2 ½ shots Apple Juice

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into ice filled tumblers.

Congo Blue

• 1 ¼ shots Bison Vodka
• ½ Midori Melon Liqueur
• 1 shot apple juice
• ½ shot Crème de mûre
• ¼ shot lemon juice

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a martini glass.

Zub-Way

• 2 shots Bison Vodka
• 2 shots Raspberry Liqueur
• 2 shots Melon Juice

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into an ice-filled glass. Garnish with a raspberry or two.

We change the clocks this weekend (we do in the UK; does anyone else?) so, in celebration of spring's arrival and the anticipation of long hot days, let's drink three cocktails to sample this evening.

Summer Time

• 1 shot Mandarine Napoleon
• 1 shot Gin
• 2 ½ shots Orange Juice
• ¼ shot Grenadine

Shake all the ingredients with ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a kumquat.

Time Bomb

• 1 shot Tequila
• 3 shots Cranberry Juice

Add ingredients and ice to mixing glass. Stir. Add ice. Garnish with an orange peel.

Damn the Weather

• 1 shot Gin
• ½ shot Triple Sec
• 1 shot sweet vermouth
• 2 shots Orange Juice

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a martini glass.

St. Patricks Day - so all things Irish down the bar tonight!

Irish Nut Shooter

• 3/4 shot Frangelico hazelnut Liqueur
• 3/4 shots Irish Cream Liqueur

Lay in a shooter glass by carefully pouring the Frangelico first.

Green Eyes

• 1 ½ shots Vodka
• ½ shot Blue Curaçao
• 3 shots orange juice

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a glass.

Irish Coffee

• 1 shot Irish Whiskey
• top up with hot filter coffee
• float lightly whipped cream

The cream floats better if it is heated slightly and poured into the bowl of a spoon onto the top of the coffee.

Needless to say I would rather raise a glass to the athletic-bods in Turin rather a ski or a curling thingie. So here are three cocktails I am going to test out tonight...

White Knuckle Ride Shooter

• ½ shot Coffee Liqueur
• ½ shot Irish Cream Liqueur
• ½ shot frozen vodka

Layer each ingredient in a glass by careful pouring in the order above.

Ski Breeze

• 2 shots Absolut Kurant
• 3 shots Apple Juice
• 3 shots Ginger Ale

Pour ingredients into a Collins glass, filled with ice, and stir.

Olympic

• 1 ½ shots Cherry Brandy
• 1 ½ shots orange curaçao
• 2 shots orange juice

Stir ingredients with ice and strain into a martini glass.

Yes, yes... I realize it is late, but in my defense, I didn't have an internet connection at the start of the week. Anyway, several local estabishements are still advertising Valentine's Specials (meals, hotel rooms and the like) and a local florist retains a huge rose smothered heart in the window.

Valentines Cocktail: Love Junk

• 1 shot vodka
• 3/4 shot Midori melon Liqueur
• 3/4 shots Peach Schnapps
• 3 shots Apple Juice

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into an ice-filled glass.