Holiday drink recipes

Bloody Mary

In a cocktail shaker, combine ice cubes, 1/3 cup chilled tomato juice, 3 tablespoons vodka, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, dash Worcestershire sauce, dash celery salt, and dash pepper or bottled hot pepper sauce. Shake well to mix. Pour into a chilled glass; add ice cubes, if desired. Garnish with a celery stalk. Makes 1 serving.

Bourbon Sour

In a cocktail shaker, combine ice cubes; 1/4 cup bourbon, Scotch whisky, or rye whiskey; 2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice; and 2 teaspoons powdered sugar. Shake well to mix. Strain into a chilled glass. Pour 2 tablespoons chilled grapefruit carbonated beverage down the side of the glass; stir gently to mix. Add ice cubes, if desired. Garnish with an orange twist and a maraschino cherry on a skewer. Makes 1 serving.

Vodka Sour

Prepare Bourbon Sour as directed, except substitute 1/4 cup vodka for the bourbon.

Daiquiri (Top Shelf)

In a cocktail shaker, combine cracked ice, 3 tablespoons light rum, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 teaspoon powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon orange liqueur. Shake well to mix. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Makes 1 serving.

Frozen Daiquiris

In a blender container, combine one 6-ounce can frozen limeade or lemonade concentrate and 2/3 cup rum. Cover and blend until smooth. With blender running, add 2 1/2 to 3 cups ice cubes, 1 at a time, through opening in lid. Blend until slushy. Makes 6 servings (about 4 ounces each).

Raspberry or Strawberry Daiquiris

Prepare Daiquiris as directed, except use half of a 6-ounce can (1/3 cup) frozen limeade or lemonade concentrate. Add one 10-ounce package frozen red raspberries or sliced strawberries and, if desired, 1/3 cup sifted powdered sugar. Makes 7 (4-ounce) servings.

Peach Daiquiris

Prepare Daiquiris as directed, except use half of a 6-ounce can (1/3 cup) frozen limeade or lemonade concentrate. Add 3 ripe medium peaches, peeled, pitted, and cut up (1 1/2 cups) or 1 1/2 cups frozen unsweetened peach slices. If desired, add 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar. Makes 8 servings (about 4 ounces each).

Gimlet

In a cocktail shaker, combine ice cubes, 3 tablespoons gin or vodka, and 1 tablespoon bottled sweetened lime juice. Shake well to mix. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Makes 1 serving.

Gin and Tonic

Place ice cubes in a glass. Add 1/4 cup gin. Pour 1/2 cup chilled tonic water (quinine water) down the side. Squeeze a lime wedge into glass; stir gently. Add wedge to drink. Makes 1 serving.

Kir

Pour 3/4 cup chilled dry white wine into a chilled wine glass. Add 1 tablespoon creme de cassis; stir gently to mix. If desired, add ice cubes. Garnish with a lemon twist, if desired. Makes 1 serving.

Lime and Tonic

Place ice cubes in a tall glass. Add 2 teaspoons lime juice. Pour 1 cup chilled tonic water (quinine water) down the side of the glass; stir gently with an up-and-down motion to mix. Garnish with a lime wedge. Makes 1 serving.

Manhattan

In a cocktail shaker, combine cracked ice, 3 tablespoons blended whiskey, 1 tablespoon sweet vermouth, and dash aromatic bitters. Shake well to mix. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry. Makes 1 serving.

Dry Manhattan

Prepare Manhattan as directed, except substitute dry vermouth for the sweet vermouth. Garnish with a green olive.

Margarita

In a cocktail shaker, combine ice cubes, 3 tablespoons tequila, 2 tablespoons orange liqueur, and 2 tablespoons lime juice. Shake well to mix. For a salt-rimmed glass, rub the rim of a chilled cocktail glass with a lime wedge; invert into a dish of coarse salt. Strain drink into glass. Makes 1 serving.

Frozen Margaritas

In a blender container, combine one 6-ounce can frozen limeade concentrate, 2/3 cup tequila, and 1/2 cup orange liqueur. Cover and blend until smooth. With blender running, add 4 cups ice cubes, 1 at a time, through opening in lid. Blend until slushy. Serve in salt-rimmed glasses. Garnish with lime slices, if desired. Makes 8 (4-ounce) servings.

Martini (classic)

In a cocktail shaker, combine cracked ice, 1/4 cup gin, and 1 tablespoon dry vermouth. Shake well to mix. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a green olive or a lemon twist. Makes 1 serving.

Old-Fashioned

Pour 1 tablespoon Simple Syrup (see recipe below) into an old-fashioned glass. Stir in dash aromatic bitters. Add ice cubes and 3 tablespoons bourbon, brandy, Scotch whisky, or Southern Comfort. Pour in 3 tablespoons chilled carbonated water; stir gently to mix. Garnish with an orange twist and a maraschino cherry on a skewer. Makes 1 serving.

Orange Champagne

Thinly peel 1/2 of a medium orange into a spiral of peel about 12 inches long; place in a chilled champagne glass. Add 2 teaspoons orange liqueur; pour in 1/2 cup chilled champagne. Stir gently to mix. Makes 1 serving.

Orange Collins

Squeeze the juice from 1 medium orange (about 1/3 cup). Combine the freshly squeezed orange juice and 1/4 cup chilled collins mixer. Pour over ice cubes in a tall glass. Pour chilled carbonated water (about 1/2 cup) down the side of the glass to fill; stir gently with an up-and-down motion to mix. Garnish with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry. Makes 1 serving.

Rusty Nail

Place 2 ice cubes in a cocktail glass. Pour in 1/4 cup Scotch whisky and 2 tablespoons Drambuie; stir to mix. Makes 1 serving.

Screwdriver

Place 3 or 4 ice cubes in a tall glass. Add 3 tablespoons vodka and, if desired, 1 tablespoon orange liqueur. Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup orange juice to fill the glass; stir to mix. Makes 1 serving.

Simple Syrup

Pour 1 cup boiling water over 1 cup sugar; stir until sugar dissolves. Chill in the refrigerator before using; store in the refrigerator.

Spicy Tomato Cocktail:

In a cocktail shaker, combine several ice cubes, one chilled 9-ounce can vegetable juice, 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, dash bottled hot pepper sauce, and dash celery salt. Shake well to mix. Strain over ice cubes in a tall glass. Garnish with a celery stalk. Makes 1 serving.

Tom Collins

In a tall glass, stir together 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar or Simple Syrup (see recipe below). Stir in 3 tablespoons gin, vodka, or light rum. Add ice cubes. Pour 3/4 cup chilled carbonated water down the side of the glass. Garnish with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry. Makes 1 serving.

Whiskey Sour

In a cocktail shaker, combine cracked ice, 3 tablespoons bourbon or blended whiskey, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons Simple Syrup (see recipe below). Shake well to mix. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. If desired, add cracked ice. Garnish with an orange twist and a maraschino cherry on a skewer. Makes 1 serving.

Wine Spritzer

Combine 3/4 cup chilled dry white, red, or rose wine with 1/4 cup chilled club soda or lemon-lime carbonated beverage. Serve over ice. Makes 1 (8-ounce) serving.