Strawberry Margarita Jell-O Shots

Here's another one of my quarantine Jell-O shot recipes. It does balance the quality of craft cocktails with the fun, levity, and nostalgia of Jell-O. It's super easy to make and makes a huge difference. I'm never going back in terms of my own creations. Fresh juice and quality spirits always beat out vodka and powder. 

6 oz Jose Cuervo Tradicional Tequila Plata

2 oz Fresh Lime Juice, strained

1 oz Orange Curacao, Pierre Ferrand

1 pack Strawberry Jell-O

8 oz Water

Boil water and add the pack of Jell-O. Stir until dissolved and uniform. Add the remaining ingredients and stir again. Pour into serving cups. 15 to 18 should give you decent portion sizes. Chill in the fridge overnight or until set.

Jell-O has quite a bit of sugar and sweetness, so I tend not to add sugar to Jell-O shots. Acid from fresh juice does really help bring out the potential of Jell-O shot cocktails. It's still classic fun but way more elevated than you got in college. 

Tequila 401: Evolution of a Cocktail: The Margarita

The actual origins of the margarita are very open to discussion. It's been claimed by countless bars and bartenders as their own creation. Some stories seem to be more factual or fanciful than others. I'm going off what I believe. I told my favorite story in my Tequila 301 post, in this one I'll go into a few more other plausible stories.

The Daisy

2oz. Liquor, 1 Lemon juice, 3/4 Sweetener, 1 Club Soda, 1/2 Cordial

Add all the liquid ingredients to a mixing tin with ice, aside from the club soda. Shake and strain into a rocks glass with cracked ice. Garnish with an orange slice and a cherry. 

This is a very old style of drink with very little consistency in terms of the recipe. The drink style, daisy, is very similar to that of a sour, collins, or fizz. Any liquor can be used, brandy and gin being the two most popular. Grenadine is certainly one of the most common sweeteners used, but some recipes may call for simple syrup, gum syrup, or even an orange liqueur of some type. Some recipes omit the club soda or substitute chartreuse for the cordial. as a base, try 2 oz brandy, 1 oz. lemon juice, 3/4 grenadine, with club soda and orange curacao. 

The Sidecar

2 oz. Brandy, 3/4 oz Cointreau, 3/4 oz. Lemon juice, sugar rim

Add all the liquid ingredients to a mixing tin with ice. shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass with a sugar rim. Garnish with an orange slice and a cherry. 

This is the drink that would seem to be the most natural precursor to the margarita. While the margarita is in its core components a sour, it had to take a few steps to get there. These days the margarita is the reigning sour, a cocktail comprised of a liquor a sweetening agent and a souring agent. The sweetening agent in a margarita is typically the orange liquor, unlike the usual simple syrup. The earliest record of this drink is from 1922 as equal parts cognac, Cointreau, and lemon juice. It's a simple variation on the brandy daisy. This drink predates the margarita by at least a decade, possibly two. The margarita was just two baby steps away from this cocktail. 

The Margarita

2 oz. Silver Tequila, 1 oz. Cointreau, ¾ oz. Lime Juice

In a mixing glass add all the ingredients with ice. Shake and strain into a salt-rimmed margarita glass with ice. Garnish with a lime wheel. 

Here we have the legend, the drink that is possibly the best selling drink in America. Margarita actually means little daisy, though it is quite different from many of the original recipes in its use of lime juice over lemon. A daisy was a very common cocktail style in it's day and one can see how it influences a great many modern cocktails. The margarita is a great sour style cocktail and can easily be modified with other fresh fruit flavors. It remains a blank canvas to play with while still being absolutely charming on its own. Many people will actually take this drink up, without ice. There are no rules, 

The Frozen Margarita

2oz Tequila, 1/2oz Triple Sec, 1oz Lime, 1/2oz Simple Syrup, 8oz Ice

Add all the ingredients to a blender with ice. blend until a uniform consistency, usually about 12 seconds

This is, unfortunately, one of the many times I'll have to add a cocktail variant after the original that may actually be the version the average person is more familiar with. The recipe I gave is a great way of making fresh-tasting cocktails. With blended drinks, however, some people actually prefer drinks with concentrated lime juice or sour mix. Flavored mixes are so abundant that strawberry and mango flavored margaritas are just so easily replicable that everyone is doing it. This really is a good drink to sip on the vacation.

