My Cocktail Collection

Here's my personal collection of cocktail recipes. An excellent cocktail reference that got me started is Cocktail at Hot Wired, which is no longer around.  Another nice site is the Flying Cracker. Unless otherwise specified, all these drinks are shaken over ice and served 'up'.

Jasmine

• 1 ½ ounces gin
• ¾ ounces fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Campari
• 1 tablespoon Cointreau

Shake hard with cracked ice.  I generally use Bombay Sapphire gin.  It has less of a bite.  Tanqueray No. Ten works as well.  I've also tried Magellan with success.   The recipe was from the Cocktail site from which this one is derived (thank you Paul Harrington for inventing it) calls for ¼ ounce of the last two ingredients. That made it far too sour for me.  Your taste may be some where in between.  By far and away my most favorite.

Imperial

• 3 ounces Aperol
• 1 ½ ounces gin
• 2 ounces lime juice

This is a variation of a recipe I found on the Web.

Aperol Schuhmann

• 2 parts Lemon juice
• 2 parts Rose's lime juice
• 4 parts Orange juice
• 4 parts Aperol

This is a variation of a recipe I found on the Web. A nice light fruity drink on a hot day. I serve it over ice in a high ball glass.

Negroni

• 1 ½ ounces gin
• 1 ½ ounces dry vermouth
• 1 ½ ounces Campari

You have to like Campari to enjoy this drink.  I order this in bars in place of the Jasmine because I've yet to find a bartender that can get the measurements right on the Jasmine.  Most recipes call for sweet vermouth.  Too sweet for me.  Bear in mind,  I like my coffee black.

Gimlet

• 2 ¼ ounces gin
• ¾ ounces Rose's lime juice

Daiquiri

• 2 ounces light rum
• 1 ounce lime juice
• 1 teaspoon sugar

I use super fine sugar.  It dissolves more quickly.

Mojito

• 2 ounces light rum
• 1 ounce lime juice
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• Mint
• Soda Water

Place sugar and, a small handful of mint in a pint or mojito glass. Use muddler to press mint to release the juices Add squeezed juice from the lime and two quarters of the skin. Muddle again to release the aromatics from the lime skin Add rum, stir, and fill with ice. Top with soda water, garnish with mint sprig and serve.

You can replace the sugar with canned sugar cane water. I use Goya. As an added flourish, add a sugar cane stirrer.

Delilah

• 1 ½ ounces gin
• ¾ Cointreau
• ¾ lemon juice

Caipirinha

• 2 ounce cachaça
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 lime

Cut the lime into quarter and place it in the bottom of a tumbler.  Add the sugar and extract the juice by crushing the lemon with a pestle or a similar implement (small baseball bat?). Stir in the cachaça and then the ice.

Lemon Drop

• 1 ½ citron vodka
• ¾ ounce lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Aviation

• 1 ½ ounces gin
• ¾ ounce lemon juice
• ¾ ounce marashino liqueur
• ½ ounce Crème de Violette

I use Luxardo marashino liqueur. The Crème de Violette was in the original recipe, but was dropped when it became unavailable. It's now be made again is can found in the US and Europe if not elsewhere. I'm still playing with this one.

Sidecar

• 1 ½ ounces cognac
• ¾ ounces Cointreau
• ¾ ounces lemon juice

Pegu

• 1 ½ ounces gin
• ½ ounces Cointreau
• ½ ounces lime juice
• ½ ounces Amer Picon

This is a variation of the original drink which calls for Angostura bitters in place of the Picon.

El Foridita

• 1 ½ ounces gin
• ½ ounces lime juice
• 1 ½ sweet vermouth
• Dash white créme de cacao
• Dash grenadine

Edisonian

• 2 ounces brandy
• 1 ounce Campari
• 1 ounce lemon juice