The life and times of the Modern Mixologist

Breakfast of Champions – Gin Fizz – Ramos Fizz

George had just sat down for Sunday brunch, craving his favorite corned beef hash with three poached eggs, when the waiter approached with coffee and the offer of a Ramos Fizz. “A Ramos Fizz. . . I’m not familiar with such a concoction.” He was quickly informed that it is a classic breakfast drink made from gin, cream, sugar, citrus juice, egg white, and orange flower water. The ingredients are shaken hard and fizzed with soda. Being the adventurous type and not one to miss an opportunity to experience something new, he eagerly accepted the offer. George found it to be light and fluffy, nicely balanced with just the slightest floral hint of orange blossoms, and it went great with his hash. Wanting to know more, he discovered the drink was first mixed in New Orleans, which was all he needed to persuade him to make a trip to the Big Easy.

George checked in at the Monteleone and found his way to the hotel’s Carousel Bar. There he met Marvin, bartender extraordinaire, and ordered a Ramos Fizz. Marvin informed him that the drink was indeed created in New Orleans by Henry C. Ramos in 1888, at his Imperial Cabinet Saloon located at the corner of Gravier and Carondelet streets. Ramos employed a host of shaker boys to properly shake these gin fizzes into a ropey, frothy brew, prompting one customer to say, “It’s like drinking a flower!” But then came Prohibition and the drink disappeared. After Prohibition was repealed, the trade name of Ramos was acquired by the Hotel Roosevelt and the Ramos once again became a huge hit. Marvin suggested George make a point to stop in at the Sazerac Bar at the Roosevelt and try one for himself.

As he walked into the art deco setting of the romantic Sazerac, George felt as if he had been transcended back in time. Approaching the bar, he was greeted by a sharply-dressed barman named Russell who prepared a delicious fizz for him. The barkeeper told of the infamous Louisiana Governor Huey P. Long’s preference for the Ramos Fizz. The story is that he was such a fan of the drink, when he visited the New Yorker Hotel he brought along his own bartender from New Orleans to prepare them. George thought that seemed very civilized indeed. After a second Ramos Fizz, he was ready to call it a night but not before stopping at Lucky Dog for another New Orleans’ specialty.

The next morning found George walking the French Quarter where he happened upon the Court of Two Sisters. After ordering a Ramos Fizz, he mentioned to the bartender, Linda, how wonderful it was. “That’s Ms. Flo’s recipe,” she said; “she put her special twist on it!” It turns out Ms. Flo Woodard had recently passed away but had held court behind the bar here since the 1970s and was one of the first women to work behind the stick in the Crescent City. George was starving and Linda recommended he try the traditional New Orleans’s breakfast at Brennan’s.

At Brennan’s bar, George was greeted by barman Blake Kaiser, who quickly whipped up a fizz for him. Kaiser suggested he try the Table d’hôte Breakfast, which is their three-course prix fixe. George began with a New Orleans classic, turtle soup, followed by a Brennan’s creation called Eggs Hussarde, which is poached eggs atop Holland rusks, with Canadian bacon and Marchand de Vin sauce. For dessert (yes, dessert for breakfast), he had to try another Brennan’s original, Bananas Foster.

Full and very happy, George was ready to return to Las Vegas with fond memories and a new-found love for a lost and forgotten classic.

Ramos Fizz

2 ounces gin
3 drops orange flower water
1 small egg white
1 heaping tablespoon powdered sugar
½ ounce freshly-squeezed lemon juice
½ ounce freshly-squeezed lime juice
1 ounce cream
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Chilled soda water

Shake very vigorously with ice for at least one minute or until your arm gets tired. Strain into a tall, thin glass (Fizz Glass) and top with chilled soda water. Stir.

DIAGEO had a happy hour for the ages at Tales of the Cocktail
Interpretations of the most influential cocktails from the 1900’s through today were created by a distinguished group of mixologists.

Read more about that here.

