Thursday Happy Hour: Cocktail Recipes, Drinks, Music, and Good Times

The Bushwacker

 A Man's Drink?  

"You should have a bushwacka! That's a reeeal mon's drink," said the bartender, letting the words hang like a dare.

Well. I guess that's that. I'll have one. The barman gets to work, I peer over the bar to pick up what I can. Rum, Bailey's ... was that Amaretto? Um. I begin to question my decision. Then, there it is: A tall frosty frappe looking decidedly unmanly. But, wait. Not only is it deliciously frozen and chocolately, it's got some serious kick.

Tonight, we're a long way from the B.V.I. and the dark teak bar of the Bitter End Yacht Club, but whenever the weather turns tropical, the bushwackers are a hit. We serve them as a special dessert drink to chase the island-spiced pork and red beans and rice we served our guests.

Irish Cream

Thinking Green 

It's St. Patrick's Day. We could make corned beef and cabbage. We could pop open a Guinness at a favorite pub. Or we could really surprise our friends and whip up a batch of Irish Cream.

So, okay, we plan to do all three.

Homemade Irish Cream is rich and frothy and easier to make than you might think. If you don't plan to go out tonight, swing by the grocery for the ingredients below and have some Irish fun at home.

Oh, and pickled red onions are tasty, too.

2007 Rudolf Müller Eiswein (Ice Wine)

Drip, Drip, Drip

Though we still have massive amounts of snow on the ground in the midwest, the steady trickle off the roof means one thing: The thaw is here. And it couldn't come any sooner.

I am more than ready to toast the beginning of the end of this icy season by opening a bottle of Rudolf Müller Eiswein with my sweetie.

I made some simple crostini with toasted baguette topped with blue cheese and drizzled with honey to counterbalance the sweet and intense flavor of the eiswein.

Hooray, spring is on its way! We've made it (almost) through another Minnesota winter.

Electra California Orange Muscat Wine 2007

Serious Cleaning

From the dead pine needles on the carpet, strewn silver tinsel that seems to multiply, and remnants of ripped-open Christmas presents, my house was in desperate need of an overhaul.

But after hours of scrubbing, sweeping, mopping and dusting, I was in desperate need of some relaxation.

Time to replenish with some squares of very dark chocolate with a glass of fruity effervescent Muscat, a gift from my friend Sally.

Canadian Coffee

Warm Their Hearts

Stomping boots, dripping umbrellas and coats reluctantly peeling off -- not a relaxing start to a little after-dinner happy hour at the house with the parents, but definitely an invigorating one. My priority: warm up their insides while the furnace starts clanking.

If we weren't so full, I'd heat spiced cider in the teapot and then spike each steamy cup with the leftover Applejack or rum. But G is already grinding the French roast and I know what he has in mind.

Heavy cream, maple syrup, and just an ounce of a secret ingredient we won't mention till the cups are emptied... it's sure to add a little spark to the night.

Tokyo Fog

Emerging

I still can't believe summer is over. It's getting dark early and I'm getting over a cold and I'm wrapping up three projects at once -- it's really been a blur. But planning for the holidays is fun, and one drink that friends inevitably request at the end of an evening is a dessert drink -- a creamy, decadent truffle in a glass. 

Mud Slides are yum, but expected, so when G's friend and creative consultant Leslie suggested a Fog, something she enjoyed with her family at the holidays, we jumped all over it. And we weren't disappointed. In fact, we were gobsmacked.

Blandy's Rainwater Madeira - Dessert Wine

Sweet Art and Wine

My kids came home with a mountain of candy this Halloween. Fortunately, they are judicious with their stash--and creative, too. They eat a few select pieces and then get to work--sorting first by color, size, and type. Then they start building. Towns complete with furnished houses, pools, and walkways appear on the living room floor. Even lollipops are put to use as the local townsfolk.

Gradually, the town diminishes. First a table, then one of the neighbors. My girls are reluctant to dismantle their work of art, which suits this mom just fine.

But lucky for me--and my sweet tooth--they are also willing to share. And I had the perfect wine to pair it with.

2004 Robert Pecota Moscato d'Andrea and Apple Pie

Fall Cravings

A twinge of autumn colors are beginning to appear on the leaves in my neighborhood. The hints of orange, red, and yellow inspired a craving for one of the best things about a Minnesota fall: apple pie.

Not just any apple pie, a Minnesota apple pie.

I rushed to the market to pick up some local apples. Cortlands are my favorite for pie (although, if you've never had a Minnesota-grown Honeycrisp, you haven't lived). I peeled and cored and rolled out the dough, a labor of love in anticipation of that first delectable sweet and tart bite.

The first apple pie of the season is cause to celebrate ... with a crisp Moscato.

Buffalo's Milk Cocktail

Out of Our Comfort Zone

We sailed across the Pacific, winds at 30 knots, jib fully satisfied, two kids securely wrapped in life jackets and their mothers' arms. Yes, plastic baggies nearby. Angled and windblown, the journey was pure anticipation -- for the island, for dolphins and whales, and for Buffalo's Milk. 

Stinger

Holiday Cheer from Your Hosts at Thursday Happy Hour!
We've been celebrating Thursday Happy Hours for a while now -- as you can see from this photo of us apparently taken in 1957. Okay, sure, Gary is handy with the Photoshop, but we still had a great time sipping Stingers -- our holiday favorite -- and being silly with a trip-pod and camera remote while winter tunes thumped the house. Doesn't everyone do this kind of thing during the holidays?

Muddy Mint Slide

Naughty or Nice?
We have a couple friends who get off work late on Thursday nights. Another couple likes to come over after the little one goes to sleep and the sitter is safely planted on the couch. In both cases, they have dinner beforehand, and often arrive at our place with a craving for a sweet.

We created this holiday cocktail just for them, for our after-dinner happy hours. Neither couple actually visited this Thursday, but we were thinking of them, so we shook up a batch till ice crystals formed on top. Before sipping the indulgent dessert drinks, we made a toast to our friends while holiday lounge re-mixes (and classics) spilled into the living room. "Wish you were here!"