Top Shooter Recipes

Many people think shots are a bit boring – a single measure of one alcoholic drink that is drunk in a mouthful and then it’s over.  But there is a type of cocktail that uses the shot glass but is a bit more fun and that is the shooter.  These are short and potent drinks that combine spirits, liqueurs and non-alcoholic components to make a short drink that can even look really brilliant.  This means they are a great party idea and to give someone a personalised shot glass to commemorate a special occasion is a way of both remembering this and allowing them to continue to experiment!

Jello Shooters

Jello shooters are brilliant for a party and can be used in so many different ways, there is never a guest who will be left out.  You can even make a special one for the birthday boy or girl with their own celebratory shot glass.  The basic recipe uses 3 ounces of gelatine, 8 ounces of boiling water, 4 ounces of vodka or other spirit and 4 ounces of cold water. 

Mix the cold water and alcohol together then chill them in the refrigerator so they are the same temperature.  Next, pour the gelatine into a bowl and add the boiling water, stirring until it is dissolved.  Next stir in the chilled mixture and add food colouring if you want to and allow to set.  Serve them in the glasses or tipped out if you refer.

For a Margarita version, use 2 ounces of water, 3 ounces of tequila, 1 ounce triple sec and 2 ounces lime juice then follow the same idea.

Famous shooters

One of the most famous shooters is the Alabama Slammer (great name!) which can be made with or without the sloe gin depending on taste.  The traditional recipe uses ½ ounce sloe gin, 1 ounce amaretto, 1 ounce Southern Comfort and a dash of lemon juice.  To make the drink, mix the drinks into a mixing glass with ice and add the lemon juice.  Stir it well then strain into shot glasses.

Layer shooters look brilliant for parties as well as tasting great.  One example is the B-52, which makes a startling three layered drink.  It uses ½ ounce coffee liqueur, ½ ounce Irish cream liqueur and 1.2 ounce orange liqueur with Grand Marnier being a favourite.  Pour the coffee liqueur into the shot glass then gently float the Irish cream liqueur on the top.  Finally add the Grand Marnier so that it sits on the top and forms the orange layer.

Another startling looking drink that is great for a party around St Patricks Day or for Irish friends is the Irish Flag Shooter.  This uses 1 part green crème de menthe, 1 part Irish cream liqueur and 1 part Grand Marnier liqueur.  Layer them into the glass in that order to recreate the colours of the Irish flag.

Finally, for a hot shot for parties, go for the Prairie Fire Tequila Shooter.  Take 1 ounce of tequila and add two drops of Tabasco for a short drink that isn’t for the faint hearted!

Best Gin Cocktails

Gin is one of those drinks that you either love or hate, I always thought.  A friend of mine was a gin fanatic, never drank anything else and I even bought her one of those ‘Gin o’clock’ glasses for her to enjoy her favourite drink.  But then I discovered the joys of gin in cocktails and found a new appreciation of the drink.

What is gin?

Gin is a spirit made mainly from juniper berries and was originally created in the Middle Ages when it was an herbal medicine.  It was brought to England when William of Orange, leader of the Dutch Republic, took control of the thrones of Scotland and England with his wife Mary.

The original gin drink was gin and tonic and this came about when the British had colonies in tropical areas of the world.  A substance called quinine was used as an anti-malaria compound but had a bitter taste so it was dissolved into carbonated water to create tonic water and mixed with gin to help with the taste.

There are now lots of different types of gin including flavours and variations but all have to have juniper as their base to be allowed to be called gin.  One such example is Sloe Gin, made by infusing sloes, the berries of the blackthorn bush, in gin to create a liqueur.

Classic cocktails

The Gimlet is one of the classics of the gin cocktail range and dates from the 1920s.  It is a simple drink made from gin and lime juice with soda, though the Raymond Chandler novel The Long Goodbye said that the Gimlet should only consist of half gin and half lime juice, maybe for those who can handle the tang of the lime!  For those with a gentler taste, four parts gin to one part lime is used in a cocktail glass, though can be topped up with soda into a bigger glass for a longer drink.

The Singapore Sling is a long drink that did originate in South-East Asia.  It was created in the 1910’s by a cocktail bartender working in the Raffles Hotel Singapore.  There are many different variations now but all use a Hi Ball glass.  The official IBA recipe is:

• 3 cl gin
• 1.5 cl cherry brandy
• 0.75 cl Cointreau
• 0.75 cl Benedictine
• 1 cl Grenadine
• 12cl pineapple juice
• 1.5 cl lime juice
• Dash of Angostura bitters

Famous cocktails

Martini cocktails are amongst the most famous in the world, with the Vodka Martini being favoured by a certain spy while the Dry Martini remaining one of the simplest and classiest gin cocktails.  It is stirred but never shaken and uses ½ measure gin to 3 measures of dry vermouth and has a single green olive on a cocktail stick for garnish.

Colourful cocktails

Just because gin is clear, doesn’t mean it can’t be made into funky coloured cocktails.  One example is the Juliana Blue cocktail.  This involves putting crushed ice, 1 measure of gin, ½ measure Cointreau, ½ measure blue Curacao, 2 measures of pineapple juice, ½ measure lime juice and 1 measure of cream of coconut into a blender.  Once the mixture is like slush, add some ice cubes to a martini glass and pour the mixture over them.  Garnish with a slice of pineapple and a cocktail cherry for a beautiful blue drink.

Valentine Cocktail Ideas

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, there are plenty of ideas for meals to cook or luxurious venues to take your loved one.  But sometimes life doesn’t leave enough time for these time-consuming events.  If you are one of the people who never have time for a sumptuous meal together or to spend the night at the theatre, then why not create a special cocktail for the evening to drink and relax together at the end of the day?

The perfect sip

The great thing about cocktails is that they can be tailored to any taste, including those who don’t drink alcohol.  Serving the cocktail can even be the centre of a short but sweet Valentine’s Day event by picking up a pair of personalised glasses to share the drinks in.  So here are some recipe ideas to get you started on cocktails designed for two.

The Maxwell Cocktail

• ·         1.5 oz. Cucumber Vodka
• ·         .75 oz. cucumber juice
• ·         .25 oz. Cointreau
• ·         .5 oz. lemon juice
• ·         .25 oz. agave nectar

Mix the ingredients above in a large shaker with ice then shake for around 10 seconds.  Take two champagne glasses and split the content of the mixer between the two.  Fill to the top with champagne and keep the bottle chilled to add more as needed.

Tiki Bowl

• ·         2 oz. orange juice
• ·         1.5 oz. lemon juice
• ·         .5 oz. almond orgeat
• ·         1 oz. light rum
• ·         1 oz. dark rum
• ·         1 oz. brandy

Put all of the ingredients into a blender along with a scoop of shaved ice.  Blend until thoroughly mixed and service into a tiki bowl or a hurricane glass.  To garnish, add ice cubes and decorate with a gardenia.

Chocolate Strawberry Martini

• ·         3 strawberries, sliced
• ·         1 oz. milk
• ·         4 oz. vodka
• ·         2 oz. chocolate liqueur

Put the strawberries and milk into a shaker and mix then add the rest of the ingredients and fill with ice.  Shake again then add to an oversized martini glass that two can share.

The Rose

• ·         2 oz. dry vermouth (Martini)
• ·         1 oz. cherry brandy
• ·         1 tsp raspberry syrup

Add all the ingredients into a mixing glass and fill it with ice.  Give it a good stir then strain into a chilled cocktail glass for each and garnish with a brandied cherry.

Little touches

If your loved one isn’t a fan of cocktails, then why not get a bottle of their favourite wine but add something a little different?  Try a personalised plaque that says something from your heart that you can hang around the neck of the bottle and give them on Valentine’s Day when they are ready to relax at last.

Or for one of the simplest of all cocktails that is filled with glass, invest in a bottle of Chambord and a bottle of champagne.  Take those special champagne flutes you bought and add .25 oz. to each glass of Chambord before topping with the champagne.  This turns the drink a beautiful deep red colour and can be garnished with a twist of lemon for a simple drink that says ‘I love you’.