Tony Abou-Ganim – The Modern Mixologist and author of The Modern Mixologist, Contemporary Classic Cocktails as well as a regular contributor to in the Mix.
www.themodernmixologist.com

2 oz (60 ml) 100 percent agave silver tequila
1 oz (30 ml) Cointreau
2 oz (60 ml) fresh lemon sour (2 parts fresh lemon juice, 1 part simple syrup)
1 oz (30 ml) fresh-squeezed lime juice

In a mixing glass, add tequila, Cointreau, fresh lemon sour, and lime juice; shake with ice until well blended. Strain into an ice-filled goblet. Garnish with a wedge of lime. I do not advocate salting the glass, but if you must, simply moisten the rim with fresh lime juice, then dip lightly into a plate of kosher salt.

picture courtesy of campariusa.com

This recipe was originally featured in “The Modern Mixologist: The Negroni Quest“, in the Mix’s Winter 2009 edition

Ingredients:

1 oz Campari
1 oz Cinzano Rosso sweet vermouth
Chilled soda water

Directions:

Build in an ice-filled highball glass, top with chilled soda water, stir. Garnish with a slice of orange.

Ingredients:

1 oz gin (The choice of which should suit one’s personal fancy)
1 oz Campari
1 oz Martini & Rossi sweet vermouth

Directions:

Into an ice-filled mixing glass (Martini pitcher), add gin, Campari, and Martini & Rossi sweet vermouth. Stir until well blended. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a burnt orange twist.

The Life & Times of the Modern Mixologist

George, being a fan of warmer weather, was pleased to find the sun shining and the temperatures rising, which were sure signs that winter would soon be but a fond memory and springtime would come once again. Baseball, barbeques, and the running of the Kentucky Derby were close at hand. The season’s most characteristic herb, although heretofore slumbering, would be revived. Mentha piperita and Mentha spicata, (aka peppermint and spearmint respectively), would return to reawaken the senses and quench our thirsty palates as the mercury would begin to rise. Being in the mood to indulge the warm weather, George felt imbibing a mint julep would be just the thing to celebrate such an occasion.

After a stop at the market to pick up supplies that included the aforementioned fresh spearmint, George headed home to dust off his sterling silver julep cups. He took a look at Gary Reagan’s fine literary work, The Book of Bourbon, for inspiration and words of wisdom. Gary praises the mint julep as “the aristocrat of mixed drinks, it is a creation that brings wisdom to fools, turns wallflowers into the life and soul of the party, makes the clumsy graceful, the weak strong, and brings sophistication and charm to the most ill-mannered lout.” This is not too far off the Webster’s dictionary assessment, circa 1806, in which the julep is defined as “a kind of liquid medicine.” George, like so many julep aficionados, was inclined to agree. At times, one or two mint juleps certainly felt just like what the doctor ordered.

Being a bit of a sporting man as well as a bon vivant, George thought that to truly appreciate this classic libation, a trip to the Kentucky Derby was in order. Each year during the first weekend of May, Churchill Downs prepares for the running of the Kentucky Oaks and the Kentucky Derby. During this extravagant two-day span, over 80,000 mint juleps will be consumed, utilizing some 150 bushels of mint. More mint juleps are enjoyed here than during the remaining 363 days of the year combined! This is a statistic that seriously needs to be improved.

After having a smashing good time, winning a couple trifectas, and enjoying several frosty mint juleps, George headed home with a new love for thoroughbred racing as well as a new-found appreciation for the julep. Pay tribute to great Southern hospitality with the classic mint julep, or step out a little: utilize seasonal ingredients and have fun interpreting this granddaddy of all mint-themed classics. Remember, it may be traditional to serve juleps during the Derby, but your guests are sure to enjoy one anytime the temperature starts to rise.

Recipe to Tony’s Claremont Smash

My take on the Casino Cocktail – one of my favorites and a great cocktail to turn non-gin drinkers on to gin. Who knew I liked gin!

