'Tis the Season to be Jolly

Happy Holidays!  During this most festive season of the year, you may find yourself overwhelmed with various details, such as finding innovative ways to accommodate your guests during seasonal celebrations.  Have no fear--while we typically focus on the stylish spirits of the cocktail variety, we remain grounded in the belief that a beverage should be able to dazzle, with or without alcohol.  Since it is all about taste, we seek to inspire you with the following family friendly recipes, and encourage you to enjoy them with the merry spirit of the season:

Christmas Juice Punch

• 2 quart(s) Apple Juice
• 2 quart(s) Cranberry Juice
• 2 bottle(s) Ginger Ale
• 1 cup(s) Lemon Juice
• 1 cup(s) Sugar

Mix well all the ingredients -except Ginger Ale- in a punch bowl. Add ice cubes and the Ginger Ale and serve in punch cups.
  
Sparkling Punch

Ingredients

• 2 lemons
• 3 large oranges
• 1 (6 ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate
• 1 liter club soda
• 2 (750 milliliter) bottles sparkling apple cider
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 2 trays ice cubes

Directions

1. Thinly slice the lemons and the oranges and place in a large punch bowl. Pour in the thawed lemonade. Gently stir in the club soda and the sparkling apple cider. Add sugar to taste. Add ice.

Chilled Christmas Punch

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 (46 fluid ounce) can pineapple juice, chilled
• 4 cups cranberry-apple juice, chilled
• 1 liter ginger ale, chilled

Directions

1. In a saucepan, bring the water, sugar and cinnamon to a boil; stir until sugar is dissolved. Chill. Just before serving, combine the syrup mixture, juices and ginger ale in a punch bowl or large pitcher. Serve over ice.

These colorful and fresh flavored punch mixes are sure to delight!  They will be the beverage centerpiece of any 'spirit-free' event.  However, if you need to responsibly and economically serve mixed drinks to a large group, seek the skills of a professional.  SMS Mixology provides tastefully unique beverages, and services that will allow you to mix and mingle with your guests, instead of being stuck in the background mixing drinks.  Enjoy responsibly, and remember to entertain this Holiday Season with the spirits of style!



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Have a Wild Turkey Thanksgiving

For our readers in the United States, Thanksgiving is the time for gathering with family and friends to give thanks for the many blessings that we have in our lives.  Usually, the Thanksgiving feast is marked by the serving of turkey, the honorary bird of the holiday.  We are encouraging you aspiring hosts and hostesses to make turkey the centerpiece of your Thanksgiving celebration—Wild Turkey®, to be exact.

According to Wikipedia, Wild Turkey® is a popular brand of Bourbon Whiskey.  Bourbon whiskey is a barrel aged distilled spirit, made primarily of corn.  The frequent use of Bourbon Whiskey in Southern cooking reflects the versatility of the flavor profiles that are infused into the spirit via the wooden aging casks.  These flavors include hints of molasses, caramel, vanilla, pecans, cinnamon, licorice and brown sugar.  Since these flavor profiles inhabit many of the favorite dishes associated with and consumed at Thanksgiving, we have assembled some Wild Turkey® infused beverages to serve with your holiday feasts:

Cherry Gobbler

• 2 oz Wild Turkey® bourbon whiskey
• 3/4 oz grenadine syrup 
• 3 1/2 oz Mello Yello® citrus soda

Pour the Wild Turkey® bourbon whiskey and grenadine into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes. Shake well, and strain into a highball glass filled with ice cubes. Add Mello Yellow®, and serve.

Thanksgiving Cocktail

• 1/2 oz. Brandy, apple
• 1 1/2 oz. Bourbon (Wild Turkey®)
• 4 oz. Cranberry Juice
• 1 tsp. Lime Juice
• 1 wedge Lime

Build over ice in a collins glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.

 Golden Schnoozeberry

• 1/2 oz. Rumple Minze
• 1 1/2 oz. Bourbon (Wild Turkey®)
• Fill with 7-up®
• 1 wedge Lime

Fill glass with ice. Pour Wild Turkey® and Schnapps® over ice. Squeeze lime wedge in drink and drop in. Fill with 7-up®.

