I’ve been starting to grow mint down the hill that runs along my deck, so the mint is from my yard.  You can find it at a farmer’s market or at the local market.  Peaches are in season right now in Ohio, I purchased my peaches from Lynd’s fruit farm near Pataskala – they are sweet and juicy and oh so delicious.  I sliced up a peach into a pint jars, threw in mint plus some vodka (OYO again) to soak and mashed it with a spoon.  Let it sit for a few minutes to gather the flavors.  I poured the mess into a cocktail shaker and added ice before shaking it up.  Pour into glasses, add a little of your favorite sparkly soda (like a lemon lime or ginger ale).  The peaches are sweet, so you don’t need a simple syrup.  Light and delicious with a fresh minty finish – oh it’s good.  And Yes Deborah Ng – I’m boasting that it’s better than your peach cider with rum.

Las Fresas
Created by Zacapa Brand Ambasador Tekla Israelson
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 ounces Zacapa Rum 23
• 3/4 ounce lime juice
• 1/2 ounce simple syrup
• 1 ounce fresh strawberry puree

Preparation:

1.  Combine Zacapa Rum 23, lime juice, simple syrup, and strawberry puree into a cocktail shaker with ice.
2.  Shake well and strain into a highball glass.

Ideal Serving Glass:

Highball glass

Yield:

1 drink

The recipe I received along with the sample of Bailey’s Mudslide suggested throwing 16 oz of Bailey’s Mudslide cocktail along with two cups of ice for a frozen mudslide cocktail.   I went one further.  I made Mudslide shakes using ice cream.  The part where the lid fell off, and everyone else’s drink went  all over the floor was too bad for them, but I managed to make sure I had enough for me.  They got a sip – but that’s all I was willing to share.

So what would you make with a Mudslide mix?

Diana’s Mudslide Shake

• 2 scoops Ice Cream
• 1/2 scoop ice
• Bailey’s Mudslide mix to taste

Dump into Blender, blend and pour into a glass – hopefully without the lid falling off .

Do you have any Mudslide recipes to share?

Here’s the Original -  Bailey’s Mudslide

We served this with Barefoot Bubbly Rose Cuvee. While I’m not a big fan of sparkling wine, I found that I really like the Rose Cuvee.  It isn’t as dry as the Brut Cuvee and has a bit more sweetness.  It would be great for your momosa – a tasty Mother’s Day cocktail.

Follow that up with a tasty sweet cold dessert like Bailey’s Banana Split ; it looks like a really nice dessert.  We didn’t have any bananas handy, but if we did I would have tried this out.  If you are missing bananas, just serve vanilla ice cream with some Bailey’s Irish Cream with a hint of Caramel.  Bailey’s is sweet, but not too sweet, and poured over ice cream really delicious.

So we had a nice dinner a day early, which means I get to relax tomorrow.  What about you, what are you serving?

Barefoot Bubbly MOM-osa

Ingredients

• Barefoot Bubbly Brut Cuvee
• Orange juice
• Fresh fruit slices

Preparation
1. Fill champagne flute up 2/3 of the way with Barefoot Bubbly Brut Cuvee Champagne
2. Add orange juice to the remaining 1/3 of the glass
3. Garnish with a few slices of fruit

Baileys Banana Split

Ingredients

• 2 ounces Baileys Irish Cream with a hint of Caramel
• 1/2 ounce Dark Rum
• 1/2 Medium-sized Ripe Banana
• 1 scoop Vanilla Ice Cream
• Freshly Ground Nutmeg
• One Ice Cube
• Powdered Hot Chocolate Mix or Finely-ground Chocolate
• 1 Maraschino Cherry

Preparation
1.  Rim a well-chilled, oversized martini glass in Hot Chocolate Mix or Ground Chocolate.
2.  Overturn the glass and put the Cherry in the bottom.
3.  Peel and slice a piece of the Banana.
4.  Blend Baileys Irish Cream with a hint of Caramel, Dark Rum, Vanilla Ice Cream, Nutmeg and Ice Cubes.
5.  Strain into glass.

Disclosure:  I was given the Barefoot Bubbly Rose Cuvee and Bailey’s Irish Cream with a Hint of Caramel for review.  The opinions expressed are my own.  I paid for the lamb and sorrel myself.

The Big Easy

Refreshing, yet potent, this simple drink has the flavors and energy of Mardi Gras.

• ½ cup ice
• 2 parts 1800 Tequila
• 2 parts Champagne
• 1 part cranberry Juice

In a shaker, combine 1800 Tequila, passion fruit syrup, and lime juice.Shake well and pour mixture into a glass of ice. Top with champagne and stir, Garnish with mint leaves.

