We had an old fashioned cocktail party last night for our neighbors and I thought I would share the cocktail and nibbles of the evening. Ultra-premium spirits and flavorings are the key to an excellent cocktail.
Corner Creek Manhattan
2 parts Corner Creek Reserve Bourbon Whiskey
1 part Martini & Rossi Red Vermouth
3 shakes Ang0st0ura bitters per drink
1/4 tsp. Stirrings Grenadine per drink
Served up. Fill martini glass with ice while you prepare the drink. In a shaker, place all with generous amount of ice. Stir several times, no need to shake. Toss ice in the glass and strain into glass. Garnish with a good cherry and a small twist of lemon.
Pink Floyd (Adapted From Food & Wine Magazine)
2 parts Gin (I use No. 209 a local gin made in San Francisco)
1 part Orange Liqueur (I use Prunier Liqueur d'Orange)
1 part fresh lime juice
1 part cranberry juice
1/2 part Pimms
1/4 part simple syrup
Prepare glass as above. Shake all ingredients with generous ice. Toss ice in glass and strain into martini glass. Garnish with twist of lemon.
Blackberry Mojito (adapted from the Huckleberry Mojito at Foreign Cinema)
1 part blackberry syrup (see below)
2 parts rum (I use Appleton's V/X)
1/2 part simple syrup
1/2 part lime juice
Club Soda
Fresh Mint Leaves
Muddle 10 mint leaves with simple syrup per drink in a highball. Add ice. Then rum, lime juice, and blackberry syrup. Stir well and top with generous splash of club soda. Serve with a straw to avoid getting a mouthful of mint leaves.
Iron Butterfly (Original Corkdork Cocktail)
3 parts. Christiana Vodka
1 part. Pama Pomegranate Liqueur
1/2 part. Grand Marnier or Prunier d'Orange
3 good shakes Fee Brothers Orange Bitters per drink
1/2 part freshly squeezed lime juice
Fill a martini glass with ice while you prepare the drink.
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add all the ingredients. Toss out the ice in the glass. Shake the drink well and strain into the martini glass. Garnish with a tiny lime slice, or a twist of lime or orange.
Continue for nibbles
Nibbles
I made up all but the zucchini.
For the crostini I used Acme long Italian bread brushed with olive oil and baked at 400￮ for 10 minutes.
Potato Fritatta with Spanish Hot Salami Crostini
Preheat broiler to high.
First, boil or steam 5 small white potatoes in their jackets until just tender, peel and slice when cool.
Saute 3/4 of a large onion in butter and olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add potatoes and turn until coated with butter/oil. In a big bowl, beat 5 eggs with salt to taste, pepper, 1 tsp. fresh thyme and 2 tsp. chopped parsley. Add 1/4 cup grated parmagiano reggiano and the potato/onion mixture. Wipe out the pan and melt 2 tbsp butter with 1 tbsp olive oil. When foamed, put the egg mixture in and turn heat down to med-low, shaking the pan to keep it from sticking. When the bottom appears firm and the top is still liquid, put it under the broiler for 2 or 3 minutes to set the top. Don't let it get too brown. Turn out onto a cutting board.
For the crostini, I cut 1-1/2 inch circles with a tall metal cutter and place a thin slice of hot salami on the crostini, topped with the fritatta.
Gratinéed Crab Crostini with Coconut Milk, Ginger, and Lime
Mix 1 cup crabmeat with 3 Tbs of coconut milk solids, 1 tsp. grated ginger, splash of lime juice, salt and pepper. Butter mini-muffin tins well. Fill mini-muffin tins with about 3/4 full with the crab mixture and top with a small pinch of grated gruyere. Bake at 400￮ until bubbly, about 10 minutes. Serve on crostini.
Zucchini with prosciutto and parmagiano
Parboil whole small zucchini for 3 or 4 minutes and plunge into ice water to stop cooking. When cold, slice off the ends and cut into bitesize spears. Wrap each spear in a strip of prosciutto and place on baking pan lined with parchment paper so they touch sides. Cover with parmagiano and bake at 400￮ for 15 minutes or so until it starts to brown. Serve hot.
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