Lobster Cocktail

I recently read a survey that said 79 percent of American people believe that Valentine's Day is romantic because they eat special food that they have prepared for, or with, someone special. It also found that 65 percent of those questioned were planning to celebrate Valentine's Day by cooking and sharing a romantic evening at home this year, rather than going out to eat in a restaurant.

With that in mind, I thought I would share this recipe that I have made many times over the years for special occasions, and its elegant simplicity has never failed to impress and delight our guests. The recipe uses lobster, which is expensive, and may be difficult to obtain in some areas, so the lobster could be replaced with large shrimp (fresh or frozen) with equally good results.

Ingredients

• 1 lobster (about 1 1/2 lbs), boiled
• 1 lettuce heart
• 4oz mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons tomato puree
• 1 tablespoon cognac, or brandy
• 2 teaspoons lime or lemon juice
• generous pinch of ground ginger
• 12-15 drops Tabasco sauce
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• salt to taste
• 4 slices lime
• 4 black olives

Method

1. Shell and slice the lobster.
2. Arrange the lettuce leaves in four glasses and top with the lobster slices.
3. Beat the mayonnaise with the tomato puree, cognac or brandy, and lime or lemon juice.
4. Season with ginger, Tabasco, paprika and salt.
5. Stir in half the whipped cream.
6. Pour the dressing over the lobster and garnish with the remaining cream, the lime and the olive.

To make sure this cocktail is a winner, choose to serve it in tall, elegant glasses.

You can prepare these cocktails ahead of time, and refrigerate for up to an hour, then simply add the remaining cream and garnishes just before serving.

To make the evening really special serve with champagne, or a dry white wine, and melba toasts or crispy bread.

This recipe, along with many other delicious shellfish recipes and cooking tips can be found in the amazing book, Shellfish, by award winning chef Anton Mosimann.

Ghostini

If you've been feeling like you need a quick pick-me-up trip to Las Vegas, but the economy has led you to reconsider, why not create the atmosphere at home with this fun colored Ghostini cocktail? The Ghostini, the signature drink of the Ghost Bar at the Palms Casino Resort, is a shimmering pastel yellow melon flavored cocktail, as glamorous as the people who frequent the Ghost Bar.

Sitting on the fifty-fifth floor of the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, the Ghost Bar offers one of the best views to be found in Las Vegas. This futuristic silver, white and green bar is patronized by rock icons and movie stars, and if you get tired of celebrity spotting, take a break on the ghost deck, where the see-through floor looks down on to the Skin Pool Lounge below.

Ghostini - Ingredients

• 1 1/2 shots Absolut Vodka
• 1/2 shot Midori melon Liqueur
• 1 splash of sour mix
  

Method

1. Shake the ingredients over ice
2. Strain over a martini glass
3. Garnish with a cherry
   

Frangelico Cream Martini

More and more people are dining and entertaining at home, and this cocktail makes a great alternative to a traditional Irish coffee drink that you would serve after dinner, and is ideal for the holiday season.

Essentially, it is a mix of Frangelico liqueur and Kahlua, topped with double cream, then served in a martini glass for a touch of elegance. If you have not tried Frangelico before, it is an Italian hazelnut liqueur which pairs really well with coffee, or coffee flavors.

This drink is one of the signature cocktails that can be found at the Cosmos Bar/Restaurant located on the ground floor of the Deste Foundation Centre for Contemporary Art in Athens, and is featured in the book Signature Cocktails by Bill Tikos.

Ingredients:

• 1 fl ounce Frangelico Liqueur
• 1/2 fl ounce Kahlua
• 1 fl ounce Double Cream
  

Method:

1. Mix the Frangelico and Kahlua in a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice and shake well.
2. Pour into a martini glass.
3. Top with double cream.
   

Vanilla Espresso Martini

If you are looking for something interesting to serve your guests, the Vanilla Espresso Martini is ideal as an after dinner drink, or simply on its own. The signature drink of the 101 Hotel in Reykjavik, it is great to drink in front of a cozy fireplace.

