In addition to all the wonderful things spring brings, it also brings the start of baseball season…joyous for this Ranger fan, with opening day at The Ballpark happening in just hours, along with the end of college basketball for the year. If you can’t make it out to opening day, or had your basketball bracket blow up and need a distraction from the games this weekend, consider mixing up one of these tasty cocktails.
The Ballpark Diamond
1 1/2 parts Maker’s Mark
Cold Ginger Beer
Directions: In tall glass, add cubed ice, mix 1 1/2 parts of Maker’s Mark and fill to top with Ginger Beer.
The Red Thread
1 1/4 parts Maker’s Mark
Soda Water
Splash Cranberry Juice
Lime Wedge
Directions: Fill rocks glass with cubed ice, add Maker’s Mark, soda water and a splash of cranberry juice and garnish with a lime wedge.
3 Point Sazerac
2 oz CAMUS VSOP Elegance Cognac
1 white sugar cube
3-4 dashes of Peychaud’s Bitters
.25 oz Lucid Absinthe
Directions: Saturate sugar cubes with bitters and gently muddle. Add the CAMUS VSOP Elegance Cognac and stir with ice. Strain into a short rocks glass that has been coated with Lucid Absinthe. Spray the glass with the lemon peel zest and rest the peel on the rim as garnish.
Slam Dunk
1.5 ounce of Southern Comfort
3 ounces orange juice
3 ounces cranberry juice
Directions: Add all over ice in a rocks glass and stir well to combine
Hophead Hoop
This new vodka from Anchor Distilling inspired by and created with fragrant, floral Washington State hops is delicious, even if you aren’t a beer drinker.
2 ounces Hophead Vodka
12 ounces Anchor Liberty Ale or your favorite beer
Directions: Chill the vodka and sip along side an icy cold beer.
Not a sports fan…How about film? Yesterday launched the 7th annual Dallas International Film Festival, a great reason to raise a glass in honor of our other favorite pastime with DIFF focusing on great, often up and coming, producers, actors and directors showing 175 films this year.
Central 214 and Hotel Palomar are helping but giving all festival goers…and visitors….double happy hour events from today through the 14th. Guests can enjoy happy hour from 5-7pm and 10pm-midnight every night with drink specials and tasty farm-to-table bites from Chef Graham Dodds and movie themed cocktails from Mixologist Amber West including her Rye based Citizen Kane or Psycho Smash made with Angels Envy Bourbon.
Can’t make it out? Mix up one of these drinks while settling in to watch your favorite star-studded thriller, romantic comedy or Oscar winning classic at home.
Psycho Smash
2 oz Angels Envy
2 dash Angostura bitters
.75 oz simple syrup
4 fresh mint leaves
.75 oz fresh lemon juice
Muddle mint and add ingredients into mixing glass. Shake and strain over one large ice cube. Garnish with mint sprig.
Citizen Kane
1.75 oz. High West Rye
.75 oz. Mathilde X.O.
.5 .oz maple syrup
.75 oz. fresh lemon juice
Add all ingredients into mixing glass. Shake and strain into tall Collins glass over ice. Garnish with orange zest and lemon twist.
The Clive Owen Three Olives Martini
The handsome Brit loves a good cocktail, so much he lent himself to the brand for their sleek, high price ad campaign. I hear he also enjoys a good bubbly….
3 parts Three Olives Vodka
Directions: Pour vodka into a shaker filled with ice & shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with three olives.
Passionate Pigeon
By Jason Fendick
1 part Pink Pigeon Vanilla Rum
1 part lychee juice
1/2 pressed lime
1 passion fruit, juice and seeds
Ginger beer
Directions: Shake, serve in an ice filled Collins glass. Top with Ginger beer.
Cointreaupolitan Star
1 1/2 parts Cointreau
1 part cranberry juice
squeeze fresh lemon juice
pinch of gold glitter…preferably 24 carat gold
Directions: Shake Cointreau with ice, cranberry juice, lemon juice and a pinch of gold glitter. Serve in a Martini glass and add a sprinkle of glitter as a finishing touch…