- Tony Abou-Ganim

Ingredients:

1½ oz Bombay Sapphire Gin

½ oz Luxardo maraschino liqueur

1½ oz fresh lemon sour (2 parts fresh lemon juice, 1 part simple syrup)

2-3 dashes of orange bitters

3 Luxardo brandied cherries

Directions:

In a mixing glass of a Boston shaker, add gin, maraschino liqueur, fresh lemon sour, and orange bitters; shake with ice until well chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail coupe; garnish with 3 brandied cherries and a splash of the brandied cherry juice.

Ingredients:

1½ oz knob Creek Bourbon Whiskey

¾ oz falernum syrup

10-12 spearmint leaves

3 dashes Fee’s Peach Bitters

1½ oz fresh sour

Pineapple spear for garnish

Directions:

In a mixing glass muddle spearmint leaves with the falernum syrup, fill glass with ice and bitters, fresh sour, and Knob Creek, and shake until well blended. Strain into an Old Fashioned glass filled with crushed ice and stir until the outside of the glass begins to frost. Garnish with a spear of pineapple and sprig of mint. I like to rim the lip of the glass with the pineapple as well.

Ingredients:

2 oz. Woodford Reserve Bourbon Whiskey

1 oz. simple syrup

10-12 fresh spearmint leaves

Garnish with a bonnet of fresh mint

Instructions:

Begin by placing the julep cup (or glass) in the freezer before building to allow for thorough frosting. Remove cup from freezer using a linen napkin for handling. Place 10 to 12 mint leaves in each cup, add simple syrup, and gently muddle with a wooden muddler – it is very important to muddle just enough to release the oils without tearing or bruising the mint. Fill cup with crushed ice, add bourbon, and stir to mix. Top the cup with crushed ice and stir until a frost forms on the outside of the cup. Garnish with a bonnet of mint and a straw to serve.

Hint: A gentleman would want to serve linen napkins with his juleps to keep ladies’ warm hands from coming in contact with the frosted cup.

The Negroni Quest

George—being well-traveled, a lover of virtually every cuisine, and appreciative of those who are  passionate about the food they serve—recently found himself at the bar of Mario Batali’s B&B restaurant in Las Vegas. In need of a proper aperitif, he inquired of the barman, who quickly recommended a Negroni. Upon sampling this newly discovered libation, he found it to be bittersweet, beautifully balanced, and dry in finish with just a hint of orange. It was very much to his liking and proved the perfect start to Mario’s wonderful Italian cooking.

After doing some research, George discovered that according to Luca Picchi, head barman at Rivoire, there was indeed an Italian Count, Camillo Negroni, who started adding gin to the classic Americano to give the drink more of a kick. Apparently, the bar he frequented in Florence in the 1920s was called Bar Casoni, and the gentleman working behind the stick was Fosco Scarselli.

Being the bon vivant that he is, George quickly booked a Mediterranean journey aboard Crystal Cruise Lines and let the adventure begin. His journey commenced in Venice, where he first enjoyed several Bellinis at Harry’s Bar before setting off to sea. Two days later, the ship docked in Livorno, the gateway to Florence, and George was about to begin his quest to find the birthplace of his new favorite tipple, the Negroni. His attempt to search out Bar Casoni on the famous Via Tornabuoni ended in vain, as he found the place had been closed up long ago. All was not lost however. He did happen upon a wonderful restaurant: Trattoria La Madia. He had a wonderful risotto with fresh porcini mushrooms and met bartender Fabbrocino Gennaro, who had worked at Caffe Rivoire and knew Lucca Picchi. He claimed that the drink was actually first mixed at a joint called Caffè Giacosa, which was also located on the famous Via Tornabuoni. He made George a wonderful Negroni—on the rocks with a slice of orange as they like to serve them in Italy—and told the story of Count Negroni adding gin to the Americano, “Milano – Turino.”

George set out to find Caffè Giacosa, and find it he did, still in operation and still serving its legendary drink. After enjoying his Negroni made by barman Paolo Betti, he set out to find Rivoire and meet Lucca himself. He found the wonderful café in the Piazza Signoria, only to discover that Lucca was  not working. He did, however, enjoy one last wonderful Negroni in the city that made the drink famous, before heading back to the ship with fond memories and a great desire to return.

Negroni

1 oz gin (The choice of which should suit one’s personal fancy)
1 oz Campari
1 oz Martini & Rossi sweet vermouth

Into an ice-filled mixing glass (Martini pitcher), add gin, Campari, and Martini & Rossi sweet vermouth. Stir until well blended. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a burnt orange twist.

Americano

1 oz Campari
1 oz Cinzano Rosso sweet vermouth
Chilled soda water

Build in an ice-filled highball glass, top with chilled soda water, stir. Garnish with a slice of orange.

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George, being a man who indulges life’s finer offerings as well as being a curious imbiber needed to get to the bottom of the allure surrounding the mystique of absinthe. After doing a fair amount of research and being a man up for an adventure, George booked a flight to the Big Easy to investigate the lore and mystery surrounding this unique spirit.

Absinthe, known as”la fée verte,” had been illegal in the United States since 1912. It is made with anise, fennel and Artemisia absenthium, otherwise known as Grande Wormwood, renowned for its alleged hallucinogenic and addictive properties. The chemical thujone was blamed for these alleged psychoactive effects. The mystical power of the ‘Green Muse’ is said to have inspired the creative minds of Picasso, Manet and Van Gogh, among others. Oscar Wilde said about absinthe, “After the first glass, you see things as you wish they were. After the second, you see things as they are not. Finally, you see things as they really are, and that is the most horrible thing in the world.” Well, it turned out that the psychoactive properties of Absinthe were a little exaggerated and since 2007 it is once again legal in the United States.

George’s first stop was the Old Absinthe House on Bourbon Street, where in 1874 barman Cayetano Ferrer first created the famous Absinthe House Frappe. The motto on the wall says, “Everyone you have known or ever will know eventually ends up at the Old Absinthe House.” George found this to be a true statement when he ran into some friends from New York, and they shared a couple of the famous Absinthe Frappes before adding their business cards to the massive collection adorning the walls.

Absinthe House Frappe

1 ½ oz absinthe
¼ oz anisette
Chilled soda water

In a mixing glass add absinthe and anisette; shake with ice until well chilled. Strain into a fine crushed ice filled Old Fashioned glass. Spritz with chilled soda. Serve with 2 short straws.

Photography By: Daemon Baizan

2 oz. Laird’s Applejack
1 oz. fresh lemon juice
1 oz. cinnamon simple syrup
2 oz. cloudy apple juice
Vernors ginger ale
Apple Slices for garnish

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a glass. Garnish with aplle slices.

This is another drink that was inspired by my childhood memories growing up in Michigan. The trips to the orchard to pick apples with my brother Dave which would find their way into one of my Aunt Dort’s homemade pies. There would always be a warm slice of pie accompanied by a Vernor’s Ginger-Ale float as a reward for our labor in the orchard. It is the combination of all these flavors, in a fortified sort of way that has led to the creation of the Pomme & Circumstance. See, one can find inspiration for a new drink in the craziest places…

The above is from in the Mix Magazine Fall 2007. Read the full story here: The Modern Mixologist: Pomme & Circumstance.

In a mixing glass add rum, Maraschino liqueur, simple syrup, fresh lime and grapefruit juices; shake with ice until well blended. Strain into a chilled champagne coupe. Garnish with a thin lime bowtie. Cheers, papa.

Ingredients :
8 jumbo eggs
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter
Freshly grated nutmeg
Hot water

For each drink:
3/4 ounce Appleton Jamaican Rum
3/4 ounce Hennessy V.S Cognac

Directions: Separate egg whites and yolks. In a large mixer, beat yolks until thin, transfer to another bowl. Clean mixer and add the egg whites and cream of tarter, beat until stiff. Add powdered sugar and fold in yolks. Mix until batter is thick, but light.