Bourbon Street Sunrise

A New Orleans twist on a classic cocktail

• ½ cup ice
• 2 parts 1800 Tequila
• 1 part passion fruit syrup
• 1 part orange juice
• Splash lemon-lime soda
• Splash lime juice

In a shaker, combine ice, 1800 Tequila, passion fruit syrup and lime juice. Shake well and pour mixture into a glass. Add a splash of lemon-lime soda and stir. Garnish with orange wedge.

Me’lon de Dobel

One part sweet, one part tart -this is the perfect cocktail to kick off any French celebration.

• 2 parts DOBEL Tequila
• ½ part Apple Schnapps
• ½ part Melon Liqueur
• ½ Peach Schnapps
• Splash grapefruit Juice
• Splash fresh orange juice

In a shaker, combine ice, DOBEL Tequila, Apple Schnapps , Peach Schnapps, melon liqueur, grape fruit juice and orange juice. Shake well and pour mixture into a glass. Garnish with orange wedge.

Agave Jazz Julep

Inspired by kitchens in the Deep South and a staple in New Orleans bars, this Southern cocktail is sure to spice up your celebration.

• 2 parts DOBEL Tequila
• 8 fresh mint leaves
• 1 part agave syrup
• 2 parts ginger ale

Muddle mint leaves in glass. Add agave and tequila. Stir and top with ginger ale. Garnish with mint leaves.

By Brian Van Flandern, Tequila Don Julio Global Brand Ambassador

Ingredients:
1 1/4 ounces Tequila Don Julio Añejo
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
1 ounce fresh pineapple juice
Fresh rosemary
1/4 ounce simple syrup
Sprig of fresh rosemary for garnish

Preparation:
1. Muddle fresh rosemary into a cocktail shaker.
2. Add Don Julio Añejo, fresh lime juice, fresh pineapple juice, and simple syrup into the cocktail shaker.
3. Shake well and strain into a highball glass.
4. Garnish with sprig of fresh rosemary.

Ideal Serving Glass:
Highball glass

Yield:
1 drink

Sealed with A Kiss

• 40ml/ 1.5 oz Belvedere Vodka
• 4 fresh strawberries
• 1 Shiso leaf
• 15ml/ ½ oz Koshinokaghiroi Sake

Muddle strawberries with a dash of simple syrup. Add rest of ingredients and shake with cubed ice. Double strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a strawberry slither and Shiso leaf.

Cupid’s Arrow

• 50ml/2oz Belvedere Vodka
• 15ml/1/4oz simple syrup
• 20ml /1/2 oz Lemon juice
• 6 fresh raspberries or 20ml/1/2oz raspberry puree
• Dash egg white

Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled martini glass top with a splash of soda and garnish with a raspberry.

Intense Love

• 2 oz Belvedere UF 80
• 1oz Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1/2 oz Simple Syrup
• 1/3 oz Egg White
• Dash Angustura Bitters

Steelers SHOTgun Blitz

Your buddies becoming uneasy during the big game?

Help ‘em out with this powerful drink – just like the Steelers.

• 2 1/2 oz pineapple juice
• 2 oz 1800 Tequila
• 1/2 oz Triple Sec
• 1/4 oz sweetened lime juice
• Juice of 1/2 lime

Pour the ingredients into a cocktails shaker filled with ice cubes.

Shake well. Strain into a half-sized cocktail glass with ice.

Garnish with a lime or cherry.

For those of you supporting the “OTHER” team:

Packers Playmaker Punch

Try this Green Bay inspired drink!

• 2 oz 1800 Tequila
• 1 oz white cranberry juice
• 2 ounce lime liqueur
• Squeeze fresh lime juice

Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice.

Shake and strain into a cocktail glass filled with ice.

Garnish with a lime wedge.

If you can’t decide who to cheer for, maybe this is your drink:

• 1 ounce Ketel One Citroen
• 1/4 ounce Grand Marnier
• 2 ounces Grapefruit Juice
• Club Soda
• Lemon Lime
• Orange

New Year’s Eve Sparkler
• 1 oz. 1800 Silver Tequila
• 2 oz. Champagne
• .5 oz.Raspberry Liqueur
• .5 oz. Soho Lychee Liqueur
Combine tequila, raspberry liquor and soho lychee liquor in the bottom of a champagne flute
Top with sparkling wine or champagne.

Bubbly Pomtini
• 1 oz 1800 Silver Tequila
• 2 oz Pama Pomegranate Liqueur
• 1 oz Champagne
Shake tequila and liqueur in a cocktail shaker with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Top with champagne and garnish with pomegranate seeds.

Enjoy your New Year’s Celebration(s) and be safe.  Diana & Deb

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