Friday, July 30, 2010

The cocktail bar - Mojito

Okay, so it's winter, but I love a good drink.
And since a friend just finished all the paperwork for her divorce today, its time for a damned good drink.
Tomorrow night, I will be making Bel a few of these - we're mourning a part of her life that should have been happy, but at the same time, celebrating the fact that she is less than 2 months from finally being free of her wife bashing ex husband.
So, here's to the future.

  • 10 fresh mint leaves
  • 1/2 lime, cut into 4 wedges
  • 2 tablespoons caster sugar
  • 1 cup ice cubes
  • 45ml white rum
  • 125ml soda water
1.Place mint leaves and 1 lime wedge into a glass. Use a muddler to crush the mint and lime to release the mint oils and lime juice. Add 2 more lime wedges and the sugar, and muddle again to release the lime juice. Do not strain the mixture.
2.Fill the glass almost to the top with ice. Pour the rum over the ice and fill the glass with soda water. Garnish with the remaining lime wedge


If you don't have a muddler, feel free to use the end of a rolling pin or the handle of a wooden spoon.

And now for the non alcoholic version...

  • 8-10 large mint leaves
  • 1/2 c. sugar (you can add more if necessary, especially if kids are involved)
  • 3/4 c. fresh lime juice (about 7 small, juicy limes)
  • 1 24-oz. bottle of sparkling water (like Perrier or soda water)

  1. Finely chop the mint leaves. Place the chopped mint leaves in a bowl or non-reactive pitcher and press them with a pestle or the back of a spoon to release the oils. Add the sugar and press the mint leaves and sugar together with the back of a spoon. Add the lime juice and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved and no longer grainy.
  2. If you haven't been mixing the mint and sugar in a pitcher, transfer to a glass or plastic pitcher. Right before serving, add the sparkling water and serve immediately over ice. Garnish with lime slices and mint leaves.

Friday, July 23, 2010

The Cocktail bar - The Tadam

This one is a drink I invented.
I worked bar for 3 years at Mary Gilhooley's in Lismore, NSW, and 2 of my regs are lactose intolerant (I say are, because as far as I know, they haven't ceased to be lactose intolerant), and one is allergic to oranges. Add to that, the other one also doesn't like coffee (the flavour of it), and I was limited in the super-girly-cocktails these too manly men could drink. (Yeah, it was two blokes, but they always drank things like Breezers - I used to open their bottles, pour it into the prettiest cocktail glass I could, and add an umbrella)
So, my patented recipe for the Tadam (I'll explain the name underneath the recipe).

  1. Muddle lime in glass
  2. Add liqueurs in order
  3. Add enough ice to fill glass
  4. Top with cranberry juice

Non alcoholic version

  • Hurricane glass
  • Lime
  • Ice
  • Pineapple juice
  • Cranberry juice
  • Pink grapefruit juice

  1. Muddle lime
  2. Add ice
  3. Add equal parts of all juices

Now for how it got its name.
My real name is Tanya (Yeah, I know. All this time, you actually though it was InfoxicatingLady, right? :P ), and one of the regs, for whom I invented this lovely OMG! This Will Get Me Plastered Drink is Adam. Doesn't take a genius from there, does it?

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

The Cocktail bar - The Mimosa

I missed last weeks blog because I was otherwise occupied (that post is friends locked. If you want to be able to read it, you'll need to get a livejournal account, and friend me).
So, this is Friday afternoons post, which I promised you.

The Mimosa
The Mimosa is a beautiful, elegant, simple drink. Most of us have had them, and not realised what we were drinking, by name. In fact, most of us would call them "Champagne and OJ", which is technically incorrect, because Champagne is specific to the region of Champagne in France, which infers you're drinking The Good Stuff. Said Good Stuff should be enjoyed for what it is (Though, my opinion is that it's fizzy vinegar, but that's just me ;) ).
So, the recipe.

