Recipe from “Strong, Sweet and Bitter” by Cara Devine who writes, “The name comes from a competition run by a Prohibitionist to coin a word to describe those flaunting the law and continuing to drink… I don’t think it achieved the effect they wanted it to! The drink, though, is not American but French, albeit from Harry’s New York Bar in Paris.”
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See the RecipeRecipe from “Strong, Sweet and Bitter” by Cara Devine who writes, “This is a Negroni twist I make for a more dessert-style take on the bittersweet blueprint. It had remained nameless until I featured it in a video, when the Cariño was suggested as merging my name and one of the ingredients–plus it means ‘affection’ in Spanish, which is definitely how I feel about Negroni variations in general!”
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See the RecipeRecipe from “Strong, Sweet and Bitter” by Cara Devine who writes, “The Sidecar’s exact birthplace is debated, but it’s safe to say it gained notoriety after World War I at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris and was inducted into the cocktail hall of fame with its inclusion in the seminal bartending book by the same Harry: Harry’s ABC of Mixing Cocktails. The name of the cocktail is also disputed–some say it was named after an army captain who used to arrive at the bar in a motorcycle sidecar; others say it comes from the bartending practice of pouring any…
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See the RecipeWe tried this and it tasted pretty much just like a regular aperol spritz (which is delicious!). The changes here seem to mostly affect it’s appearance, making it more red than orange, and adding some green with the rosemary, to make it look more “Christmas-y”.
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See the RecipeRecipe Anna and I are planning to use for our 2025 Holiday Happy Hour.
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See the RecipeNY Times recipe from Lidey Heuck who states, “The term ‘highball’ refers to any cocktail made from a particular liquor and a larger quantity of carbonated water or soda. By that definition, the gin and tonic, vodka soda, and rum and coke are all technically highball cocktails, but only the Scotch and soda and similar whiskey-based drinks are referred to as highballs. The cocktails are smoky and spirit-forward, but nicely balanced by the fizzy mixer. Use ginger ale if you prefer a sweeter cocktail, or split the difference and use equal parts of each.”
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See the RecipeNY Times recipe from Lidey Heuck who states, “The original gimlet was made with just two ingredients: gin and Rose’s Sweetened Lime Juice, a bottled, concentrated lime juice. Modern versions of the cocktail are most often made with fresh lime juice and simple syrup for a crisper flavor. With such a short ingredient list, the gimlet is all about striking the perfect balance between tart, sweet and boozy. The flavor of the gin comes through in this drink, so use one you like, preferably a dry one with a hint of floral or citrus.”
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See the RecipeNY Times recipe from Cuba Cafe and adapted by William L. Hamilton who states, “You can drink a mint mojito without really thinking about it, and that’s a pretty good recommendation for a summer cocktail. This version is straightforward and simply perfect for a hot day. Muddle a handful of fresh mint leaves and some lime juice in the bottom of a glass. Then add rum, sugar, ice and a bit of club soda. Shake and serve with other Cuban dishes. The mojito originated in Cuba as a farmers’ drink in the late 19th century as Cuba’s rum industry modernized,…
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See the RecipeNY Times recipe from Rosie Schaap who states, “The piña colada, which originated in Puerto Rico, is an irresistible classic, and an occasion to pull out paper umbrellas — a tiki-culture addition. Make sure to use cream of coconut, which adds signature sweetness, versus coconut cream, which is unsweetened. To keep your cocktails extra-frosty, use chilled glasses. Just beware of brain freeze.”
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See the RecipeNY Times recipe from Robert Simonson who states, “Most people think nothing of popping a bottle of Champagne on New Year’s Eve. Yet after that first celebratory glass, few consider taking an extra step and using the wine as the foundation for a cocktail or two. ‘They’re bright and crisp and delicious,’ said Meaghan Dorman, a bartender at Raines Law Room in the Flatiron District. And ideal for New Year’s Eve. ‘They are usually low in spirit, so if I’m out having a few drinks, I would have French 75s. It’s wine and spirit, so I’d feel I wasn’t overdoing…
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See the RecipeNY Times recipe from Rosie Schaap who states, “This lively cocktail is arguably the most refreshing highball. Try to find Squirt or Jarritos grapefruit soda if you can.”
