Well, it is that time of year again and listed below are recipes for several tropical “Boat Drinks”. Enjoy and embellish, if you are so inclined… –J.
Daiquiri
It never ceases to amaze me that 99.9% of bartenders do not know how to make this simple classic cocktail, especially in Florida. I’ve ordered them before and got a look like I had just ordered a hemlock fizz with a splash of gasoline. Then I get pointed toward the frozen Daiquiri machines. Below is the basic recipe. One of the attached videos is an embellished recipe. Enjoy!
* 2 ounces light rum
* 1 ounce lime juice
* 1 teaspoon simple sugar
Shake with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a slice of lime. Never, never, never, under any circumstances whatsoever, use Rose’s lime juice in this drink.
NOTE: To make simple sugar, mix sugar and water 2 parts water to 1 part sugar and heat on the stove, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, allow to chill in refrigerator.
Margarita
An all-time favorite and classic. I prefer them on the rocks. If you’re feeling bold, add another ounce of tequila. Nothing is worse than a margarita that turns your mouth inside out from the lime and salt.
* 2 ounces tequila
* 1 1/3 ounce Triple Sec
* 2/3 ounce lime juice
* 1 ounce simple sugar (optional)
Shake with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass. You can prepare the cocktail glasss by moistening the rim with lime juice, and then dipping it into coarse salt, if desired.
Tom Collins
Being a Hemingway aficionado, this is my favorite version of a classic cocktail and one of Papa’s favorites. It is my go-to summertime drink.
* 2 ounces Gordon’s gin
* 3/4 ounce lime juice
* 1/2 ounce simple syrup
* 4 ounces coconut water
Fill a Collins glass with ice, place in the freezer. Pour the ingredients into a shaker and shake. Strain into the Collins glass with ice. Top with Angostura bitters if you so desire. I drink mine without the bitters.
Tequila Sunrise
The drink that inspired a song by the Eagles!
* 2 ounces Tequila
*3 ounces orange juice
*1/2 ounce Grenadine
Pour the tequila and orange juice into a highball glass or number over ice. Add the grenadine, which will sink to the bottom. Do not stir. Garnish with an orange slice and cherry.
Mojito
A delicious classic Cuban highball
* 2 ounces light rum
* 1 ounce lime juice
* 2 teaspoons sugar (granulated, not simple)
* Mint
* Club Soda
Place sugar, a large pinch (small handful) of mint, and splash of soda water in a pint glass. Use muddler to lightly press mint and dissolve sugar until it smells of spearmint gum. Squeeze both halves of lime into the glass, leaving one hull in the mixture. Add rum, stir, and fill with ice. Top with soda water, garnish with mint sprig and serve.
Planter’s Punch
A classic cocktail that is said to have originated at the Planters Hotel in Charleston, South Carolina.
* 1 1/2 ounces white rum
* 3/4 ounce lemon juice
* Dash orange juice
Shake with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a squeeze of lemon.
Martini (Classic)
My all-time favorite cocktail. I prefer them dry, shaken and strained into a cocktail glass with two green olives.
* 2 1/2 ounces Beefeaters London gin
* 1/2 ounce dry vermouth
Shake with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with either a lemon zest or a green olive.
The Gin to Vermouth ratio listed here is 5 to 1. An “extra-dry” martini can take this to such an extreme as to have no vermouth at all. To me, this is not a martini at all, just gin.
Old Fashioned
There are so many variations on this classic drink and most of them are simply wrong. Soda and grenadine should never be used in an Old Fashioned, nor should cherries, oranges or any other such fruits and/or vegetables. The ingredients should be stirred and never shaken. Below is the recipe from my nephew Christopher Weiss, a master mixologist.
* 2 ounces bourbon or rye
* 3 or 4 dashes of orange bitters
* 1/2 ounce simple syrup
Mix the ingredients in a glass or shaker and pour into a highball glass with one large ice cube. They take a lot longer to melt or dilute the spirit. Large ice cube trays are available in the beverage department of Publix. Peel and orange rind and flame it quickly with a lighter or match. Squeeze and mist over the top and rim of the glass, drop it in the cocktail and stir with a mixing spoon.
Manhattan
A classic cocktail. Opinions vary, but most likely the Manhattan was created in 1894 by a bartender at the Waldorf Astoria located in Manhattan, New York City.
2 oz rye or bourbon
3/4 oz sweet red vermouth
dash Angostura bitters
Maraschino cherry (Garnish)
Mai Tai
The Mai Tai is a cocktail associated with Polynesian style settings, though the drink probably originated in the 1940’s at Trader Vic’s in Oakland, California.
* 1 ounce light rum
* 1 ounce gold rum
* 1/2 ounce orange curaçao
* 1/2 ounce Orgeat (Almond Syrup)
* 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
* 1 ounce dark rum
Shake all but the dark rum with ice. Strain into old fashioned glass. Top with the dark rum. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.
Mint Julep
The classic Southern delicacy and the official drink of Derby Day.
* 4 ounces Kentucky bourbon whiskey
* 4 to 6 sprigs of mint
* 2 sugar cubes
Put Bourbon, Mint, and Sugar into the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Muddle to dissolve sugar and blend mint leaves. Let stand for a bit to help release the mint flavor. Add ice, and shake well to chill, then strain into a glass filled with shaved ice.
Long Island Iced Tea
Not your grandmother, your aunt nor your mother’s iced tea. It looks and tastes like iced tea, but tread carefully. It has a kick much stronger than caffeine or sugar.
* 1/2 ounce Vodka
* 1/2 ounce Gin
* 1/2 ounce White Rum
* 1/2 ounce Cointreau
* 1 ounce Lemon Juice
* Top with Cola
Build all ingredients in an ice tea glass, then top with cola and garnish with a lemon wedge.
Bloody Mary
The famous drink of the morning after.
* 1 1/2 ounces vodka
* 3 ounces tomato juice
* 1/2 ounce lemon juice
* 7 drops Worcestershire sauce
* 3 drops Tabasco sauce
* 1 pinch freshly ground pepper
* 1 pinch of celery salt
* 1/4 teaspoon Freshly grated horseradish
Shake with ice. Strain into an old-fashioned glass filled with ice. Garnish with pickled asparagus sprig or slice of celery.
Corpse Reviver
I don’t know about this one. I have never had one, but with a name like that, I had to include it.
* 3/4 ounce gin
* 3/4 ounce lemon juice
* 3/4 ounce Triple Sec
* 3/4 ounce Amaretto
* Pernod, or other absinthe substitute
Shake with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass