The Hallow'tini

So, we wanted a Hallowe’en inspired drink for this week, you know, something for all those horror-themed, fancy-dress parties this coming weekend. A few ideas were bandied about; an even Bloodier Mary, a plague of Zombies, et cetera. But Joe wanted to do something original.

Starting from scratch in his laboratory, on a stormy night, much like tonight, he brought to life “The Hallow’tini,” (A.K.A. “Varying Degrees of Evil!”)

None more black.

The Recipe:

While chilling a martini glass with ice, into a cocktail shaker;

- pour a 3 count of Svedka Vodka, (original)

- pour a 2 count of Blue Curacau

- pour a 1 count of Chambourd

- pour a 2 count of POM, pomegranate juice

Shake vigorously

- Strain into the now-chilled martini glass

- Garnish with a wedge of orange

"IT'S ALIVE!!!"

Recipe by Joe The Bartender, Passage to India Restaurant, Salem, MA

Bartenders notes: A great drink, yes, but more specifically, The Greatest Hallowe’en-Themed Cocktail Around! ...And born right here in the Witch City of Salem, Massachusetts!

Chris’s notes: "Wicked Good!"

Trick or Treat!

Ginger Mojito

Start with something good, and add something good...

The Recipe:

Into a large, chilled 16-ounce pint glass:

- add squeezed wedge of lime,

- add the leaves of 2 whole stems of fresh mint,

- add 1/2 teaspoon of simple syrup,

- add 1 3-count of Canton, (French Ginger Liqueur,)

Muddle it, Oh! and Muddle it well!

- add a 3 count of white rum,

- Stir with a bar spoon,

- fill with ice, stir,

- add a “sploosh” of soda on top,

- garnish with lime and fresh mint.

Recipe by Joe the Bartender, Passage to India restaurant, Salem, MA

Bartender’s notes: As the drink sits, the flavors mellow to the point where each sip bathes your mouth in the tastes of fresh mint, tart lime, and tangy ginger. Mmmmm...

Chris's notes: This drink has a complex meeting of flavors that traditionally don't overlap. The ginger, mint and lime seem to each be struggling for supremacy of flavor at first, but settle into blend of tastebud-tingling goodness.

Salud! -Chris

Joe's Cosmo

I asked Joe what the drink of the week was recently and he said “A Cosmo!”

What followed was a debate on what constitutes a “girlie-drink,” (and I stand by my description of a pink, fruity drink in stemware as “girlie.” But Joe insisted I try one, and actually won the argument by saying, “This blog isn’t just for men, is it?”

Joe continued with his pitch saying that people come from far and wide to order HIS Cosmo, and proceeded to whip me up one of these angry pink menaces...

The Recipe:

While chilling a martini glass with ice, into a cocktail shaker of ice;

- pour a 4 count of Svedka Citron

- pour a 3 count of Svedka Clementine

- pour a 1 count of Cointreau

- squeeze 1/4 of fresh lime

- add a “sploosh” of cranberry

- stir vigorously

- Strain into the now-chilled martini glass

- garnish with a wedge of fresh lime.

Recipe by Joe The Bartender, Passage to India Restaurant, Salem, MA

Bartender's notes: There are many kinds of flavored vodkas on the market, but Joe prefers Svedka because he feels that it has the least synthetic taste to it.

Chris’s notes: I sat there there in the bar drinking what I STILL believe to be a girl’s drink, I must admit it is a pretty strong one... Sorta like pink lemonade but with a serious axe to grind. Joe concedes that it may have the reputation of being a girlie drink, but when purchased for women, it may also lead to a “loosening of the knickers’ elastic!”

I’ll drink to that.

Caipirinha

In honor of their winning the bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics, this week's entry is Brazil's national cocktail, the Caipirinha, (pronounced "kie-purr-REEN-yah,") made with a spirit called cachaça, (pronounced "kah-SHAH-sah,") which is distilled from sweet sugarcane juice, and is very similar to rum. This is Joe's favorite drink!

The Recipe:

Into a chilled 16 ounce, pint glass:

- Add one whole lime, quartered, and muddled with a teaspoon of simple syrup, (or a teaspoon of light brown sugar,)

- Add a generous 5 count of Cachaça, (a Brazilian sugarcane-based spirit,)

- Fill with crushed ice,

- Top with a spritz of soda,

- Garnish with a wedge of lime.

-Recipe by Joe the Bartender, Passage to India Restaurant, Salem, MA

Bartender's Notes:

As a mere lad, working the pubs of London, living on warm beer and cheese & onion crisps, Joe met a young barkeeper from Sao Paulo who introduced him to this drink, thusly changing his life forever, for the better.

With this posting, we hope to pass this life-changing moment on...

Saúde! -Chris

Boston Tea Party

No more should New York hog all the glory with the Long Island Iced Tea! Here is a recipe for a beverage that bests that brew pays homage to America’s sports team, The Boston Red Sox.

It’s official name is “The Big Papi Boston Tea Party” and was developed in honor of the Red Sox slugger. It is like a variation of the Long Island Ice Tea, but all Bostoned up in some key ways to make this the superior drink!

The Recipe:

Into a cocktail mixing tumbler;

- pour a 2 count of Absolut Boston, (a limited edition vodka from Absolut flavored with black tea and elderflowers!)

- pour a 1 count of Brugal Dominican Rum,

- pour a 2 count of Jose Cuervo Gold Tequila,

- pour a 1 count of Bombay Sapphire Gin,

- pour a 1 count of St-Germain,

- pour a 1 count of triple Sec,

- add a splash of sour mix,

- add a squeeze of fresh lemon,

- shake vigorously

- strain into a 16 ounce pint glass filled with ice,

- top off with a splash of Coke,

- garnish with a wedge of fresh lemon, orange and/or a cherry.

- Original recipe by Joe the Bartender, Passage to India restaurant, Salem, MA

Show your support for the Red Sox and make this your beverage of choice!