No matter how you enjoy your margarita, it's always nice to know a little bit of history behind it. The margarita is a canvas in its own right, but it does have its roots in other earlier cocktails. I'll never tell you what you should or should not like, but make sure you try the classics every once in a while.

- Tequila is like duct tape, it fixes damn near everything. 

#003 Venusaur

This is a part of an ongoing project I'm working on to make a Pokemon cocktails for each and every Pokemon. I'm starting with just generation one and we'll see how the response is. 151 drinks is a tall order, but people have done crazier things. If I succeed I will most likely publish an eBook or possibly hard copy collections of each drink. Give them a try and let me know what you think. 

1 1/2 oz. Applejack
1 oz. Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz. Melon Liqueur
1/4 oz. Blue Curacao
1/4 oz. Lime Juice
1 1/2 oz. Lemon Lime soda

Add all the ingredients aside from the soda to a mixing tin with ice. Shake until well chilled. Strain into a decorative specialty hurricane or tulip glass. Top with the soda to fill. Garnish with a few mint leaves and a lime wedge.

This cocktail was derived very simply from the middle evolution, Ivysaur. We stretched it a bit and found that it actually makes a very drinkable tall drink. It reminds me of an old favorite, the Liquid Marijuana. Midori, blue curacao, pineapple, with some lemon and lime. If you were to add a few bits of rum to that and you'd have a popular club drink. I opted for apple brandy as I feel it's underutilized in tall drinks and I thought that it better represented Venusaur. The seed Pokemon matches well with apple flavors wouldn't you say? Remember our friend John Chapman, often called Johnny Appleseed. 

"Venusaur, the Seed Pokémon. Venusaur uses its large petals to capture sunlight and transform it into energy."

Charmander -->

<-- Ivysaur

Recommended Brands: Laird's, Midori, Bols, fresh juice that's not from concentrate, Sprite

#001 Bulbasaur

This is a part of an ongoing project I'm working on to make a Pokemon cocktails for each and every Pokemon. I'm starting with just generation one and we'll see how the response is. 151 drinks is a tall order, but people have done crazier things. If I succeed I will most likely publish an eBook or possibly hard copy collections of each drink. Give them a try and let me know what you think. 


1 oz. Applejack
1/2 oz. Melon Liqueur
1/4 oz. Lime Juice
1/4 oz. Blue Curacao
1 dash of simple syrup (~1/8 oz.)

Add all the ingredients to a tin and shake with ice. Double strain into a shooter glass to get out any pulp, or two shot glasses if you feel like sharing.

This cocktail is a simplified version of the Ivysaur. It bares many similarities to the Jack Rose on a smaller scale. The Jack Rose would use grenadine instead of Midori and blue curacao. If you use rose's lime juice you can omit the simple syrup to avoid making the drink too sweet. It actually took a bit of tinkering to figure out which ingredients to maintain. The choice of a base spirit was a difficult one, but I think a fruit based brandy actually fits the drink very well. Using a vodka or rum did cross my mind but what else would you use for a grass type but something fruit based.

"Bulbasaur. It bears the seed of a plant on its back from birth. The seed slowly develops. Researchers are unsure whether to classify Bulbasaur as a plant or animal. Bulbasaur are extremely calm and very difficult to capture in the wild."

Ivysaur -->

Recommended Brands: Laird's, Midori, Bols

#002 Ivysaur

This is a part of an ongoing project I'm working on to make a Pokemon cocktails for each and every Pokemon. I'm starting with just generation one and we'll see how the response is. 151 drinks is a tall order, but people have done crazier things. If I succeed I will most likely publish an eBook or possibly hard copy collections of each drink. Give them a try and let me know what you think. 

