drinksontherox

Time to enjoy time with your family and friends and reflect on what you are thankful for.    I’m thankful for my family, friends and; of course, a good beverage to go with the holiday festivities.   So, while you’re enjoying your time today,  mix up one of my fall themed beverages like my pumpkin pie martini (pictured) or head to my blog for the recipes for Hard Cider Sangria, Harvest Moon punch or an Apple Cider Bellini

One of my new favorite things to do is to experiment with vodka infusions.  Many of my favorite spots offer their version of a Stoli Doli which is pineapple infused vodka.   The first one I tried was at Capitol Grille.   They can be a bit dangerous because they are so smooth and taste like pure  pineapple juice so consider yourself warned.  It was so tasty that it inspired me to try to make a version at home. I sliced a fresh pineapple, placed in a container, covered it with vodka, put the lid on and set it on my counter for 7 days.   When it was ready, I strained it into a container, discarded the pineapple and refrigerated the rest.  I strained it over ice in a Martini glass and it tasted amazing.  While I was out and about I discovered Firebirds restaurant offered one too so I decided to try their version.

Sweet Tea Vodka is one of my favorite summer cocktail ingredients.   It’s great for mixing up a refreshing summer drink that can be tailored to your preference.   Start with sweet tea vodka.  Deep Eddy’s is my personal favorite however there are lots of options out there.   For a John Daly, mix equal parts sweet tea vodka and fresh squeezed lemonade.  You can also incorporate your favorite ice tea flavors.  I added 1 part sweet tea vodka, 1/2 part fresh squeezed orange juice and 1/4 part Cointreau for an refreshing orange tea.  For peach tea I combined 1 part sweet tea vodka, 1/2 part peach nectar and 1/4 part peach schnapps.  Use your imagination and create your own new signature summer drink!

Lately I’ve seen more variations of ice cubes being served in drinks. I first noticed it a few years back when I started seeing variations of whiskey stones (ceramic, stone and stainless steel) in the stores.  I would assume it has to do with the renewed interest in Bourbon and Whiskey drinks along with the emergence of the craft cocktail.  So now, using a regular ice cube in a cocktail seems a bit boring.

Ever wonder what terms like “neat” or “dirty” mean when used to order drinks?   Here’s a list of common bartenders terms to increase your knowledge and impress your friends the next time you order a drink.

Now that you have bar stocked, let’s talk about those bar essentials that you need to make drinks up like a pro. Most of us have a bottle opener, cork screw and ice bucket on hand.  Here are some other bar tools that can take your cocktail making to the next level.  Or at least make you look like a pro.

It’s getting close to the holiday season which means you will most likely host some guests.  I am always prepared to mix up a cocktail or beverage for guests but if you don’t usually have a lot on hand and want to offer something other than wine and beer to your guests here are my suggestions. 

Fall is the time of year for everything apple and pumpkin flavored.  I’ve added some of my favorites.  Check out my red delicious apple http://www.drinksontherox.com/recipes/red-delicious-apple-martini/ or pumpkin pie martini’s. http://www.drinksontherox.com/recipes/pumpkin-pie-martini/

My love for making cocktails started when I was a young girl. I was 1 of 5 kids whose dad worked 2 jobs to support us.  So, if you wanted 1 on 1 time with dad you had to get creative.  I knew dad liked to have a drink when he came home on a Friday night after a long work week

Thanks for checking out my site !  I am very excited to share my passion for crafting a great cocktail with you!