This cocktail recipe, and many more, can be found in the fabulous book, Signature Cocktails, Cool Cocktails from Cool Places by Bill Tikos.


101 Vanilla Espresso
Ingredients

• 1 fl ounce espresso
• 1/2 fl ounce cognac cream liqueur
• 1/3 fl ounce Kalhua
• 1/3 fl ounce Absolut Vanilla Vodka
• 1 dash sugar syrup

Method

1. Pour the ingredients into a shaker with ice.
2. Shake well.
3. Serve in a Martini glass.

Aria Sun

I was at my local bar / restaurant last weekend, The Spot in La Jolla, and was interested to hear the conversation between the bartender and one of the customers. The customer was, of course, lamenting the fall in the stock market, the state of the economy, the bailout and how bad life was in general, and the bartender replied that in these times his business improved dramatically, and I had read in the New York Times that many of the bars around Wall Street were, not surprisingly, busier than usual.

The article I had read indicated that most people were drinking beer, but when I researched the cocktail of choice for the well-heeled, moneyed New Yorkers, I found the ideal bar with the ideal drink in Boston, Massachusetts.

Aria, a sophisticated, sexy lounge club, has become the meeting place for wealthy New Yorkers and New England aristocracy. It is situated in the basement of the Wilbur Theater in the heart of Boston's theater district. I read about this club in the book, Signature Cocktails by Bill Tikos (thecoolhunter), and it was described as decadent, plush and glamorous, but other reviews I have read online have been less flattering. One thing they all agree on is that fashion is foremost and you have to have the "look" to get through the velvet rope.

To create your own Aria signature cocktail, the Aria Sun, you don't have to do anything too fancy (see below), and it would definitely pass the Sex in the City test!

Aria Sun
Ingredients

• 1 fl ounce vodka
• 1/2 fl ounce grenadine
• 2 fl ounces cranberry juice
• 1 lemon
  

Method

1. Pour the vodka, grenadine, and cranberry juice into a shaker.
2. Squeeze in fresh lemon juice to taste.
3. Shake well, and strain into a cocktail glass.
4. Garnish with a twist of lemon.

Raffles Singapore Sling

As the weather has been so hot recently, there has been a great deal of interest in the Super-Sized Watermelon Martini that was featured in the Gourmet Fusion store blog several months ago. It is a wonderfully cool and refreshing cocktail, and the signature drink of the New Asia Bar in Singapore's landmark Raffles City Complex, inside the Equinox Complex.

When I was researching this Bar, I discovered that Equinox is owned by Raffles International, which also runs the famous Raffles Hotel - the birthplace of the Singapore Sling. This brought back to mind an incredible cocktail that we used to make years ago, The Raffles Singapore Sling, which is fun to serve as a cocktail before dinner and is great on a hot afternoon.

It tastes just like a pineapple, orange fruity drink with a kick - but this is no ordinary fruit juice, it is packed with interesting ingredients like Triple Sec, Benedictine, Cherry Brandy and Angostura Bitters - so beware!

Ingredients

Dash Angostura Bitters
1 ounce Gin
1/2 ounce Triple Sec
1/2 ounce Benedictine
1/2 ounce Cherry Brandy
1/2 ounce Fresh Lime Juice
1 ounce Pineapple Juice
1 ounce Fresh Orange Juice
Ice

Method

1. Fill a highball glass with ice.
2. Pour all the ingredients, one after the other, into the serving glass.
3. Stir gently with a swizzle stick.
4. Garnish with an orange slice and a cherry

Fro-Zen Daiquiri

I saw this cocktail in the book Cool Cocktails from Cool Places by Bill Tikos, aka the Coolhunter, and thought it was a great drink for the summer, and would be especially good for the heatwave that parts of the east coast are experiencing at the moment. The past few days in San Diego have been "June gloom", as it is known locally, but the weekend promises to be warmer with less cloud, so it would be good here as well.