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See the RecipeRecipe posted on Liquor.com which states, “Appearances can be deceiving, and such is the case with the Pink Lady: Freshly squeezed lemon juice plays alongside pomegranate-based grenadine, and the drink packs a two-spirit punch of gin and applejack that belies its pretty pink hue. Like many Prohibition-era cocktails, the Pink Lady has an ambiguous history: Its invention was likely a solution to the cheap gin that marked the age; adding other ingredients like brandy, lemon juice, and grenadine helped to mask the unpleasant flavor of the poor-quality spirits available at the time.” When I made this, it looked very good…
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See the RecipeNY Times recipe from Ali Slagle ho states, “The whiskey sour is a trusted combination of sweet, sour and spirit. A true classic, it’s remained largely unchanged since its first printed mention in 1862 in the book ‘How to Mix Drinks’ by Jerry Thomas. This recipe gives instructions for its two most common forms: frosty over ice or frothy with an egg white (also known as a Boston sour). For a spicier, drier drink, use rye instead of bourbon; for a New York sour, float 1/2 ounce red wine over the top; and for garnish, consider an orange slice or…
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See the RecipeNY Times recipe from Becky Hughes who states, “The Dirty Shirley, a vodka-spiked variation on the classic, kid-friendly Shirley Temple, is a syrupy-sweet nostalgia trip for adults. Topped with a cheeky maraschino cherry, the cocktail is evocative of a time before drinks had to be balanced or nuanced, a time when a bright red glass of sugary bubbles was the pinnacle of festivity. While a classic Shirley Temple is made with either lemon-lime soda or ginger ale, the “dirty” version is commonly made with the former (Sprite or 7Up).”
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See the RecipeNY Times recipe from Rebekah Peppler who states, “Whether you’re sick in bed or fresh off the slopes, a hot toddy warms everything up. The classic formula of whiskey, sugar and hot water is like the steamy cousin of an old-fashioned, but these days, a lot of other ingredients (citrus juice, apple cider, various spices) get added in the name of innovation, with mixed results. This version cozies up to the original, with a few optional additions based on preference. First, warm the mug with hot water, which primes the vessel to hold heat longer, yielding a truly hot toddy…
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See the RecipeNY Times recipe from Terroni and Adapted by Jennifer Steinhauer who states, “In Los Angeles, at Terroni, they’re mixing up the Il Sorpasso, which involves Aperol, Maker’s Mark bourbon, honey and lemon juice syrup. (I’ve been making a cheap home version, tossing Aperol with San Pellegrino Limonata soda and a dash of honey. If my supervisor yelled at me that day, I add gin.)”
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See the RecipeNY Times recipe from Robert Simonson who states, “There are some who adhere to dry-martini dogma when making a manhattan, thinking the drink improves with less vermouth. But the classic, best and most flavorful ratio for this drink remains two to one. Whether you use bourbon or rye is entirely a matter of taste. Bourbon will get you a slightly sweeter, more mellow drink; rye a drier, spicier one. Both versions can be excellent. Use homemade cocktail cherries if possible, or a quality brand like Luxardo. Eschew the common neon-red orbs found in supermarkets. They are cherries the way that…
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See the RecipeNY Times recipe from Jim Meehan who states, “This is the classic Italian way to open a meal: the Negroni, a bittersweet palate cleanser that makes way for the evening’s delights. Adding a bottle of Campari to the liquor cabinet opens up a world of cocktail possibilities. In any case, drink this cocktail cold. This recipe came to us from Jim Meehan, a bartender and an owner of Please Don’t Tell, a speakeasy in the East Village.”