As always, we encourage you to step outside of your comfort zone to see what this spirit will do in varied cocktails.  Get creative, go wild!  However, if you need to seek the skills of a professional, keep in mind that you can always look to a mixologist, like SMS Mixology, for something unique, and services that allow you to mix and mingle with your guests, not stuck in the background mixing drinks.  Enjoy responsibly, and remember to entertain this Thanksgiving with the spirits of style!

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Harvesting the Flavors of Fall

Crisp air, cool breezes, and the robust flavors of the harvest.  Fall is here, and is another excellent reason to gather friends and family to raise a glass to celebrate life!  Traditional Fall harvest foods are as tantalizing to the eyes, as they are to the taste buds, such as the colorful varieties of apples, corn, and pumpkins and berries.  Likewise, your beverage choices can reflect the stylish variety of the harvest, with flavorful juice or puree bases, and the sultry warmth of dark spirits.  Here are few recipes for your inspiration...

Spiced Apple Cider

Ingredients:

1 1/4 oz. Spiced Rum
6 oz. Apple Cider (Hot)

Preparation:

Rim glass with sugar and cinnamon. Add hot cider and rum.

Pumpkin Martini

Ingredients:

1/2 oz Sylk Cream Liqueur

2 oz vanilla vodka

1/2 oz pumpkin puree (or pumpkin liqueur or pumpkin spice syrup)

1 tsp whipped cream

cinnamon stick for garnish

Preparation:

Pour the Sylk Liqueur and vodka into a shaker filled with ice.

Shake well

Add the pumpkin puree (or liqueur or syrup)

Shake again

Strain into a chilled cocktail glass

Top with a teaspoon of whipped cream

Garnish with a cinnamon stick 

In observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we suggest this drink, and ask that you remember those who have been impacted by this disease, and support research to find a cure.

p.i.n.k. Ribbon Cocktail

Ingredients:

2 oz p.i.n.k. Vodka

1 oz Cointreau

3/4 oz cranberry juice

3/4 oz black currant juice

splash of sour mix

 

Preparation:

Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice.

Shake well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Again, you are encouraged to use your imagination, and take note from these cocktails presented as inspiration.   Entertaining with intimate groups can be effortless, but if you really want to wow a large crowd, feel free to engage the services of a certified mixologist, like SMS Mixology, so that you can get quality cocktails, guest service, and be freed up to enjoy your event.  Drink responsibly, explore and enjoy all that Fall has to offer with the Spirits of Style!

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Getting "Jack Wild": Exploring the Versatility of Jack Daniels

With summer behind us, our staff contemplated some subjects to share with our reading audience.  It occurred to us to explore the versatility of one of America's highly flavored spirits, namely, Jack Daniels Whiskey.  Jack Daniels is one of the country's most popular liquors.  It is a sour mash Tennessee Whiskey, which is often filtered through maple charcoal before aging in oak barrels.  This versatile spirit is widely used as much in cooking, as it is in preparing drinks.

Since Jack Daniels' deep, oaky flavor profiles enhance both food and beverage flavors, we encourage you to explore and take liberties with this dynamic cocktail component.  We researched, in an effort to bring you some recipes to try.  We found hundreds of them, using common cocktail building components, and some surprising ones.  We found the recipes to be daring, and bold, and the majority of them were similarly named, in a Not Safe for Work (NSFW) way.  Therefore, in the true spirit of the boldness of Jack Daniels, we encourage you to experiment with your favorite flavors to come up with your own unique recipes.  Try your hand with:

• Citrus juices
• Vegetable juices
• Herbs
• Soft Drinks
• Other Hard Liquors
• Schnapps (any flavor)
• Flavored or unflavored mineral water
• Fresh lemonade
• Wine
• Beer

As a matter of fact, simply presenting Jack over ice will make an excellent beverage for an impromptu gathering.  Likewise, as you entertain, Jack Daniels with its golden brown color, will look great in almost any type of glass. Our team conducted an online search for Jack Daniels inspired barware, and found as many variations for presentation as we found recipes.  All the more reason to let your imagination fly as you present your beverages to your guests.  For example, serve casually in canning jars, for that "antique, down home" feel.  For upscale dining or entertaining, any standard rock glass or Collins glass will help this liquor and its components catch the light and look stylish as a result.

