Bird of Paradise
I love fruity, tropical drinks. Yeah, I know that, technically speaking, alcohol is a depressant. However, the doesn’t mean that your drink has to be depressing. It should help you escape the humdrum, escape the everyday and slip off to somewhere exciting, somewhere exotic. That’s why I love a good Mai Tai, a quality Margarita and now, oh yes, now it’s time for the Bird of Paradise!
Hawaiian Screwdriver
Occasionally, over brunch, a Screwdriver fits the bill perfectly. Orange and booze to start the day — who doesn’t like that? Though, when a tropical urge hits, I’ve been known to want something a little different, something with a little more sway in its style. Something much like the Hawaiian Screwdriver!
Blue China
When Alice and I visited China, it confirmed what we’d already largely suspected: it’s not much of a cocktail culture. You’re looking at beer when you’re drinking there. Or baiju, but I promise you, don’t want that. That doesn’t mean you can’t make Chinese-inspired cocktails. Fruit, booze, fun and grandma’s cooking (the best restaurant we ate in Beijing was, basically, grandma’s cooking — it was epic)! Now, let’s have a Blue China to celebrate!
Blueberry Rum Fizz
Spring and warmer weather (admittedly, living on the coast in California where I can see the ocean, I use my imagination when it comes to “cooler weather”) inevitably switch my drink desires from something dark and moody to something light and fruity. I’m man enough to admit that I enjoy a quality fruit-based cocktail — because they’re amazing. Let’s do, shall we? Blueberry Rum Fizz, you’re a go!
La Louisiane
When Alice and I were exploring New Orleans and the cocktail scene, we barely scratched the surface. There’s just too much to explore and too many drinks to try. Clearly, we need to explore further, but that’s for another time. However, researching cocktails, that’s always good fun. Turns out there’s an epic cocktail that was hidden in plain sight that fully deserves further exploration: La Louisiane!
Almond Milk Tea Cocktail
Alice and I have newly returned from a trip to Taiwan, where, as I do in all Asian countries we visit, I’m powered by milk tea. It’s one of the greatest failings of the good ol’ USA that we don’t have more milk teas stocked. Sure, you can get ice cold sodas, waters, teas and various things from convenience stores, but where’s my milk tea? I don’t want to always have to hunt down a boba shop to get my fix. Knowing that I can make it at home, I decided to up the fun factor, let’s have an Almond Milk Tea Cocktail.
Black Velvet
Ah St. Patrick’s Day — I’ve always been a fan. For, uh, reasons. Honestly, I couldn’t tell you any good reason why, but ever since I was a kid, I’ve enjoyed it. From the food to the music to excuse to wear green, it’s all magical. Heck, that was even before I realized it was a great day for a pint (or three). Though, sometimes you want more than just a solitary pint, maybe even something not green, for those times, enjoy a Black Velvet!
Grateful Dead
When I first moved to LA, a city I’d never planned on living in, I temporarily moved in with my good friend Bryan (not to be confused with Brian, totally different cat). As a way of saying thanks for letting me crash at your pad, every Thursday night we’d go out and celebrate as friends do. That started a long-standing tradition of going out on Thursday nights, making them the de facto gentlemen nights of the week. One of our first Thursdays out, Bryan introduced me to this magical drink, enter the Grateful Dead!
Whisky Sour
I know I’ve told the story before, but ask anyone who knows me, one of the things I enjoy doing is repeating the same story innumerable times until I get it just right. At which point, it’s set and then I’ll probably only tell it when really inebriated (I swear, never happens), or I’m introduced to a new person. Back to what I was saying though, when I started going to bars and discovering the magic of cocktails (Cal Poly, ftw!), my closing drink was always the Whisky Sour. Let’s do.
Archer’s Peppermint Patty
Tactical turtleneck? Check. Delusions of grandeur? Check. A liver that just won’t quit? Oh yeah. Archer never lets you down when in need of good amusement. He is also, as good luck would have it, a bit of a drink aficionado. That’s why, when heading up a snowy mountain and he pours out a steaming cocktail, Alice and I knew we had to recreate it, it’s time for Archer’s Peppermint Patty!