1 1/2 oz. Applejack
3/4 oz. Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz. Midori
1/2 oz. Honey Syrup
1/4 oz. Blue Curacao
1/4 oz. Lime Juice

Add all the ingredients to a mixing tin with ice. Shake until well chilled. Double strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a few mint leaves and possibly a fresh cherry.

This cocktail was based very loosely off of a sidecar. Instead of cognac I decided to use an apple brandy, feel free to try it with a calvados or even a pear brandy. I felt that straight lemon juice wasn't quite playful enough so I substituted lime and supplemented it with pineapple. For color, I used Midori and a bit of blue curacao which also compliment the other fruit flavors without being too overwhelming. Balance is everything in a sour and it took a lot of tinkering in order to ensure that the drink wasn't too sweet or sour. 

"The seed Pokemon, Ivysaur, Bulbasaur's evolved form. The bulb on its back absorbs nourishment and blooms into a large flower."

Venusaur -->

<-- Bulbasaur

Recommended Brands: Laird's, Midori, Bols, fresh lime juice

Dissecting a cocktail: Sonic Screwdriver

The Sonic Screwdriver is an icon for fans of Doctor Who. It is the tool that works on everything, except wood. We all know the classic screwdriver. It's a simple highball of vodka and orange juice. Naturally, the adult nerdy community likes to have a drink when they watch their favorite show. Many people have created their own recipes based on their tastes and whose Sonic Screwdriver they prefer. Matt Smith's screwdriver would glow bright green while David Tennant's was blue. The War Doctor had his red Screwdriver and River Song had her special red setting. There are dozens if not hundreds of screwdriver variations out there. I've picked out a few favorites and thought I'd go through and give them a few reviews.

BBCA's Sonic Screwdriver Punch

3 cups orange juice, 3 pureed ripe peaches, 4-5 cups lemonade

Chill the juice, peach puree, and lemonade for at least 1-2 hrs before serving. Mix the juice and puree and pour over ice. Top with the lemonade. Garnish with a few mint leaves. 

This is an interesting little cocktail put out by BBC America. It's a non-alcoholic punch so it's good for kids to enjoy as well. For adults, it is an enjoyable drink but certainly not the most creative non-alcoholic punch I've ever seen. On the bright side, you can jazz it up with just about any fruit or berry flavored vodka. This is odd that it took the moniker of a sonic screwdriver though. BBCA can do whatever it likes, of course, but aside from having the orange juice this is nothing like a screwdriver or a sonic screwdriver. It lacks the color. I give it a 5/10. Try this with a mixed berry vodka and a sparkling lemonade. That could bring it up to a 7.

Nerds and Nomsense's Sonic Screwdriver

1 oz Blue Curacao, 2 oz Blood Orange Vodka, 3 oz OJ, splash Red Bull.

Shake the ingredients aside from the Red Bull with ice and strain into a martini or cocktail glass. Top with red bull. This makes two cocktails

According to the creator, this drink is meant to taste like gummi frogs. Fans of Doctor Who may remember gummi candies have played some significance, namely the jelly baby. They were featured with the Second Doctor and they've continued to be referenced all the way to the current, Twelfth Doctor. Even the Master offers a few to his wife as he was taking over the world. This drink is actually quite unique in that it doesn't take its style from the original screwdriver though it does use vodka and OJ. I regard this as a very good reference to nerdy culture and it pays homage to the fandom but as a cocktail I give it a 6/10. It's not the most original cocktail, the proportions and balance don't work for me as a proper sour or highball. The flavor is a mishmash of sweet, I don't see myself ever having more than one of these in an evening.  

