5 drinks I should try and KNOW how to make

[third hand grace]

I know my beers and red wines pretty well, since I enjoy both, but I honestly don't know how to make many mixed drinks.

SO....

name 5 drinks that I should definitely know/try and gimme YOUR favorite (along with how you make it).

Thanks.

[Want2bLikeBrutus]

If you are thinking in terms of for hosting others and being able to make a drink for them, I'd have

 

1. Martini - Classic drink that has a million varieties on a very basic recipe of vodka and vermouth. Only downside is everyone has a different idea of what the perfect martini is.

 

2. Gin and Tonic - Stick with top shelf gin, Tanqueray and Bombay Sapphire are personal favorites. Beefeater and Seagrams are good for a half gallon purchase

 

3. Rum and coke - again simple but with a million variations. My ex brother in law got me drinking Bacardi O (orange flavored rum) and Diet Pepsi with Lime. Nice low cal libation with some kick

 

4. Margarita - Nothings better (IMHO) than a Cuervo Gold margarita on the rocks with a nicely salted rim. Not a big fan of frozen margaritas or strawberry margaritas.

 

5. Scotch - Neat is easy. On the rocks not so much...how much ice? always cubed, never crushed or shaved. Then there is which scotch...Bias here is toward The Macallan and not without cause. It is emminitely drinkable and flavorful. My usual drink is an 18yo Glennfiddich neat. Johnnie Walker Red is acceptable and I have a 200ml of JW Blue (retails for $150 a fifth) stashed for a special occasion.

 

Hope that helps!!!

 

Craig

[Weakly Criminal]

QUOTE (Want2bLikeBrutus @ Dec 23 2006, 12:54 PM)

If you are thinking in terms of for hosting others and being able to make a drink for them, I'd have 1. Martini - Classic drink that has a million varieties on a very basic recipe of vodka and vermouth. Only downside is everyone has a different idea of what the perfect martini is. 2. Gin and Tonic - Stick with top shelf gin, Tanqueray and Bombay Sapphire are personal favorites. Beefeater and Seagrams are good for a half gallon purchase 3. Rum and coke - again simple but with a million variations. My ex brother in law got me drinking Bacardi O (orange flavored rum) and Diet Pepsi with Lime. Nice low cal libation with some kick 4. Margarita - Nothings better (IMHO) than a Cuervo Gold margarita on the rocks with a nicely salted rim. Not a big fan of frozen margaritas or strawberry margaritas. 5. Scotch - Neat is easy. On the rocks not so much...how much ice? always cubed, never crushed or shaved. Then there is which scotch...Bias here is toward The Macallan and not without cause. It is emminitely drinkable and flavorful. My usual drink is an 18yo Glennfiddich neat. Johnnie Walker Red is acceptable and I have a 200ml of JW Blue (retails for $150 a fifth) stashed for a special occasion. Hope that helps!!! Craig

Most of the classics covered right there.

 

If I might suggest some foo foo liqueur drinks? I drink the sweet stuff very sparingly but find it just delicious!

 

You can't go wrong with Baileys. Mix it with quality flavors like Frangelico, Amaretto, etc. Even a cheap butterscotch is made wonderful by Baileys. Try Strawberrys dipped in warm chocolate, and then crushed pecans, chased by a shot of Frangelico. This simple expedient, served at every diplomatic meeting, would end war forever!

 

Don't forget the Chambord! (in a pretty cabinet) I particularly love it in a Margarita Rocks. Anything fruity benefits greatly from Chambord.

 

Ever try a Velvet Hammer? It's basically Ice Cream and Rum traditionally, but you can do so much more. I recently put together some with dutch chocolate ice cream, dark rum, Baileys, Frangelico, pecans, chocolate chips and strawberrys. Blend your liquids and ice cream together first, then put the solids in and blend just enough to break them up. Leave nice chunks of the nuts and fruit. The girls will love you for it! (Some of us guys too)

[third hand grace]

so it has the consistency of a smoothie?

Interesting.

[Weakly Criminal]

You can serve it that way or put the whole blender in the freezer and let it harden up and serve it like ice cream. Either way the chunks should be big enough so you need a spoon.

[Slime]

Just remember to try a martini with Gin first since THAT is the "true" way to do things

[doubled_mystic]

if you're looking to learn how to mix drinks, I would recomend picking up a copy of Mr. Boston, 1500 Recipes, Tools and Techniques for the Master Mixologist perhaps the most important tool next to the cocktail shaker in my home bar. either that or there is another book called the bartenders black book, which has every drink known to man and how to make it. The real difference between the 2 is that the drinks in Mr Boston do not use ready made drink mixers, as opposed to the black book, which does mean it takes a bit longer to make each drink, but the taste factor greatly out weighs the time spent.

 

the 4 most important ones to learn, which in turn will help you learn everything else are........

 

old fashioned-

 

in an old fashioned glass- muddle a cube of sugar with a dash of angostura, and 6 dashes water, add a jigger of rye whisky (can substiute bourbon) and stir, add ice and a twist of lemon peel, garnish with cherry and orange

 

manhatan-

 

stir a jigger of rye (or bourbon) with a splash of vermouth (dry, sweet, or half and half for "perfect manhattan), with ice, and strain into cocktail glass, garnish with olive

 

martini-

 

stir a jigger of gin with a jigger of vermouth (sweet or dry) and ice, strain into cocktail glass and garnish with twist of lemon peel or olive...you can play around with the gin/vermouth ratio, ussually the most common are 2-1, 5-1 or 8-1 gin/vermouth. The same method is used for a vodka martini as well.

 

margarita-

 

shake together a jigger of tequilla, a splash of tripple sec and a pony (1 ounce) of lime or lemon juice with ice, strain into salt rimmed margarita or cocktail glass over ice.

 

 

lately, my favorite has been the vodka gimlet (pony lime juice, dash of simple syrup, and a jigger of vodka, shaken with ice).

 

hope this has been some help, and happy mixing.