Summer in February

For years now, I have been lucky enough to spend the greater part of the summer in Muskoka. It was about four summers ago now and it was a really hot July. I got invited to this event on Lake Roso called Christmas in July. At first I thought that it was a rather absurd concept. I like to embrace the summer and not think of the snow to come, but as a Canadian I realized how much we are in love with our seasons. I suppose so much so that some of us miss the snow even in the hot summer. This event embraced winter cocktails, great beer and a hot fire. It is an event that I find to this day hard to forget and now every year on July 25th my friends, family and I celebrate Christmas in July. It is of course another good excuse to have some creative cocktails with great company.


So I thought to myself on this rather snowy day, if we can have Christmas in July, why not celebrate summer in February. February is the month of the winter blues so let’s bring the hot days and warm nights of July to this month by drinking summer cocktails. So I propose that tonight being the 25th of February gather your friends and indulge in your favorite summer cocktails. Get creative! For this purpose I have suggested some creative summer cocktails you can make in your own home. In the hot summer simplicity is key, but that does not mean the cocktails are not tasty! So start a fire get in your shorts and feel the warmth of a hot summer night. Just think the summer is just around the corner…so feel the heat.

Tonight forget the snow…dress inappropriately for winter… and simply indulge!


MOUNTAIN LEMONAID

1 oz. Banff Ice Vodka
4 oz. limeade
2 oz. Lemon Lime Soda

To a rocks glass filled with ice, add Banff Ice Vodka, limeade and soda.
Garnish with a mint sprig.

LIME SUNSET

1 oz. Smirnoff Lime Twist Vodka.
½ oz. Captain Morgan’s parrot bay coconut rum.
4 oz. Pineapple Juice.

Garnish with Lime wheels.

Climb the Mountain

I recently spent my last week assisting a event in Blue Mountain. The event is called Ski Cup and it is an annual event held by Sir Corp. It is an event that was created to assist in team building and really just to get out of the restaurants and let your hair down. In the past I have been an attendant so this year was a very different experience for me.

Amongst all the chaos I was able to slip away with a good friend for a 'happy hour' cocktail. I knew that this time was an advantage to have a great cocktail created just for me. I went to a bar located in the heart of Blue Mountain's Village. I walked in to a warm open fireplace that encompassed appropriately a cabin lodge feel. I took a seat at a table by the fire and the bartender approached the table. My friend already knew exactly what he wanted and ordered his Guinness. As tempting as that sounded I asked the bartender, "can you create a drink just for me?' he immediately responded with yes and asked me what my taste was. After a minute he left and returned with a fabulous cocktail. Although this drink was made just for me I named it in his honour. I call this cocktail, 'he's banging out of control'.

I would climb the Blue Mountain to have this cocktail again!

Recipe for 'He's banging out of control':

1/2 ounce Sour Raspberry Liqueur

1/2 ounce Banana Liqueur

1 ounce Vodka

1/2 ounce Absolute Mango vodka

1/2 ounce Mango puree

Garnished: 3 Fresh Raspberries

Over Indulgence...

I know it's hard to believe that one can over indulge in one of life's great pleasures, however, when it comes to cocktails it DOES happen. I promise not to lecture about responsible drinking because we are all adults and choose when we want to act recklessly.

When I was younger and of course by younger I mean I was legal...(umm..let’s go with that) my drink of choice was well any kind of vodka, particularity raspberry vodka. Let me tell you...the very smell of that raspberry vodka brings back not so fond memories of fast trips down staircases, very clean bathroom floors and the luxurious McDonalds meal the very morning after.

With age comes new tastes, I would say class also follows but that is mighty presumptuous. Ladies, just because you are holding a martini glass does not mean you are being classy. Yes, I know on Sex in the City Carrie does look very classy with that Cosmopolitan, but let’s be honest how classy are Samantha’s actions following three or maybe six of those martinis. There is no such thing as glorified mistakes.

My challenge to you this week is to find that sipping cocktail and although some of those cocktails are so tasty that sipping becomes guzzling, it can be done.

So here’s a tip, order that classic Cosmopolitan with a twist on the rocks with extra cranberry juice. The tip about ordering a martini on the rocks is that it slows your sipping, every time the ice hits your lips the ice stops you from the guzzling and if you are tempted to take it to a ‘whole notha leva’ remind yourself lets….

Keep it classy!

What makes a true Cosmopolitan:

1 oz vodka

1/2 oz triple sec

1/2 oz fresh squeezed lime juice

1/2 oz cranberry juice