"cocktail" news and stories

Packing materials of every stripe. Photo: LeNell Smothers.

Alabama-born LeNell Smothers defines herself first and foremost as a bartender, but she's been called many things -- most recently, the proprietress of LeNell's liquor store. She's owned her own whiskey label (Red Hook Rye) and has been recognized by her home state as an honorary colonel. Other interests include gin, sin and men.

New Yorkers are no strangers to packing for a move. The search for a place to live seems to come around far too often. If you survive the apartment hunt without losing your mind, you will lose it in the search for boxes and a moving truck. Growing weary with the ever-present New York conversation about rent, landlords and brokers, my man and I decided on a house in La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico.

Moving time is when real friends get a chance to prove their devotion. To entice a few to help pack up my glassware collection, I filled an antique leopard-print shaker with some California spirits. I figured if I was moving to the Mexican side of Cali, my packing friends could be rewarded with a new cocktail creation using spirits from there.

After the jump, a new pomegranate aperitif and LeNell's Pom Packer.

Photo: Bionicgrrrl, Flickr

The weekend may be over, but the snapshot of this spicy, saucy elixir from New York City eatery Smith & Mills lets us hold on to that lackadaisical Sunday morning mood just a little bit longer.

It almost makes us forget we're sitting in front of a computer, transporting us instead to a lively brunch table crowded with beverages: coffee mugs, water glasses, orange juice and that ubiquitous and beloved brunch standby -- the Bloody Mary.

A meal in its own right, a proper Bloody Mary is refreshing yet savory, sometimes piquant and often full of surprises. Lurking within the tomato juice and vodka potion might be a crisp stalk of celery, a pickled green bean or a plump olive (as shown here). Best of all, it's one of the few cocktails that's regularly served in a pint glass, giving new meaning to "the more the merrier."

[Via Flickr]

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Starry Night Cooler. Photo: LeNell Smothers.

Alabama-born LeNell Smothers defines herself first and foremost as a bartender, but she's been called many things -- most recently, the proprietress of LeNell's liquor store. She's owned her own whiskey label called Red Hook Rye and been recognized by her home state as an honorary Colonel. Other interests include gin, sin and men.

Absinthe has been blamed for a lot of rowdy behavior, but I don't think any French folks could blame it for the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789. Absinthe actually had its peak in France in the late 1800s, but the trend lasted into the early 1900s. Although it originated in Switzerland, most production during the heyday of the Green Fairy took place in southern France.

The idea for Van Gogh's magnum opus, "Starry Night," is also said to have originated in southern France. Although it was created a full 100 years after the Bastille showdown, I figured I'd celebrate le quatorze juillet with a tribute to beautiful night skies (black currant syrup), a bit of revolution (gin) and a touch of madness (absinthe). I call this my Starry Night Cooler. Oh, yeah, and to beat off the summer heat, I threw in some seltzer and a bit of family-recipe lemonade.

The recipe for LeNell's Starry Night Cooler is after the jump.

Alabama-born LeNell Smothers defines herself first and foremost as a bartender, but she's been called many things, most recently the owner of LeNell's liquor store. She's owned her own whiskey label called Red Hook Rye and been recognized by her home state as an honorary Colonel. Other interests include gin, sin and men.

I've been in the mood for tequila of late. Perhaps it's Cinco de Mayo still lingering in the air -- or more likely that week-long vacation in Baja -- but I've got tequila on the brain and on my lips. I love the stuff in my fizzy drinks, and especially in my Dré Fizz Affair.

Ever heard of the Dreyfus Affair? It's a bit of French history involving the wrongful conviction of an officer. The whole ordeal inspired Emile Zola to write "J'Accuse!", a letter addressed to the French President printed on the front page of the newspaper L'Aurore that caused a stir worldwide. And I've got a friend named Dré whom the ladies love almost as much as Dré loves tequila. He is a Numero Uno Tequila Fanatic.

Thus, after the jump, the Dré Fizz Affair, aka Dreyfus, aka what you'll be drinking all summer. You're welcome.

Alabama-born LeNell Smothers defines herself first and foremost as a bartender, but she's been called many things, most recently the owner of LeNell's liquor store. She's owned her own whiskey label called Red Hook Rye and been recognized by her home state as an honorary Colonel. Other interests include gin, sin and men.

Japanese culture offers a cocktail idea to keep sippers cool without knocking them over the heads with alcohol. The "chuhai" is a simple summery drink with fresh juice or soda and the Japanese distilled spirit "shochu." (The name is a shortened form of "shochu highball.") Shochu, like vodka, can be made from about anything, such as rice, barley, sweet potatoes and even sesame seeds. It is light in alcohol (around 25 percent ABV), making it a great "session" drink for a long, lazy afternoon.