Classic Cocktails

Classic Martini

Serves 2

Ingredients:

4 ounces gin
0-1 ounce dry vermouth
crushed ice or ice cubes
pimento stuffed olives and/or lemon twists

1. Order as many Cocktail & Shaker invitations as you'll need for your cocktail party.

2. Chill martini glasses in the freezer, or simply fill with ice cubes and water, and let rest for 1 minute.

3. Fill a martini shaker or any large tumbler with ice. Add gin and vermouth, and shake for 15 seconds. The less vermouth you use, the more 'dry' the martini. Some people prefer their martini stirred instead of shaken, so as not to "bruise" the gin. It is polite to humour your guest by obliging this request, but impolite to suggest a game of pick-the-bruised-gin-from-the-line-up!

4. Strain liquid into martini glass and garnish with an olive or lemon twist.

Bottoms up, Dahling.

Adapted from The Surreal Gourmet, Salon Magazine

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Margarita

Makes 4 large drinks

Ingredients:

Cut limes
Coarse kosher salt
Ice cubes
11/4 cups freshly squeezed lime juice
1 cup best quality white tequila
1/3 cup Cointreau or Triple Sec
1/3 cup sugar (or to taste)

1. Order as many festive Margarita invitations as you'll need.

2. To salt-rim the glasses, rub a cut lime around the rim of stemmed goblets. Fill a saucer with salt and dip the goblet, upside down, into the salt. Refrigerate goblets until ready to use.

3. Fill a blender jar three quarters full of ice cubes. Pour the lime juice, tequila, and Cointreau or Triple Sec over the ice. Add the sugar and blend, starting slowly and then setting the blender at high speed, until the ice is very finely chopped and the mixture is frothy.

4. Taste for sweetness, adding more sugar if you desire. Blend a few seconds more and pour into the salt-rimmed glasses. Serve immediately.

Ay Carumba!

The Martha Stewart Cookbook

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Mai Tai

Makes 1 drink

Ingredients:

11/2 ounces dark rum
11/2 ounces pineapple juice
3/4 ounce dark rum (150 proof)
3/4 ounce lemon juice
3/4 ounce orange juice
2 tsp. white curacao
2 tsp. almond syrup
Crushed ice
Lime and mint for garnish

1. Order as many Carribean Cocktail invitations as you'll need to get people into the summer mood.

2. Half fill a brandy snifter with crushed ice.

3. Mix all the ingredients together in the glass.

4. Perch a slice of lime and a sprig of fresh mint on the rim of the glass, and serve with a straw.

Refreshing, mon...

From The Bartender's Guide by Peter Bohrmann

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Mojito

Makes 2 drinks

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons very finely chopped fresh mint leaves
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Crushed ice
2 ounces white rum
Soda water
2 fresh mint springs for garnish

1. Order party invitations such as Masquerade Invitation by Paper Prince and send them to your whole street to get them along to the party.

2. Mix the chopped mint leaves, sugar, and lime juice in a small pitcher.

3. Fill 2 tall glasses with crushed ice. Pour the mint misture over the ice, add rum to each glass, and top up with club soda. Garnish each glass with a mint sprig.

As they say in Cuba, "Mojito...para empezar agrada, etona y alegra. Pon a trabajar el bar!" or "The mojito sparks your life and makes you happy. Let the bar work!" We couldn't have said it better ourselves.

From All Around the World Cookbook by Sheila Lukins

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