Again, we encourage you to step outside of your comfort zone to see what the smooth finish of this liquor will do in varied cocktails.  Have fun, get wild with Jack!  But if you need to seek the skills of a professional, keep in mind that you can always look to a mixolgist, like SMS Mixology, for something unique, and services to keep you in the mix with your guests, and not just mixing drinks.  Enjoy responsibly, and remember to entertain with the spirits of style!


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Refreshment Inspirations for the "Dog Days of Summer"

The term, "Dog Days of Summer" most commonly refers to the sultry time of the year, when temperatures are high and the need for refreshment is even higher.  This month, we offer up several dog inspired beverages that you can make for yourself or for entertaining guests.  Let your guests in on the inside joke as you encourage them to ingest a cool canine named drink to tame that hot and humid dog day afternoon with any one of the following beverages:

Hair of the Dog

Ingredients:

• 6 oz Bulldog Gin
• 1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
• 2-3 dashes Tabasco sauce
• slice of chili pepper

Preparation:

1. Pour the Bulldog Gin and Tabasco into an ice-filled cocktail shaker.
2. Shake generously.
3. Strain into a chilled rocks glass.
4. Garnish with a chili pepper.

Remember to wash your hands well with soap (especially before touching your eyes) if you handle the chili pepper.


This drink features classic flavor profiles, and is refreshingly cool, in spite of its peppery kick.  It also looks abstract and sleek in the glass.

Salty Dog

Ingredients:

• 2 oz gin
• 4 oz grapefruit juice
• salt for rimming
• lemon or lime wedge for garnish

Preparation:

1. Pour the ingredients into a collins glass rimmed with salt and filled with ice cubes.
2. Stir well.
3. Garnish with a lemon or lime wedge.

This drink is sure to please, with its crisp and  vibrant citrus flavor.  It really looks great and classic in the smooth confines of the Collins glass.

Atomic Dog

Ingredients

1 1/2 shot Rum (White)

3/4 shot Melon Liqueur

3/4 shot Coconut Rum Liqueur

2 1/2 shots Pineapple Juice

3/4 shot Lemon Juice

Preparation:

Shake all 5 ingredients with ice for a few seconds. Strain into a Collins glass filled with ice cubes.
Add a pineapple wedge and a maraschino cherry on the rim to garnish and serve.

Due to the vibrant color of this drink, it would look great in abstractly styled barware--think squares, unusual shapes, etc.  or in a punch bowl for a festive flair. 

Psychotic Bloody Prairie Dog

Ingredients

• 1/2 oz. Brandy
• 1/2 oz. Liqueur, raspberry (Chambord)
• 1/2 oz. Gin
• 1/2 oz. Hpnotiq
• 1/2 oz. Schnapps, peach
• Top with Grenadine
• Fill with Red Bull
• 1 splash Sour Mix
• 1 piece Cherries/Maraschinos

Preparation:

Fill Collins glass with ice. Pour in gin, brandy, peach schnapps, Chambord and Hpnotiq. Add a splash of sour mix and give a short shake. Fill to within 1/2" from top with Red Bull. Top with grenadine and add a cherry for garnish.

This drink is bright bold red, and since it contains both spirits and energy drinks, may not be for the faint of heart, or a conservative gathering, because you might see one or two of your guests become "unleashed!"

You are encouraged to share these refreshing elixirs with your guests, keeping in mind that finding refreshment does not have to be boring, or lacking in taste and style.  These recipes are offered as inspiration for you to explore beverage ingredients, flavors and presentation to unleash your own special style.  However, if you have to entertain a large group, or are not comfortable with the idea of mixing beverages, feel free to consult the skills of a Certified Mixologist, like SMS Mixology, so that you can impress upon and imbibe with your guests.  Whether you are a DIY type, or want to use a professional, make sure that you entertain with the Spirits of Style!

