Category: Cocktails

Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican Army’s unlikely victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. It is not considered a major holiday in Mexico, however, the day has evolved into a significant cultural event in the United States. It has become a popular occasion for celebrating Mexican-American heritage, often involving lively festivities and traditional Mexican cuisine. The story behind Cinco de Mayo dates back to the mid-19th century when Mexico faced heavy debt with European countries. In response, France, led by Emperor Napoleon III, sought to establish a French empire in the Americas and invaded Mexico in 1861. The French army, considered one of the most powerful and well-trained in the world, was expected to easily defeat the ill-equipped and underfunded Mexican forces. Under the leadership of General Ignacio Zaragoza, the Mexican Army scored a surprising victory in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. The triumph provided a much-needed boost to Mexican morale and national pride as it became a symbol of resistance against foreign intervention and to represent Mexican resilience, courage, and unity in the face of adversity. In the United States, the first Cinco de Mayo celebrations began among Mexican-American communities […]

Wine cocktails have become increasingly popular in recent years, and it’s easy to see why. These drinks are a delicious and refreshing way to enjoy wine, with a variety of flavors and styles to suit every taste. Let’s take a closer look at wine cocktails and some of the latest trends in this exciting and growing category of drinks. Mixologists combine wine with spirits, juices, or fruits to create wine cocktails, which can be enjoyed as an aperitif, a digestif, or as a refreshing beverage on a hot day. While any type of wine can be used to make these drinks, red and white wines are the most popular choices. Additionally, new and exciting wine cocktail recipes are being created all the time, reflecting the current trends in this rapidly evolving category of mixed drinks. Here are some of the latest trends in wine cocktails that you should know about: Spritzers are a type of wine cocktail that has been around for a long time and are currently experiencing a resurgence in popularity. These drinks typically combine white wine with sparkling water or soda, and sometimes a splash of liqueur or fruit juice. Spritzers are light and refreshing, making them […]

Setting up a home bar can be a fun and exciting project for anyone who enjoys entertaining guests or simply wants to create a space to unwind and relax after a long day. Here are some tips to help you get started on setting up your own home bar. Firstly, determine the space where you want to set up your bar. It could be a corner of your living room, a spare room, or even an outdoor area if you have one. Once you have decided on the location, measure the space and plan out the layout of your bar. Consider the size of the bar, the type of seating you want to have, and the storage space you need for your bottles, glasses, and other bar accessories. Next, decide on the type of bar you want to have. Will it be a simple setup with just a few bottles of your favorite spirits, or will it be a more elaborate setup with a range of mixers, garnishes, and other tools? If you’re a beginner, it’s best to start small and gradually build up your collection over time. Invest in a good set of bar tools, including a cocktail shaker, […]

The Espresso Martini is a classic cocktail that has been gaining popularity in recent years, thanks to its unique blend of caffeine and alcohol. This tasty beverage is perfect for anyone who wants a little pick-me-up while enjoying a delicious cocktail. Here’s everything you need to know about the espresso martini, including a recipe for you to try at home. To make an Espresso Martini, you will need the following ingredients: To start, brew a shot of espresso and set it aside to cool. Fill a shaker with ice and add the vodka and Kahlua. Once the espresso has cooled, add it to the shaker as well. Shake the mixture vigorously for 10-15 seconds to ensure everything is well mixed and chilled. Next, strain the mixture into a chilled martini glass. Garnish the cocktail with three coffee beans, which not only look nice but also add a subtle coffee aroma to the drink. The espresso martini is best enjoyed when served cold, so be sure to serve it immediately. Sip and savor the unique combination of rich espresso and smooth vodka, with a hint of sweetness from the Kahlua. This cocktail has a fascinating origin story, credited to a bartender […]

The Negroni, a simple yet sophisticated classic cocktail, has been around for over a century and continues to grow in popularity with each passing year. It is a perfect example of a cocktail that has stood the test of time. The Negroni consists of equal parts gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari. Bartenders typically serve it on the rocks, garnished with an orange peel. The cocktail has a strong, bitter flavor profile, which may not be to everyone’s liking, but for those who enjoy a bitter cocktail, this is a perfect choice. Count Camillo Negroni, a regular at the Caffe Casoni in Florence in the early 20th century, and known for his love of cocktails, asked the bartender to make him a stronger version of his favorite cocktail, the Americano. The bartender added gin to the mix, and the Negroni was born. One of the reasons for the Negroni’s enduring popularity is its versatility. The cocktail can be made with different types of gin, vermouth, and bitters, giving it a unique flavor profile each time. Bartenders even add their own twist to the classic recipe, such as substituting mezcal for gin or using a different type of bitter liqueur. The Negroni […]