In a pre-heated mug, add 1 heaping ladle of batter. Add rum and cognac. Top with hot water and dust with freshly grated nutmeg. Serve with a paddle or spoon.

Hint: At home I use a Kitchen-Aid 4.5 Quart Capacity Tilt-Head Mixer for making the batter.

In a mixing glass add Captain Morgan, Orange Curacao and fresh lemon sour; shake with ice until well blended.
Strain into a cinnamon and sugar frosted cocktail glass. Garnish with a spiral of orange.

* Fresh lemon sour can easily be made by mixing 2 parts freshly squeezed, filtered lemon juice with 1 part simple syrup.

In a mixing glass add Mount Gay Eclipse Rum, lemon juice, honey syrup and cranberry compote with cracked ice; shake to blend. Dump entire contents into a double old-fashioned glass. Garnish with additional cranberry compote, lemon slices and a mint sprig dusted with powdered sugar.

*TO MAKE CRANBERRY COMPOTE: In a 4 quart sauce pan bring ½ cup each of water & freshly squeezed orange juice with 4 whole Star Anise to a boil. Stir in 1 cup of sugar. Add a 12 ounce bag of cranberries. Return to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 10-12 minutes, cranberries should pop. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Dump the entire mixture into a glass bowl, cover and refrigerate until needed.

Chilled dry ginger ale
In an ice filled mixing glass add Jack Daniel‘s, fresh lemon sour, orange bitters and egg white.
Shake, strain into an ice filled old fashioned glass, top with dry ginger ale. Garnish with a slice of orange.

In the mixing glass of the Boston, muddle lime wedges with simple syrup; add Cachaça. Fill a double Old Fashioned glass with cracked ice and transfer to mixing tin; shake until well blended. Dump entire contents into the chilled Old Fashioned glass.

George, my close friend and connoisseur of all things food and drink related, called me recently to inquire about a drink he had just tried called a Caipirinha. He had been sitting poolside at the beautiful Bellagio Resort, and in want of a refreshing libation to help ease the Las Vegas heat, solicited a recommendation from the cocktail server. After suggesting the typical fair, Pina Colada, Margarita or Strawberry Daiquiri she suggested a Caipirinha. When he inquired further he was informed that it was a simple drink of Cachaça, fresh lime and simple syrup that hails from Brazil. George really liked this newfound tipple.A true gentleman who fancies himself a bit of a Bon Vivant, and very much enjoys imbibing on well crafted cocktails, George felt it necessary to embark on a trip to Rio de Janeiro in search of the origins of this marvelous drink. Being a world traveler as well as a big fan of Charles Baker’s wonderful book “The Gentleman’s Companion,” he decided the best way to experience this adventure would be to follow in Baker’s footsteps and make the journey by ship. He booked a Crystal Cruise scheduled to stop for two days in Rio de Janeiro, and let the adventure begin.

George’s first stop in Rio was a restaurant called Academia da Cachaça which stocks over 100 different labels of Cachaça. He asked the waiter to prepare a tasting of several different Cachaças and was quickly informed that Cachaça was the national spirit of Brazil with over 5,000 different brands available. It is often referred to as Brazilian rum, although it is produced exclusively from fresh pressed sugarcane and not from molasses. It can be mass produced as what is known as Industrial or in a more hand crafted method known as Artisanal.

After tasting through several different offerings he asked the waiter for a Caipirinha which was prepared with Pitu, an industrial style Cachaça and one of Brazil’s largest producers. Being a little hungry he also ordered a plate of Feijoada, a traditional Brazilian dish. This stew consists of black beans with a variety of pork and beef products such as salted pork, pork sausage, bacon and salted beef, served with sides of rice, collard greens and farofa. Simply put, a wonderful accompaniment to a Caipirinha.

CAIPIRINHA
2 oz Cachaça
1 small lime, quartered
1 oz simple syrup
In the mixing glass of the Boston, muddle lime wedges with simple syrup; add Cachaça. Fill a double Old Fashioned glass with cracked ice and transfer to mixing tin; shake until well blended. Dump entire contents into the chilled old Fashioned glass.