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Lemonade...That Cool Refreshing Drink

With a nod to Eddie Murphy and his ode to Elvis regarding lemonade, we salute the international drink of Summer.  In the United States, we quench our thirst with ice cold lemonade, made with lemons, sugar and water, while in Europe and parts of the Middle East, cool, sparkly limonade, from lemons, sugar and carbonated water, provide refreshment.  As we celebrate Independence Day, vacation getaways, family reunions and other seasonal occasions,  many will be heading to parties at the lake, beach, or in their yards, featuring barbecue food favorites, friends and families, and the refreshingly simple drink of Summer that enhances all of these gatherings:  lemonade.  For those who are unfamiliar with this blog, we are big on entertaining for everyone in a way that expresses your personal style and creativity.  Since this blog is primarily about entertaining with creatively inspired cocktails, we present the following lemonade cocktail recipes to serve along with your traditional lemonade.

Summer Splash

Ingredients

 1 1/2 oz. Gin
dash(es) 7-Up
Lemonade

Instructions

Pour the gin and the 7-Up in a highball glass and fill with lemonade.

Superstar

Ingredients

2 oz. Vodka

2 oz. Peach Schnapps

Lemonade

Instructions

Shake with ice and strain over ice in a highball glass.

Xtreme Lemonade

Ingredients

6 oz. Absolut Citron Vodka
6 oz. Lemonade

Instructions

Combine in a pint glass over ice. Mix well and serve with a slice of lemon.

Chowning's Tavern Wine Cooler

Ingredients

1 part(s) Dry Red Wine
3 part(s) Lemonade

Instructions

Pour 3/4 of a glass with lemonade over crushed ice, then slowly fill with red wine. Garnish with a sprig of mint and a cherry.

All of these recipes are as tasty as they are interesting, and your guests will delight in your creative use of liquors, wines, and other flavor enhancements that transform the iconic lemonade into savvy cocktails.  Imagine your summer soiree’ with lemonade being the starring ingredient in your stylish punch bowl or special occasion barware!  To further upgrade the humble lemonade drink, you can secure the services of a professional mixologist, like SMS Mixology, to serve your lemonade and lemonade based cocktails with finesse!  You will then be free to entertain your guests and enjoy the sensory delights of the summertime party.

Celebrate responsibly, and remember to always entertain with the Spirits of Style!

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Celebrate a Match Made in Heaven!

Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the presence of friends and family to witness the enjoining of style and refreshing beverage.  These two have enjoyed a long courtship, and now they are ready to make the life long commitment to good taste and great entertaining.  It is in the spirit of this union, that we salute style and beverage with the traditional symbols for good fortune bestowed on brides on their special day:

Something Old – Tom Collins:

The Tom Collins is a drink standard that has stood the test of time for representing great style, and straightforward refreshment.  It is easy to make, with few ingredients, and can be made in single servings, or multiple servings in a flash.  As for taste, this drink is delicious, because its mixer base is sweet and simple: it's lemonade!

 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz gin
• 1 oz lemon juice
• 1/2 oz sugar syrup
• club soda
• maraschino cherry for garnish
• lemon slice for garnish

Preparation:

1. Pour the gin, lemon juice, and sugar syrup in a Collins glass with ice cubes.
2. Stir thoroughly.
3. Top with club soda.
4. Garnish with the cherry and orange slice.

Something New – Rose Quartz: 

This drink features the beauty and essence of fragrant roses, and the crisp refreshment of sparkling wine.  Easy to make and beautiful in a stylish glass, this will be sure to be a hit at brunch, lunch, or as the headlining toast for the "big" event!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz. gin
• 3/4 oz. homemade rose syrup (see below) or Sense Rose Nectar
• 1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice
• 3 dashes Peychaud's bitters
• Sparkling wine (Reissmueller suggests Argyle brut)
• Ice cubes
• Tools: shaker, strainer.  Glass: flute

Preparation:

1. Combine all ingredients, except sparkling wine
2. Shake with ice
3. Strain into a flute
4. Top with sparkling wine.

Rose Syrup
Combine 1 oz. dried rosebuds (tisane) with 4 oz. of clover honey and 4 oz. boiling water in a glass jar. Stir well until honey is fully incorporated. Let infuse for 30 minutes, double strain into a clean glass bottle and keep refrigerated for up to one month.