Sparkling wine (White, and preferably dry) - Chilled
Orange juice - Chilled
Champagne flutes - Chilled


Half fill the Champagne flutes with sparkling wine. Top with orange juice.
You can garnish with a slice or segment of orange, if you want.


Non alcoholic version

Use orange juice with soda water in champagne flutes, making sure both are chilled. Sparkling mineral water would also work well.


Saturday, July 10, 2010

The Cocktail Bar - Limoncello, mandarincello, and a non alcoholic equivalent

I've been seeing lots of recipes for limoncello around, and I have some going at the moment.
I also have some home made Everclear (don't ask) left over.
So, yesterday, I caught my trolls eating manadrin oranges, so I thought I'd make mandarincello with the skins left over.
It was really easy to make, too. I got the skins, rolled them up, put them in a cleaned and sterilised bourbon bottle, and poured the rest of the everclear over. All the Aussies out there can try this with vodka (or ask a mate with a still for just the pure alcohol, but you didn't hear that from me...)
In around 3 weeks, I should have around 1 Litre of mandarincello to drink, mixed with soda water (club soda) on ice.
And the non alcoholic version?
Freshly squeezed orange juice, mixed with lemonade (Sprite) will taste about the same :)

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Home made air popped popcorn

I make this one when the kids are driving me NUTS!
And since it's not just Birthday Month, but also the Winter Holidays (for school) here in Australia, I'm being driven nuts almost daily.
I have a friend from back when we were young and stupid and at high school, who thinks circuses, fairy floss and popcorn make everything better, too. So, Viv, this one is also for you :)


Take 1 paper bag per person.
Add 1 small hand full of popping corn to the bag.
Fold the top down well.
Place in microwave, and heat on high for around 1 minute, 20 seconds, or until most of the kernels are popped. (You can hear that bit. They stop popping).
Remove bag from microwave, and sprinkle with herbed salt

The Theme Is Unveiled!

I've told you all before, but Bast and I are sisters. In fact, I'm pretty darn sure I've mentioned we're twins. Identical, in fact.
Mum also has another anniversary of her 21st birthday this year (we won't say how old she is - let's leave it at she was a young mum, shall we?)
Anyways, this month is Birthday Month, because there are 3 of us who are meant to get older. We may be growing older, but I'm not so sure we're growing up ;)

So, this month, all of our recipes are birthday themed.
And my cocktails will also have a mocktail version, too, because Bast shouldn't have to miss out on all the fun while she's pregnant.


Stay tuned, everyone!

Friday, July 2, 2010

The cocktail bar

In a bid to post more regularly, I'll be posting a cocktail recipe each Friday afternoon.
The tag will be The Cocktail Bar.
I'll start next week :)

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Theme Week

Wanted to know if anyone has any ideas on what they would like to see on here for a theme week.
Said theme week will commence next Monday.

The best potatoes you will ever eat

I have this rule for savoury meals. It's a really simple rule, too. Just about everything tastes better if you add cheese. And this recipe proves it. Though, the best-ness is magnified by the addition of diced onions and bacon.


Again, this is a "I don't measure anything" recipe, so make it in quantities you know will be eaten.


  • Preheat oven to 180C (350F)
  • Dice potatoes with skins still on, or peel and dice brushed potatoes
  • Lightly spray the bottom of a lasagne dish with spray on oil
  • Place potatoes in the dish in an even layer
  • Spray the top of the potatoes again
  • Cook for 30 minutes or so.
While the potatoes are cooking, dice a large onion and around 8 rashers of bacon. Mix these together with some mustard powder, or horseradish cream - or just leave them as they are.

  • Remove potatoes from oven, stir through onions and bacon mix.
  • Return to oven for 15 minutes
  • Remove potatoes from oven again, and sprinkle generously with grated cheese
  • Return to oven for 10 minutes, or until cheese is browned

I serve this as a side dish for barbecues, or as part of a roast dinner. I'd probably eat it every day, if I could afford the bacon.