Cocktail O’Clock: Memorial Day Mojito

MemorialDayMojito

 

This new drink from Tony Abou-Ganim, The Modern Mixologist takes one of our favorite cocktails, the mojito, and amps it up with one of our favorite cocktail add-ons: ginger. Why didn’t we think of that before?

 Memorial Day  Mojito

Ingredients:

1 1/2 oz Shellback Spiced rum
1 oz Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
12-14 Fresh Mint Leaves
1 oz Ginger Syrup
4 slices of Mandarin or Clementine
2 oz Chilled Soda Water

Directions:

In a highball glass, lightly muddle lime juice, ginger syrup, sliced mandarin and mint leaves.

Add crushed ice and rum.

Stir until outside of glass begins to frost.

Top with chilled soda water.

Garnish with mint sprig.

Cocktail O’ Clock: Cinco De Derby-o

Agave Julep

Not sure if you’re aware, but this weekend is one of the biggest events of the year. Why? Well, first of all, we have the holiday to end all holidays, Cinco de Mayo. If that weren’t reason enough to celebrate, another big day falls upon this weekend as well: the Kentucky Derby! At first I was almost angry that these two occasions were combined this year. Why mash two perfectly good drinking events into one measly weekend when you can spread the joy around?

I decided to embrace it, though, and luckily the folks at Maestro Dobel Tequila have a recipe that combines the signature boozy delights of both days into their Agave Julep, a tequila-based twist on the classic Mint Julep. Olé!

Agave Julep

2 parts DOBEL Tequila
8 Fresh Mint Leaves
1 part Agave Syrup
2 parts Ginger Ale
Glass Rocks
Garnish Lime wedge

Find more creative cocktail ideas in Endless Cocktails.

Girl Scouts Copycats: Ritz Thin Mints and Tagalong “Cookies”

copycat girl scout cookies

Apparently today, February 8th, is National Girl Scout Cookie Day.  I guess that’s a thing.

I was a terrible girl scout.  I was one of those kids who never liked to go outside and get dirty and just wanted to read my Babysitter’s Club books.  I liked the patches you could earn in a quiet room.

I remember one time, we drove a long way to this obstacle course.  This is in my horribly unreliable memory of childhood, so we probably drove down the street to a playground.  Anyways, we had to climb a rope thing and I remember just looking up at it and sighing, wondering when we get to the cookie part of the whole deal.

I know that may come as a shock that I was such a nerdy kid since I’m so badass as an adult. Haaaaaaaaaaaaaah.  Sorry.  I entertain myself with my sarcastic quips. OK, back to cookies.  We all love cookies.  Am I right? That was a rhetorical question.  Of course I’m right.

So, I missed my chance to order boxes of Girl Scout cookies this year.  I flat out turned them down.  I was on my healthy kick.  I still sort of am.  But, you need a healthy balance of cookies and salads.  You just do.

These “cookies” are so very simple to make.  And you can make as little or as many as you want.  They are probably healthier and cheaper that Girl Scout cookies.  Maybe.  I did no research to support that claim.

copycat thin mints tagalongs

The secret ingredient is Ritz crackers.

Let’s go.

Copycat Thin Mints

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Cocktail O’Clock: Mango Coconut Mojito

I am not, nor have I ever been, a bartender.  I love mixed drinks, though.  And I’m super cheap, so I would much rather make drinks at home than pay upwards of $8 a glass on a super-sugary and not-alcoholic-enough drink.

Now, I promised myself a while back that I would not buy any more coconut rum because it’s too easy to consume in mass quantities and regret it later.  Buuuttt…I guess I break promises.

So, here’s a tropical drink to rock your socks.

Coconut Mango Mojito

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Artsy Photo Series of the Day

Sometimes when I have a baguette at home, I’m too lazy to grab a serrated knife and instead just tear a hunk of bread right off and shove it in my mouth. I used to think that made me a lazy slob, but then I went to Roberta’s Pizza and realized it just makes me adorably rustic! If the most acclaimed restaurant in Brooklyn serves bread that way, it must be classy, right?

More artsy photos from Roberta’s after the jump.

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