Something Borrowed – Peach Cobbler (from the Korbel Brandy Library of Cocktails):

What would summer be like without the sweet kiss of fragrant peaches?  This drink is as visually engaging, as it is tasty.  Combining the smoothness of Brandy with the delicate sweetness of fresh peaches are sure to delight your guests.  Pull out your crystal punch service for maximum presentation appeal.

Ingredients: 

• 1½ Oz. Korbel Xs Brandy
•  ½ Oz. Simple Syrup
•  ¾ Ea. Fresh Peach (Pitted And Sliced)
•  Splash Of Soda Water

Preparation:

1. Build, shake and pour
2. Place peach slices in mixing glass with Simple Syrup.
3. Muddle
4. Fill mixing glass with ice
5. Add XS Brandy
6. Shake and pour into glass
7. Top with soda water
8. Garnish with peach slices 

Something Blue – Ice Blue Martini:

And where would we be without the something blue?  This drink is cool to look at, cool to hold, and chillingly cool to drink.  You cannot help but be the embodiment of cool with this beverage in your hand.  Martinis are already cool, but this one takes it to sub zero levels!

Ingredients:

• 1oz Hpnotiq Liquor
• 1/2-oz vodka
• 2-oz lemonade

Preparations:

1. Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice
2. Shake & strain into martini glass
3. Garnish with lemon twist

So, as we celebrate the month of June and the many wedding celebrations, showers, and other events, we can be assured that these recipes will be great for good luck and stylishly refreshing good taste.  Enjoy responsibly, and remember, if you need to entertain a number of people at once, a professional mixologist like SMS Mixology is a valuable asset for your event.  Work your crowd, not the bar, and entertain with the Spirits of Style!

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May is a Great Month for "Mocktails!"

Prom parties, graduation celebrations, Spring mixers, family gatherings, and the Memorial Day family gathering are occasions where serving alcoholic beverages might not be a good idea, or in some cases, legal.    However, you do not have to worry about boring beverages for your event.  There are a number of exotic and delicious "mocktails" that will look stylishly cool.  These drinks bring color and flavor that the whole family can enjoy.


Ginger Mint Julep

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon creme de menthe syrup
• 1/2 cup ginger ale
• fresh mint
• cracked ice

Fill bottom of glass with cracked ice. Pour in creme de menthe, followed by the ginger ale. Stir in mint leaves until distributed throughout the glass.  Serve in a Collins glass.

Afterglow

Ingredients:

• 1 part grenadine syrup
• 4 parts orange juice
• 4 parts pineapple juice 
• ice

Mix. Serve over ice in a festive glass and garnish with fresh fruit.

Cherry Spritzer

Ingredients

• 2 oz 100% cherry juice
• 4 oz mineral water

Pour the cherry juice into the old-fashioned glass filled previously with 3 to 5 ice cubes and add the mineral water. Stir before you serve.  You can also serve this in a punchbowl as depicted here.  Colorful, cool and refreshing.

All of these drinks are as fun to make as they are to drink.  Your younger and mature guests will delight in these mocktails, which bring high flavor and look like their alcohol spiked cousin, the traditional cocktail.  Try your hand at serving these beverages in quirky, unique barware to make your guests smile.

If you do decide to serve alcoholic beverages along side these "mocktails", be sure to serve and drink responsibly, making sure that only your guests of legal age partake of the "spirited concoctions."  This is the season when underage prom and graduation revelers fall prey to alcohol related incidents that can negatively impact their lives forever.  One effective way to keep all of your guests safe is to use a certified mixologist, like SMS Mixology, to prepare and serve your drinks with efficiency and care for your guests safety.

For all of your festivities this month, consider making May "Mocktail Month," and enjoy the Spirits of (non-alcoholic) Style!

