Buck's Fizz:
A special toast to Mothers everywhere. Where would we be without Mom! Here's a special libation just for her.
Ingredients:                                                                                                                                                                                2 oz. freshly squeezed orange juice
4-6 oz. champagne
Preparation:
Pour the orange juice into a champagne flute, then add the champagne. Toast the best mother in the world-yours!                                                                                                            Â
The Cocktail That Landed T.R. In Court!
It’s the run for the roses today—134th Kentucky Derby—the traditional libation is the mint julep. Easy to make, and smooth to drink. Here’s a great way to toast your pick from this year’s line-up.
Ingredients: 4oz.kentucky bourbon or whiskey. 1tsp. Simple syrup (1cup water,2 cups sugar—bring water to a boil, remove from burner-stir in sugar til it dissolves—let cool, then use). 4-6 mint leaves.
Preparation: In a julep glass or collins glass filled with crushed ice-add liquid ingredients, stir until the glass becomes frosty, then add mint leaves—allowing them to hang over the rim of the glass. Option: add a splash of soda water.
Don’t forget the straw!
The Quaker Cocktail
I'm not sure where the term for this cocktail originated-however-the disparate ingredients are quite intriguing!
The foundation is brandy-not normally an ordinary cocktail ingredient. The addition of the raspberry syrup gives it a wonderful balance between the brandy and the rum.
Ingredients:
1/2 oz. brandy
1/4 oz. light rum
3/4 oz. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 oz. raspberry syrup (for less sweetness, try fresh raspberry juice)
lemon twist
Preparation:
In a shaker filled with ice, add all of the liquid ingredients. Shake, and
strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Twist the lemon peel over the glass and drop in.
The Gin Rickey
This one dates all the way back to just after the Civil War--concocted by a notorious fellow by the name of Joe Rickey-who used to hole up in a dive in St.Louis. However, much to his credit, his legacy still stands at the bar today, with a libation that carries his last name, Rickey!
Ingredients:
1.5oz premium gin
1/2 lime, cut
1/4 oz. simple syrup-or-apricot brandy
6oz. soda water
ice
Preparation:
Fill a highball glass with ice
Squeeze lime juice into glass from 1/2 lime
Drop lime half into glass
Add gin and simple syrup or apricot brandy
Stir
Add soda water
The Bourbon Sling
Bourbon provides a wonderful foundation for many libations. Straight,mixed, blended, it's so versatile.
Here's a wonderful concoction sure to please.
Ingredients:
2.5oz bourbon
1/2oz. Southern Comfort
1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice
6oz. club soda
Preparation:
Place all ingredients, except club soda into a shaker filled with ice. Shake and pour into a highball glass
filled with ice. Top with club soda and garnish with a small lemon wedge.
The Apple Swizzle
Today marks the anniversary of the apple cider mill, invented in 1806 by Issac Quintard. Here's an apple inspired libation that's a little bit of a sweet treat.
Ingredients:
1/2 oz. apple brandy
1 oz. light rum
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
2-4 dashes of bitters
1 teaspoon sugar
Preparation:
In an ice filled cocktail glass, add all liquid ingredients, stir and add either a lime peel twist or apple peel twist for garnish.
The Leperchaun Soda
The ultimate "Green" Libation! Family friendly, this one is a wonderful thirst quencher you can enjoy any time of year.
Ingredients:
1.5 oz. Rose's Lime Juice
6 oz. Club soda or soda water
1 lime wedge or peel twist
ice cubes
Preparation:
In a collins glass, add ice cubes, lime juice and top with club soda. Mix and add garnish. Yummy!
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Easter Punch
A recipe the entire family can enjoy!
Ingredients:
12 cups pineapple juice
1 cup lime juice
1.5 cups lemon juice
7 cups ginger ale
3 cups club soda
3 cups orange juice
Up to 2 cups of sugar
1 big block of Koldkist Ice or bag of Koldkist Ice Cubes
Preparation:
Pour liquid ingredients into a punch bowl or beverage cooler filled either with a block of ice or ice cubes, stir mixture gently and enjoy.
Adults might want to add something else into their cups of punch.
Makes 35-8oz servings
 Paddy O' Cocktail
Say Erin Begorah! The luck o’ the Irish to ye all! Ingredients:
1.5 oz Irish Whiskey
1.5 oz. Italian Vermouth
1 dash bitters
Preparation:
Put ingredients into a shaker filled with cracked ice
mix, stain and pour into a cocktail glass
add a twist of lime for color if you like
 The Jack Rabbit
Easter is on the way, here's an unusual Libation incorporating, of all things, maple syrup! Ingredients:
1.5oz. applejack
1/4oz. fresh squeezed orange juice
1/4oz. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4oz.maple syrup
ice cubes
orange peel twist
Preparation:
In a shaker filled with ice
Add liquid ingredients
Shake and pour into a chilled cocktail glass
The Fog Horn
Center around gin, derived from juniper berries and have been distilled since the 11th century. Gin’s origins go back to monks in Italy, which began using it for medicinal purposes! But it’s the Dutch who refined this elixer and give us the name gin from the Dutch word genever. Notice how foggy it’s been on the way to work many mornings, and believe it or not, this type of weather has inspired this weeks Libation! The Fog horn!
Ingredients:
2oz. gin
½ oz.fresh squeezed lime juice
5oz.ginger ale or ginger beer.
Preparation:
Pour gin and lime juice into an old fashioned glass filled with ice
Gently stir in the ginger ale or ginger beer and garnish with a lime wedge.
Variation—can substitute lemon juice for the lime juice.
The Leap Year
2008 is one of those rare years, calendar-wise, where February gains an extra day, and a special cocktail to celebrate it. The Leap Year!
Ingredients:
2oz. gin
1/2 oz. Sweet Vermouth
1/2oz. Gran Marnier
dash of fresh lemon juice
Preparation:
In a shaker filled with ice, add all liquid ingredients, shake, strain into a cocktail glass, garnish with a lemon peel twist, and propose a toast!
Grapefruit Sparkle
February is National Grapefruit month. Here's a family friendly libation that's sure to add some sparkle to your taste buds! Â
Ingredients:
2oz. fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
2oz.fresh squeezed orange juice
1oz.cranberry juice
4oz.ginger ale
1 orange wheel
 Â
Preparation:
Pour fruit juices into a shaker filled with ice.
Shake, pour into an ice-filled collins glass, add ginger ale, stir and garnish with the orange wheel.