The Fro-Zen Daiquiri uses summer fruits, and is the signature cocktail of the trendy Zen Cafe in Venice, Italy. This cafe takes its inspiration from Japan, and adheres strictly to the philosophies of Feng Shui, and with all this peace and tranquility going on, it is the perfect place to enjoy the Fro-Zen Daiquiri.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce Rum
• 1/3 ounce Kahlua
• 1/3 ounce Sugar Syrup
• 1/2 a lime, squeezed
• 1 1/2 ounce fresh strawberries and blueberries

Method

1. Blend the rum, Kahlua, sugar syrup, lime juice and fruit in a blender with plenty of crushed ice.
2. Pour into a cocktail glass and garnish with a strawberry.
   

Super-Sized Watermelon Martini

If you are looking for a "big" drink to serve at your next gathering, this super-sized martini will certainly be one everyone will remember. One of the signature drinks of the New Asia Bar at the Equinox in Singapore's Raffles City Complex, this drink is as memorable as the bar itself. The Raffles City Complex offers five levels of bars and restaurants with views over the city stretching as far as Malaysia and Indonesia. The New Asia Bar is located on the upper levels, and is one of the highest vantage points in Singapore.

Equinox is owned by the same group that owns the Raffles Hotel, famous for the Singapore Sling, and the Watermelon Martini is just one of the super-sized martinis served at the New Asia Bar (their house specialty is flavored Martinis served in glasses four times the usual size). Decorated in vibrant colors, with Art Deco style furnishings, and floors that slant at 20 degrees towards the views, these huge martinis only add to the dizzying heights of the New Asia Bar.

So even if you can't be in Singapore, I'm sure if you make these at home, you will still feel some of the same effects!

Ingredients

• 250 ml/8.5 oz Vodka
• 250 ml/8.5 oz Watermelon Liqueur
  

Method

1. Put the vodka and watermelon liqueur into a shaker with ice.
2. Shake well.
3. Pour into a large Martini glass.
4. Garnish with a slice of watermelon.

This, and other recipes, can be found in the great book "Signature Cocktails", by Bill Tikos.

Green Tea Martini

For many of us the New Year celebrations seem well over by now, but if you celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, February 7, 2008 marks the beginning of the Year of the Rat, with festivities and celebrations taking place all around the world over the next two weeks.

If you are planning your own New Year celebrations, this Green Tea Martini fits in perfectly with Asian-fusion cuisine, and whether you are cooking Asian food at home, or simply calling your favorite restaurant for pick-up or delivery, this cocktail is sure to please.

Made simply with vodka, ginger and tea, the zing of the ginger mixed with the vodka, and the delicate tannins of the tea are a perfect way to introduce your guests to the delicacies to follow, and go especially well with a menu infused with sweet-spicy-sour flavors.

Ingredients - Green Tea Martini

• 3 ounces Belvedere Vodka
• 1 ounce Green Tea
• Splash of Ginger Liqueur

Method

1. Pour the Vodka, Tea and Ginger liqueur into a shaker with ice.
2. Shake well.
3. Strain, and pour into a martini glass.
4. Decorate with an orchid head.
   

Also, if you don't want to leave out anyone who would like a non-alcoholic cocktail, make green tea infused with ginger ahead of time, and leave in the refrigerator to chill. Serve in a martini glass with an orchid in the same way, so everyone has a beautiful, fun and delicious start to their meal.

Espresso Martini

Great as a cocktail by itself, or as an after dinner drink, the Espresso Martini is perfect for entertaining, and an ideal drink to include at parties and dinners for the holiday season.

Made with vodka, Kahlua and coffee, it is an elegant version of a cross between a Black Russian and an Irish Coffee, and is ultra simple to make. We like it using our Spanish Torrefacto coffee, as it adds an extra rich creamy coffee flavor to the drink, but regular coffee works just as well. Be sure to have plenty of coffee on hand, as one is never enough!

Espresso Martini Ingredients

• 1 1/2 ounces vodka
• 1 ounce Kahlua
• 1 shot of freshly brewed, cream topped espresso

Method

1. Pour the ingredients into a shaker over ice and shake well.
2. Serve in a Martini glass.
3. Garnish with three roasted coffee beans.