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Springtime Celebrations with Refreshing Style

It's that time of year again, when we shake loose the chill of winter and embrace the beauty of Spring.  We take the opportunity to gather outdoors with family and friends, and share fresh air, great food, and sparkling beverages in colors as vibrant as newly bloomed flowers.

It is also a time for spiritual reflection as families gather to celebrate Passover and Easter. We at SMS Mixology stand firm in our conviction that anytime friends and family gather, even on religious holidays, present excellent opportunities for hosts to shine as they entertain. We are delighted to share a couple of recipes for your entertaining inspiration.

Passover Gatherings

In additional to any of the great Passover approved Kosher wines available, guests can be invited to enjoy mixed drink cocktails.  Passover approved Kosher fruits and herbs should be very easy to acquire, and can be mixed with liqueurs and spirits that are Passover approved.  Here is a simple drink that you can try:

 

PASSOVER Cocktail Recipe:

1 Part ABSOLUT VODKA
6 Parts Grapefruit Juice
2 Parts Passionfruit Liqueur

Fill a chilled highball glass with ice cubes. Add all ingredients.

Easter Gatherings

Whether you choose to host an Easter breakfast, brunch, or dinner, you cannot miss with the traditional mimosa, which is made with champagne and orange juice.  However, take this time to get creative with the flavor profiles by switching out the orange juice component.  Try this colorful twist on the mimosa:

Pomegranate Sparkler

• 3 oz. champagne 
(chilled)
• 1 oz. pomegranate juice 
(or cranberry juice) 

Pour pomegranate juice into a champagne flute. Then slowly add the champagne.  Float some pomegranate seeds to give the drink an added personal touch. Cranberry juice can be substituted for the pomegranate juice. Some cranberries can then be skewered on a long stir stick to create a garnish.

Spring Luncheons/Garden Party

SMS Mixology hails from the South, where the Garden Party is a common event.  For your next gathering, try these delightful cocktails that embrace the spirit and the essence of nature by incorporating fresh herbs and flowers:

Thyme Bellini

• 3 ripe peach slices, peeled
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme, no stems
• 1 tsp sugar
• Dash orange bitters
• 4 oz chilled Prosecco (or other sparkling wine)

Combine peaches, thyme, sugar and bitters in a cocktail shaker, and muddle well. (Peaches should be almost pureed.) Pour into a chilled cocktail glass and top with Prosecco. Serve garnished with another sprig of thyme.

Jasmine Martini
1 cup sugar 1 cup of Jasmine Water (usually find this in the exotic food section)
2 strips orange zest
1/2 cup vodka
1/4 cup Grand Marnier
1 lemon, juiced
Jasmine flowers


Make a simple syrup of the sugar, jasmine water, and orange zest. Place jasmine flowers in a glass jar, and pour the simple syrup over the flowers. Steep for 1-2 hours to infuse. In a martini shaker filled with ice, combine the vodka, Grand Marnier, lemon juice, and 4 tablespoons of the Jasmine syrup. Shake to combine, and strain into chilled martini glasses. Float a jasmine flower in each glass to garnish.

 As always, we encourage you to have fun with your entertaining.  Be sure to host and drink responsibly.  All of these drinks can be made without the alcohol, for those who do not drink.  If you wish to be freed up to enjoy your event, especially if you are entertaining a large group, you should engage the services of a professional service, like SMS Mixology.  Enjoy your Spring, and remember to entertain using your unique Spirits of Style!

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March Mixers: Profiles of Flavorful Party Style

This year, we will have at least three opportunities to celebrate or spend time with family and friends in the month of March.  Times that call for great tasting food and drink to bring the occasions to life.

Hurricane

MARDI GRAS - For those who crave the excitement of the annual Mardi Gras celebration, but are unable to get to New Orleans for the official celebrations, why not get together with your own guests, claim them as your official "Krewe," and hold your own Mardi Gras Ball?  For the adventurous at heart, you can make custom celebratory masks and/or favors for each of your guests, as well as a crown for the King and Queen of the night.  Serve tasty spicy foods and join them with colorful drinks with a flair for the dramatic, like the traditional Hurricane, served in large festive glassware that is befitting your grand ball:

• 1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger amaretto liqueur
• 1 fluid ounce light rum
• 1 fluid ounce dark rum
• 6 fluid ounces orange juice
• 6 fluid ounces pineapple juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 dash grenadine syrup
• 1 orange, sliced into rounds
• 1 maraschino cherry

Fill a 16 ounce glass with ice. Pour in amaretto, light rum and dark rum. Pour in orange juice, pineapple juice, and lemon juice. Stir, then top with a dash of grenadine and garnish with an orange slice and a cherry. 