Now that lunch was over it was time to explore the wonderful beaches of Rio de Janeiro. After a quick visit to the famous Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, George found himself strolling along the lesser known Leblon beach, which is where he happened upon the Quiosque do Portugues and owner Carlos Alves. There are some 300 Quiosques that line the beaches of Rio serving light food, cold beer, Caipirinhas and a drink called a Batida. Carlos’s family has run this particular Quiosque since 2002. The Batida, a blended drink calling for Cachaça, some type of dairy product, a sweetener and fresh fruits is also very popular in Brazil. This refreshing drink can include any fresh, seasonal fruit so George tried both the local passion and cashew fruits, which were fabulous, but found the Coconut Batida to be his favorite.

COCONUT BATIDA
2 oz Leblon Cachaça
2 oz Coco Lopez coconut cream
1 oz whole milk
¼ oz simple syrup
Toasted coconut for garnish

George returned to his suite onboard the beautiful Crystal Symphony armed with a bottle of Leblon Cachaça and a newfound appreciation for the National spirit of Brazil.

Cheers!

Tony Abou-Ganim, the Modern Mixologist. Visit www.themodernmixologist.com for more on Tony’s cocktail secrets and products.

Ernest Hemingway was not only a great writer, bull fighting aficionado, big game hunter and sport fisherman but he was also a notoriously famous imbiber. I think that’s why I am such a big fan of his. In the Cuba section of his wonderful novel, Islands in the Stream, Thomas Hudson describes the daiquiris at the Floridita. “He was drinking another of the frozen daiquiris with no sugar in it and as he lifted it, heavy and the glass frost-rimmed, he looked at the clear part below the frapped top and it reminded him of the sea.  The frapped part of the drink was like the wake of a ship…” the man could write.

Inspired by Mr. Hemingway, my dear friend George, a true gentleman who fancies himself a bit of a Bon Vivant and very much enjoys imbibing well crafted cocktails, embarked on a trip to Havana, Cuba, in search of Hemingway’s favorite haunts. George first visited the El Floridita where he found himself face to face with a life-size, bronze statue of the great writer, occupying his regular barstool. Well, when placed in such a situation what’s a man to do but order a Daiquiri or two?

When asked how he liked them George replied, “Although frozen, they were made with fresh lime juice and Havana Club Rum with just the right amount of sugar…simply perfect!” It was here at the El Floridita that bartender, Constantino Ribalaigua Vert brought the Daiquiri to “Classic” status, as well as serving Hemingway his infamous “Papa Doble,” a frozen Daiquiri with a double portion of rum and no sugar. 

He is also famous for the creation of the “Hemingway Daiquiri,” made with rum, maraschino liqueur, fresh lime and grapefruit juices. George also tried a Hemingway Daiquiri, which was also served frozen, and although he enjoyed it, he professed to like my version better.

HEMINGWAY DAIQUIRI

2 oz. Light bodied Rum
¼ oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur (to taste)
½ oz Fresh, hand-extracted Lime juice
1 oz Fresh, Ruby Red grapefruit juice
½ oz simple syrup (optional)

In a mixing glass add rum, Maraschino liqueur, simple syrup, fresh lime and grapefruit juices; shake with ice until well blended. Strain into a chilled champagne coupe. Garnish with a thin lime bowtie. Cheers, papa.

Next stop, La Bodeguita del Medio (the little shop in the middle), a local bar—rather shrine—frequented by thousands of curious tourists each year yearning to experience firsthand the magical Cuban elixir, Mojito. This is where legend has it that Hemingway came to drink the famous tipple and a sign on the wall in the great man’s own writing seems to confirm  it, “‘Mi Mojito En La Bodeguita, Mi Daiquiri En El Floridita.”

