THE COCKTAIL HOUR: The Matapalo

Coming to you from lovely Guanacaste, Costa Rica, it's Tim and Darryl with another new cocktail for you.

As you may know, when we travel, we like to create cocktails out of our room's minibar or local drinks. Today, with a free minibar and unlimited liquor courtesy of the Riu Palace Hotel, it's another new cocktail named after the beach we're residing on. This time it's Playa Matapalo.

Watch the Video!

So, here we go...take a tall glass and fill completely with ice. Dump in a shot of dark rum, another of brandy and top off with Fanta and soda water.

The matapalo which, as you'll see in the video above, tastes remarkably like a picon punch of Basque fame.

Cheers from Costa Rica!

Darryl

THE COCKTAIL HOUR: Picon Punch

This week's cocktail is a traditional Basque drink.  While Basque restaurants are renowned for their great food...and equally awesome portions...they are also known for the bars that everybody hangs out in while waiting for meal service to begin.

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Although most of them offer traditional table service these days, most Basque restaurants also set aside some meals to be served "family style."  That means everybody sits at one long table and passes the dishes of food, just like going to your Aunt Gloria's house on Thanksgiving.  It's a wonderfully social way of dining but you will be sitting with strangers.  

What to do?

That's right...a "Cocktail Hour!"  Most arrive a little early to enjoy a tipple in the bar and get to know the people a little bit before the meal is served and for many, that means the traditional but strong Picon Punch.


Picon Punch uses a liqueur called Amer Picon as a base.  This is an orange based libation that is very hard to find in our area so we substitute triple sec and bitters.  Here's the recipe:


INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 oz. - triple sec
1 oz. - brandy
2-3 oz. soda water
1 oz. lemon juice
dash of bitters
dash of grenadine


In an old fashioned glass half filled with ice, pour in bitters, triple sec, grenadine, and lemon juice.  Fill with soda water.  Float brandy on top.


Cheers! 

-Darryl

THE COCKTAIL HOUR: Catalina Colada

I'm looking up calories for a pina colada and see this..."a pina colada has more calories than a Big Mac."  At 644 calories per drink, yeah, that's pretty heavy.  Unfortunately, I've got two colada drinkers in family, my wife and Tim.  What to do?

Come up with my own.

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With a little experimenting, most of which you can see on the video above, I did it.  Here is my version of a pina colada.  It tastes exactly like a regular one but only has 125 calories.  If you like pina coladas...whether or not you like walking in the rain...you'll love this Catalina colada.

INGREDIENTS (one drink)

1 1/2 oz Malibu (or other coconut infused) rum

1/2 oz brandy

dash of bitters

1 oz pineapple juice

1/2 oz fresh lime juice

Pour rum and brandy into old fashioned glass.  Mix in lime juice and a dash of bitters.  Fill with ice.  Pour in pineapple juice.

Cheers!

Don't forget, The World on Wheels is free to you because of our sponsors and The Wine of the Month Club is one we can highly recommend. Sign up for a membership today!

Darryl

Copyright 2010 - Darryl Musick

All Rights Reserved

THE COCKTAIL HOUR: Margarita Lite

I know we've done a margarita recipe before but this is special.  


We wanted to adopt a healthier lifestyle, lose a little weight, and get into better shape.  So far, it's been working.  The bad part is that cocktails are usually full of empty calories.  Hey, we like to drink too but we need to retool.

Watch the Video!

So, we've cut way back on the heavy drinks, switched to wine for the most part, and experimented with making a lighter cocktail.  Here is the first result of that retooling.
(Note:  In the video, I miscalculated a say it's about 125 calories...it's actually about 150, see below)

Our new margarita lite recipe is just as good as our original margarita recipe but with about 80 less calories.  The alcohol is the same, 3 parts tequila, 2 parts triple sec, and 1 part brandy.  The difference is the mixer...we're using Sunkist Diet Sparkling Lemonade instead of sweet 'n sour mix.


Here's the recipe (two drinks):


2 ounces tequila                                   - 140 calories
1.25 ounces triple sec                         - 120 calories
.4 ounces brandy                                 -    40 calories
juices of 1/2 lime                                   -    5 calories
4 ounces Diet Lemon Soda                -    0 calories


Total Calories                                       - 305 calories
Calories per drink                                - 153 calories


(A Cadillac margarita at most restaurants, which this closely resembles, is about 325 calories per drink)


Fill a cocktail shaker 1/2 full with ice.  Put in all ingredients except for lemon soda and shake.  Pour lemon soda over ice into margarita glasses or cocktail glasses rimmed with salt (about half the depth of the ice).  Pour ingredients from shaker over that.  Enjoy the results - beware, these are still strong drinks.


Cheers!

Darryl
Copyright 2010 - Darryl Musick

THE COCKTAIL HOUR: Cadillac Margarita

You see this variation of a regular margarita at many restaurants these days.  It's becoming so prevalent that you can now go into just about any bar and order a Cadillac margarita and the bartender will automatically know you talking about tequila, grand marnier, brandy, plus a sour component.