Liz Mulhern's Companion drink

1/2 oz Vanilla Vodka, 1/2 oz Blue Curacao, 2 oz Sprite

Build on ice in a highball glass

The recipe keeps to the premise of the traditional screwdriver but uses Vanilla Vodka for sweetness, Blue Curacao for orange flavor, and sprite to help with citrus. I actually greatly respect this recipe. It keeps the vodka and orange citrus flavors while getting it just the right color and adding a unique vanilla flavor in combination with bubbles. It's a great re-imagining of the classic. I actually first had this with Pinnacle Whipped in place of vanilla vodka. My verdict for this drink is an 8/10. It is very tasty, original while holding to tradition, and very easy to make for the lay person. This is probably my top pick for a long DW marathon. Allons-y!

The Way Station's Sonic Screwdrivers
Absolut Citron, Orange Juice, with a different topper depending on the doctor

Pour vodka and OJ in a glass with ice. Top with Blue Curacao for a 10th Doctor, Midori for the 11th, and Grenadine for River's Red Setting

The Way Station is an oasis of a bar for nerds everywhere. Unfortunately, I was unable to discern their exact recipe or ration for these cocktails but as they tightly resemble the standard highball I recommend a ratio of 1 part Vodka to 2 parts Orange juice with about a half part of the topper. I do take some issue with the drinks though. The colors don't match up that well when mixed. The orange juice is just too strong a color. They taste very sweet, definitely a girly drink. They are fine drinks, but I regard them as a bit simple for a cocktail bar in New York City. That said, they're very good for home use. My verdict, 6/10, sweet and simple, in other words, uninspired, a good cocktail that anyone can make, but there's a lot more room for improvement. 

I have been made aware that The Way Station has since added a 9th and 12th doctor to their list of screwdrivers. The 9th uses Pimm's as a topper to the template above. The 12th actually impressed me. it's Dewars, Amaretto, bitters, and ginger ale. I actually like this balance for Peter Capaldi's Doctor. Scotch fits well and I love that they broke the template and completely redid the personality of the drink. 

Special Mention to Drunken Moogle's recipe.

Finding a Doctor Who quote about alcohol was actually pretty interesting as the early doctors swore that they didn't touch the stuff. Chris Eccleston changed that though.

"I'm telling you. Lloyd George, he used to drink me under the table. Who's the Prime Minister now?"
"How should I know? I missed a year."

Photo Credit: Wikimedia, pxfuel, Snappy Goat

Rum 302: Let's try some Tiki Cocktails!

Rum is one of the most playful spirits there is. There are some amazing aged rums that are great on their own or even can be used in similar pairings to whiskeys. Most people see rum as very sweet, which it is. It is constantly paired with fresh fruit juices and syrups to create stunningly beautiful concoctions. These are a few classic tiki drinks that are a pretty good jumping-off point into the world of complicated rum heavy cocktails.

Hurricane
Light and Dark Rum, Passion Fruit Juice, OJ, Lime, Simple Syrup, Grenadine

Squeeze juice from half a lime into a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour 2oz of light rum, dark rum, and passion fruit juice, 1 oz of orange juice, and a splash of simple syrup and grenadine into a large mixing tin with ice. Shake well. Strain into a hurricane glass with fresh ice. Garnish with a cherry and an orange.

The Hurricane came about in 1939 at the New Orleans World Fair. It was named after the style of the glass it was served in, which was actually modeled after a style of lamp. The story is that Pat O'Brien, the creator of the drink, started creating incredibly rum heavy drinks to get rid of the rum stock the aggressive rum distributors coerced him to buy. Again many bartenders just wing this drink, throwing in other fruit schnapps or pineapple juice instead of using passion fruit juice. Good old New Orleans. When life gives you rum, have a party. 

Bahama Mama
Light Rum, Malibu, Banana Liqueur, Grenadine. OJ, Pineapple Juice

Add a 1/2 oz of light rum, coconut rum, banana liqueur, and grenadine to a mixing glass. Add equal parts of orange juice and pineapple juice to fill. Add a mixing tin and shake. Strain into a decorative glass with fresh ice.