Mezcal Margarita

The Aperol Spritz is a popular Italian cocktail that has gained worldwide fame in recent years. We can trace the origins of the cocktail back to the early 19th century, when the Austro-Hungarian Empire ruled over parts of northern Italy, including the region of Veneto where it was first created. It was in the early 20th century that the cocktail really began to take shape. Inspired by a popular French aperitif that they aimed to adapt with a distinctly Italian flavor, the Barbieri brother, Luigi and Silvio creat Aperol, a bitter orange liquer, in 1919. The original recipe for the Aperol Spritz dates back to the 1920s, when it was first served as a way to make the bitter Aperol more palatable. The recipe called for equal parts Aperol and sparkling wine, topped off with a splash of soda water and garnished with a slice of orange. The cocktail remained a local favorite in the Veneto region for decades, but it wasn’t until the 2000s that it began to gain wider popularity. In 2003, the Campari Group acquired Aperol and began marketing it more aggressively, promoting the Aperol Spritz as a refreshing summer drink. The cocktail’s popularity skyrocketed, and it […]

Update: New Cocktail added Today (8/7) – The Negroni Being sheltered in place or simply staying at home can be difficult, it can be boring and it can be repetitive, however, it is good for our collective well being. The Three Bottle Cocktails Series aims to upend the boring and ease the difficulty just a bit. Since it is good for our mental health to laugh and carry on a bit, let’s have some fun. A great way to do so is to enjoy an evening cocktail. Being shut in as we are, however, may mean that we are limited to what is on our bar. We have re-launched our Fancy A Drink series, “The Three Bottle Bar”. The goal is to make crafting a cocktail simple and enjoyable by requiring three ingredients, no more. For these cocktails, we have generally eliminated garnishes to focus on a base spirit and two mixers. Each recipe in the series is tagged “Three Bottles“. There are approximately 20 cocktails on the Three Bottle Cocktails list which should just get us through quarantine and into early May. The newest Three Bottles Cocktail recipe on the list is the Bees Knees. Please let us know […]

At its core, the Manhattan is a spirit forward cocktail based on Rye, Bourbon or Whiskey. We at Fancy A Drink are big fans of this cocktail anytime fo year. Enjoy one of these recipes: >>Manhattan >>Black Manhattan And be sure to watch the Fancy A Drink step-by-step video on how to make one at home.

The Clementine Whiskey Sour is a radical take on the classic Whiskey Sour. The Whiskey Sour is simple, delicious, balanced. It is also very versatile in that we can mix up the ingredients to form something unique or seasonal. The basics of the Sour are spirit (whiskey), sugar (simple syrup) and citrus (lime or lemon typically). The Clementine Whiskey Sour takes the straightforward Whiskey Sour a step further and adds in a seasonal citrus. In this case, the clementine. If you are a fan of more spirit-forward cocktails, then keep the clementine to one per drink. If you like more citrusy drinks, then experiment with two or more clementines per drink. Find our recipe here and let us know what you like. Salud! image credit: Gingalain [CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]

The Grave Digger is an excellent Bourbon based winter cocktail when it is cold outside and warm inside. This version of the Grave Digger uses Bourbon as the base spirit and red wine as the secondary alcohol.  We have mixed up slight variations of this using Rye in place of Bourbon and even hard cider in place of the red wine. Have fun, mix and match the ingredients but most importantly, enjoy the cocktail and stay warm. Find the recipe here.

Start the weekend off right with a Colonial Gimlet. My grandmother wrote this recipe down for my grandfather in the 1980s. As a result, I’m certain he took this hint and made that exact cocktail for her. The note has survived time and recently made its way to us here at Fancy A Drink and we now bring you both the photograph and recipe. The recipe can be found here and we hope you enjoy it. We will be making our Colonial Gimlet with BUMBU (The Original) Rum.

With it being 15 years or so since Prohibition ended and the end of WWII was near, Gin was all the rage in the ’40s. Here we present two classic 3 Bottle Cocktails from that time: the Gin Fizz and the Gin Sour. Simple ingredients: Gin, Simple Syrup, Lemon, Bitters. That’s it. Enjoy and let us know what you think. All photos taken by the author from the book, 3 Bottle Bar by H.i. Williams. 1943