As George sat at the bar watching the guayabera-clad barman prepare rows of Mojitos, carefully muddling the mint, lime and sugar, adding the Havana Club Rum and topping with sparkling soda, he couldn’t help noticing that all the walls were covered with signatures from famous visitors and tourists alike. He ordered a plate of frijoles negros dormidos and roast pork to accompany his Mojito and listened to the local musicians playing Cuban songs. George had one more Mojito, reflected on what a different time it was when Hemingway drank here, tipped the band and signed the wall for posterity.

CLASSIC DAIQUIRI

2 oz Light bodied Rum
1 oz Fresh, hand-extracted Lime juice
1 oz simple syrup (50-50)

In a mixing glass add rum, fresh lime juice and simple syrup; shake with ice until well blended.
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a thin wheel of lime, floating.

White Peach Bellini
A classic drink made with prosecco, a great alternative to the champagne cocktail.

Barman Giuseppe Cipriani at Harry’s Bar, Venice invented this classic cocktail, in 1948. Giuseppe Cipriani named this drink after 15th century Venetian painter, Giovanni Bellini. Reportedly the pink glow that Harry admired in one of Bellini’s paintings was his inspiration behind this legendary cocktail.

Ingredients:
2 oz Fresh White Peach Puree or Boiron Fresh Frozen Puree
3 oz Prosecco Sparkling Wine

Directions: Select very ripe white peaches. Blanch peaches in boiling water for approx. 1 minute and transfer to an ice bath. Peel peaches and remove stones. Transfer peach to a food processor adding ¼ oz fresh lemon juice for each peach. Sample. Sweeten to taste if needed, approx. 1 oz of sugar per pound of peaches. (Hint: Add a couple of red raspberries for color) in a 16 oz mixing glass add ice, 2 oz peach puree and 3 oz chilled Prosecco, roll the drink between the mixing glass and a mixing tin to blend, do not shake. Strain into a chilled champagne flute.

Purgatario
1 ½ oz Belvedere Pomerancza Vodka
½ oz Aerol
½ oz Solerno
¾ oz Fresh Mango Puree
½ Hand Extracted Juice of a Fresh Lime
Mix the above ingredients into a Boston Shaker, and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a Burnt Orange.

Pure Joy
1½ oz  Belvedere Cytrus Vodka
1 oz Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
1 oz Simple Syrup
1 oz Boiron Raspberry Puree
Chilled Lemon-Lime Soda

In an iced filled mixing glass, add Belvedere cytrus vodka, lemon juice, simple syrup and raspberry puree; shake until well blended. Strain into an iced filled 14 ounce goblet. Top with chilled lemon-lime soda, stir and garnish with a sprig of mint and a couple of fresh red raspberries dusted with powdered sugar.

Cosmopolitan
1½ oz Belvedere Cytrus Vodka
¾ oz Cointreau
½ oz Cranberry Juice
½ Lime, freshly squeezed
Shake, strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a spiral of lemon

We couldn’t put out a winter magazine without one of Tony’s favorite family holiday drink recipes, so here is a classic…

Aunt Dort’s Mulled Wine

My Great Aunt Dorothy French was a big part of my upbringing, on my Irish side. Along  with my Grandmother they ran French’s bakery in Port Huron, Michigan and instilled many family traditions one of which was her Mulled Wine. I have taken a few liberties with her original recipes but I’m sure should wouldn’t mind.

1-750 ml. Bottle of Full Bodied Red Wine
½ cup Belvedere Pomarancza Vodka
1 Lemon Peel
1 Orange Peel
1 cup Lemon Zinger Herbal Tea
1 cup Granulated Sugar (or to taste)
8 Cloves 2 Cinnamon Sticks
1 Whole Nutmeg, crushed
2 Cardamom Pods

In a large saucepan heat Lemon Zinger tea, lemon and orange peels, cloves, cinnamon sticks, crushed nutmeg and cardamom pods. Bring to a boil, add sugar, and stir until completely dissolved. Reduce heat and add wine and Belvedere pomarancza Vodka. Bring Mulled Wine to a simmer (do not Boil) and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve in heated mugs with a cinnamon stick garnish.

Note: This can be made in advance and reheated when ready to serve.