The Bahama Mama is actually a pretty popular cocktail despite it having no clear history or origin. It started to gain popularity on the beaches of The Bahamas, but there is no credited creator. Because of this, it is hard to find an agreed-upon recipe. Some variations call for lemon juice, cherry liqueur, or even coffee liqueur. 

Pina Colada
Light Rum, Pineapple Juice, cream of coconut,

 Pour 2oz of light rum, 2oz pineapple juice, and 1 1/2oz cream of coconut into a large mixing tin with ice. Shake well and strain into a poco grande glass with fresh ice. Garnish with a pineapple wedge.

This drink was created by Ramon Perez at the Beachcomber Bar in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Pina Colada probably actually originated as a frozen drink. Feel free to try this drink blended with a bit of cream or ice cream for texture. I simply don't want to see you trying to make a blended concoction with a pre-bottled mix.  The scale of this drink will naturally need to be adjusted depending on what glass you use or if you try it blended. There is actually a variation of the Pina Colada, the Kappa Colada, which uses brandy instead of rum. 

Mai Tai
2oz Jamaican rum, 1oz lime juice, 1/2oz orange curaçao, 1/2oz orgeat

In a shaker, add all the ingredients with some hard ice and give it a light shake, don't water it down too much. Strain into a rocks glass with shredded or crushed ice. Garnish with some mint.

This drink was either created by Trader Vic's or Don the Beachcomber. They were the two original rival tiki bars in California. The name translates from the Tahitian word for good. Most Mai Tais these days are shaken with crazy amounts of fruit juices, but the original was actually built over crushed ice to keep the flavor soft. Many people will opt to do a rum float on top of this as well. This is one of the pure original tiki cocktails, it's pretty stiff and not really that fruity, so do be careful

Special mention to: Zombie, Scorpion Bowl, Planters Punch, 151 Swizzle

Photo Credit: wikimedia

Orange Liqueurs 101: What's the difference?

There is a large variety of orange flavored liqueurs available for a number of different applications. Triple Sec, Blue Curacao, Cointreau, Grand Marnier, X-rated, and Solerno all have an orange flavor. Each one of them is a bit different, of course.

The most abundant style of orange liqueur is triple sec. You will find a cheap brand of triple sec in the well at most bars. Brands like Jacquin's, Bols, Hiram Walker, Dekuyper, and many others all make a triple sec orange liqueur. Triple sec is called triple sec due to typically being distilled three times and tending toward a drier (sec) orange.

Cointreau was seen as the original premium orange liqueur. The original orange liqueur was a product called Combier. Distribution of Combier is fairly limited, however. Cointreau is seen as one of the best, widely distributed, premium orange liqueurs on the market today.

The direct counterpart to Cointreau is Grand Marnier. The two products have almost exactly the same price point depending on your region. Where I live, they both cost $35 a bottle. Grand Marnier is quite distinct in that it is an orange liqueur that is blended with cognac. This changes it to having a brown color and creates a fairly unique blend of flavor that some people will drink straight.

Curacao is another style of orange liqueur. Curacao takes its name from the island of Curacao off the coast of Venezuela. The oranges used in curacao tend to be those from the island, but there is no such legal requirement. The fun thing about curacao is the color palette available. Americans have blue curacao everywhere. There is also green, red, and orange curacao. This is literally just food coloring and dye added to the liqueur. We like the blue color because bartenders are creative people and people love pretty drinks. We already had other liqueurs in all the other colors, so when a blue liqueur came to be available it caught on like wildfire.

There are a few other orange liqueurs worth mentioning quickly. Solerno is a premium liqueur made from the blood orange. Campari is a bitter liqueur that uses just the peels of oranges as one of it's many flavors. Campari should not be used as a substitute for any other orange liqueur. X-rated is a liqueur made with french vodka, blood oranges, and passion fruits. Many other recent liqueurs use orange and other fruits as well, like Gran Gala and Patron Citronage.

“Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker.”
- Ogden Nash

Photo Credit: Wikimedia, Needpix