Your guests will appreciate your festive efforts.  If you live in an area that has the good fortune to be warm in early March, try celebrating outdoors!

Michelada

NCAA MARCH MADNESS - Basketball fans unite!  This is not only a time to enjoy spectacular hoops, but to take in some amazing beverages while snacking on stadium fan favorites.  Okay, so we know that the ever present game day beverage will be present - B -E-E-R.  However, you can bring a game changing twist by adding a few enhancements that are sure to drive the fans wild.

Try the Michelada:
Pour your beer into a standard highball or collins glass filled with ice and add the juice of one small lemon. Add a dash of soy, Tabasco and Worcestershire. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. For some, a true Mexican Michelada is not complete without a shot of Tequila mixed in.

I know beer cocktails may seem weird, but it is a quickly growing trend from Europe that is now catching flight in the U.S.  Foodies have discovered what many have known for years, and that is that good cold beer makes food taste great.  That is why beer cocktails are a great way to score with finesse!

Irish Buck

SAINT PATRICK'S DAY - Skip the green beer this year and opt for something creative with great taste as your tribute to the Irish.  As you gather to toast and reflect on the unique richness of Irish culture, raise your cocktail glass filled with a simple drink with strong flavor profiles that will warm your heart, and dazzle your guests.  This drink is from the family of cocktails called "Bucks," which involve a base spirit, ginger ale or ginger beer and citrus.  Here is the recipe for the Irish Buck:

• 1 1/2 ounces Bushmills Irish Whiskey
• 1/4 ounce Fresh Lime Juice
• 2 ounces Ginger Ale

Combine Bushmills and Lime Juice over ice in a Collins glass.  Top with ginger ale or ginger beer.  Garnish with a lime wheel.

Being green with natural flavor will make your guests green with envy to be as socially stylish as you!

As you can see, March 2011 will be a great month for entertaining with superior flavor and high style.  All of these suggested beverages can be made easily for a small group.  However, if you want to go large, and party with the masses, you are encouraged to seek the skills of professionals like SMS Mixology.  Hiring a mixologist gets you the quality beverages that you deserve, served in a way that will allow you to entertain your guests and participate in your event.  Remember, you can embrace the power of the Spirits of Style!

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The Spirits of Style are Back

Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, when our grandparents were planning on entertaining guests, great care went into what was served and how it was served.  Efforts were made to make sure that the guests were refreshed and catered to with the proper glassware, food and beverage couplings.

As we get back to basics, SMS Mixology applauds the return of the Spirits of Style.  Namely the beverages that make occasions special, and the presentation that makes them memorable.  This monthly blog will share ways that the Spirits of Style can be introduced into the most simple of gatherings with great results.

This month, love is on the menu as many observe Valentine's Day.  This presents opportunities for couples to cuddle over coy cocktails, or singles to unify with friends in rebellion or flirtatious revolution with lively drinks.  For mixing novices, we recommend simple concoctions such as flavored liqueurs, mixed with a citrus juice.  While the mix may be simple, the presentation will make the moment.  For example, 1 oz. of Peach Schnapps and 4 oz. of cranberry juice looks fantastic in a highball glass, but looks downright sexy in a martini glass.  Garnish with a fresh piece of lush fruit, like a chunk of pineapple, and you will make a tasty fashion statement that is sure to impress.

In the event that you are entertaining a large group, definitely invest in the services of a professional, like SMS Mixology, to consult with you about your theme, menu and guests to identify what beverages to serve, as well as how to best serve them to create that WOW factor.  Who needs sexy back, when you can bring back the Spirits of Style!