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See the RecipeNY Times recipe from Rosie Schaap who states, “Tequila, lime, a touch of orange in the form of triple sec and salt (if that’s your thing) is all you need to make a great margarita. No one really knows the true history of the cocktail — there are as many origin stories as there are variations of the beloved drink — but it’s a practically perfect drink nonetheless.”
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See the RecipeNY Times recipe from Sam Ross and adapted by Robert Simonson who states, “The drink, invented by the New York bartender Sam Ross, who created the classic modern cocktail the penicillin, has slowly been gaining steam since it was introduced in 2007, showing up on cocktail menus in numerous time zones. It is a rich, immediately likable whiskey sour lent plenty of culinary complexity by the amaro and the Aperol.”
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See the RecipeNY Times recipe from Mike Holmes and adapted by Robert Simonson who states, “Wickman House, a fine-dining destination at the tip of Wisconsin’s Door County peninsula, serves as many Moscow Mules today as it does the state’s beloved brandy old-fashioneds. The Wickman recipe is the classic formula: vodka and lime juice topped with ginger beer and served over ice in a copper mug.”
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See the RecipeNY Times recipe from Rosie Schaap who states, “If coziness has a fragrance, it’s the aroma of red wine simmering on the stove with citrus and spices (and a little brandy for a bit more zing). Choose a red wine that isn’t bone-dry—a little fruitiness is just fine here. I like the inexpensive Zweigelt from Erdenlied for this, which conveniently comes in 1-liter bottles. This recipe is easily doubled for a larger crowd.”
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See the RecipeNY Times recipe from Lidey Heuck who states, “The invention of the espresso martini — a cocktail with a jolt that has recently experienced a resurgence in popularity — is credited to British bartender Dick Bradsell, who was known for creating inventive cocktails at bars around London in the 1980s. It pairs mild vodka with freshly brewed espresso, coffee-flavored liqueur and a sweet splash of simple syrup. The espresso shot is the cocktail’s main ingredient and has a big impact on the drink’s flavor, so use one you like. (You may want to add an additional 1/2 ounce of coffee…
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See the RecipeNY Times recipe from Rebekah Peppler who states, “A classic dirty martini can be made, depending on drinker’s preference, with all gin or all vodka, but using half gin, half vodka — with some vermouth and brine — results in a drink that leans a bit fresher and cleaner. (Should you prefer to stick with one spirit, use 2 1/2 ounces of either gin or vodka in this recipe.) Olive brine keeps the drink in the classics lane or swap in a less traditional brine, such as cornichon, pickled jalapeño, pickled tomato or preserved lemon and change up the garnish…
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See the RecipeNY Times recipe Rosie Schaap from who states, “Kingsley Amis and Churchill could hardly stand the stuff, but a little extra vermouth goes a long way.”
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See the RecipeNY Times recipe from Robert Simonson who states, “The old-fashioned is one of the oldest mixed drinks in the cocktail canon. (Original name: whiskey cocktail, which became old-fashioned whiskey cocktail, and then just old-fashioned.) It is a stirred drink, usually built in the glass in which it is served. Both rye and bourbon are suitable base spirits. For the sweetener, purists muddle up a sugar cube with water and a couple dashes of bitters, but simple syrup works as well. Twists can be orange, lemon or both (known as “rabbit ears”). A fruited version of the drink came into vogue…
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See the RecipeNY Times recipe from T.J. Siegal and Milk & Honey and adapted by Robert Simonson who states, “The Gold Rush was created in the early aughts at Milk & Honey, the famed cocktail speakeasy on the Lower East Side in New York. It came to be when T.J. Siegal, a friend and colleague of Sasha Petraske, the founder of Milk & Honey, came in one night and asked for a whiskey sour. Spying a batch of honey syrup Mr. Petraske had whipped up for a different cocktail, Mr. Siegal asked for his drink to be made with that instead of…