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This is just an upgrade from a regular margarita but it does make it taste better...if you do it right.  The key is to use good ingredients. 100% agave tequila, Grand Marnier (or Cointreau) instead of triple sec, a nice brandy (or cognac if you really want to go upscale) for an added kick.  Lime or lemon juice in place of sweet and sour mix.

All hand shaken and served over the rocks.


INGREDIENTS
2 oz. - premium tequila
1.3 oz - Grand Marnier or Cointreau
2/3 oz - brandy or cognac
2 oz - lemon or lime juice (or 1 oz. of each), fresh squeezed


Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker over ice, shake and pour over ice into two salted-rim margarita glasses.


Cheers!

Darryl

THE COCKTAIL HOUR - White Sangria

My wife had a delicious sangria at Claim Jumper the other night so I tried to recreate it at home.  Pretty delicious and a bit more potent than a normal sangria.

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INGREDIENTS - one drink

Juice of one medium orange
Juice of one lemon
1 oz brandy
1/2 oz triple sec
white wine
vanilla
cut up fresh fruit, pineapples, strawberries, grapes...whatever you have on hand.

Fill a glass half-way with ice.  Put all ingredients except vanilla and wine in.  Put just a couple of drops of vanilla.  Pour to the top with wine and stir.

Cheers!

Darryl

The Cocktail Hour - Latin Passion

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This week on the patio, we're enjoying some Latin Passion!  Stop it...it's just the name of the drink.  This is kind of like a more sour version of a tequila sunrise.  It is very good and pretty too.

Here's the recipe.

INGREDIENTS - Two Drinks

2 oz Tequila

2 oz Brandy

1/2 oz Amaretto

splash of passionfruit syrup

2-3 oz. sweet and sour

spash of grenadine

1/2 lime

Squeeze lime into cocktail shaker that is 1/3 full of ice.  Put in just the smallest dash of passionfruit syrup, too much will make your drink too sweet. Pour in tequila, brandy, amaretto, and fill to top with sweet and sour.  Shake and strain into two old fashioned glasses about 2/3 full of ice.  Splash a little grenadine over the top and let it sink naturally...don't mix any more.

This is a pretty potent cocktail, so enjoy in moderation.  

Cheers!

-Darryl

THE COCKTAIL HOUR: The Bavaro

Two mad scientists, four liquor dispensers, a hotel mini bar at our disposal. What good can come of this?

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From our hotel room in the Dominican Republic, Tim and I explore the possibilities in our new video and come up with a new cocktail, the Bavaro (named for the beach in front of the hotel.


Here's the final recipe:


INGREDIENTS (two drinks):
3 oz. dark rum
1 oz. brandy
4 oz. orange soda
1 oz. 7UP


Fill two highball glasses with ice. Split rum and brandy evenly between the two. Fill within an inch of the top with orange soda. Top off with 7UP.


Cheers!

-Darryl

THE COCKTAIL HOUR: Side Car

This is one of the classic, old-time cocktails like the martini or a Tom Collins. Made in the classic style, it's also only 154 calories so you can enjoy it without too much guilt. With only three ingredients, it's also a breeze to make.

Watch the Video!

INGREDIENTS (for two drinks):
3 oz. brandy or cognac
2 oz. grand marnier or triple sec
1 oz. lemon juice, fresh squeezed if available

Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker 2/3 full of ice. Shake and strain into two cocktail glasses.

Enjoy!

-Darryl

THE COCKTAIL HOUR: Ruby Margarita

It's a pleasant Sunday afternoon, temps in the 80s and edging toward 90, and I'm trying to think of something good to drink. Browsing the web, I see it's Nationa Tequila Day (last Sunday, July 24th).  Well...I must celebrate.

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A little more browsing and I find an intriguing recipe...the Ruby Margarita.  It turns out very good, is only about 150 calories, and loaded with anti-oxidants so I can feel relaxed and good about myself during this afternoon's Cocktail Hour.


Here is the recipe...


INGREDIENTS (two drinks)


Juice of 2 medium limes (or 3 small limes)
3 oz. tequila
1 oz. agave syrup
1 oz. brandy
4 oz. pomegranite juice or cocktail


In a cocktail shaker half filled with ice, mix all ingredients. Pour pomegranite juice in last...fill to the top with it.  Strain into two ice filled highball or pint glasses.

Cheers!


-Darryl

The Cocktail Hour - Copper Canyon

A cool, copper colored drink with tequila as its base.  This is another of my custom creations and since it uses a Mexican spirit I named it after the big canyon in Mexico that civilization has hardly touched.

INGREDIENTS (two drinks)
2 oz - tequila
1 oz - blackberry brandy
1/2 oz - lime juice
1 cup - raw cranberry juice
splash of pomegranate syrup

Pour all ingredients into a shaker 1/2 filled with ice.  Shake and strain into two chilled cocktail glasses.

Cheers!

-Darryl