Chimayó Cocktail

Being that my family origin is from New Mexico, I enjoy the food and flavors from the southwest. As far as cocktails go, I haven't heard of too many that are native of that region until I recently came across the Chimayó Cocktail that was invented at the Rancho de Chimayó restaurant in Chimayó New Mexico in 1965. The owner of this establishment Arturo Jaramillo was looking for use of his apples that are plentiful in the area and after experimenting came up with this cocktail which is the restaurants signature drink.

God bless and cheers,

John Apodaca
john@daddyosmartinis.com

The Chimayó Cocktail


1 1/2 oz tequila ( I prefer Milagro Blanco)
1 oz unfiltered apple cider
1/4 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 oz Crème de cassis


Combine all ingredients in a highball glass with ice, stir and garnish with a slice of unpeeled apple.

Hot Buttered Rum - A classic with a spicy finish!

One of many hot drinks during fall and winter I enjoy is the hot buttered rum. It contains several flavors I like such as of dark rum with the molasses finish, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. Combine all of these with some boiling water and you get a tasty treat with a spicy finish for you mouth and warms you all over. Give it a try on these colder nights while sitting next to the fire place.

God bless and Cheers,

John Apodaca
john@daddyosmartinis.com

Hot Buttered Rum


1 1/3 oz dark Rum ( such as Myers)
1 small slice of butter
1 teaspoon brown sugar
cinnamon
nutmeg
Vanilla
boiling water

Mix the the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla essence in the glass until it's creamy.  Pour in the rum and the boiling water over a teaspoon and mix well.

Blue Blazer

Last week I had a cold and even lost my voice at one point while working a bartending gig for Surfrider Foundation ( Long Beach Chapter). When I got home, my friend Mark new what to give me to help coat my throat and to make me feel better, it was the blue blazer and after having one of those, it not only helped me but put me to sleep as well. I recommend this hot drink as a remedy for whatever type of cold ails you this fall and winter, you can't go wrong with it!

It was invented by legendary "Professor" Jerry Thomas while he was in residence at the bar of the El Dorado, San Francisco in the nineteenth century. With this drink he perfected the technique of igniting the whiskey and throwing the flaming liquid between tow silver tankards - mixing he ingredients whilst the bar was aflame. This act was preformed before President Grant so much that he presented him with a cigar!

God bless and Cheers,

John Apodaca
john@daddyosmartinis.com


Blue Blazer 

1  3/4 oz whiskey
1 3/4 oz boiling water
1 bar spoon of honey
juice of half a lemon

Heat the whiskey in a small saucepan and pour into one tankard, Put the boiling water into the other tankard. Light the whiskey and while it's flaming, pour the two liquids from one tankard to the other for or five times.. This may seem difficult at first and practice is required before you preform this act in front of guests.

Cinnamon Warmer

Tis the season for fire places to be lit, the air to be brisk in the morning and for a soothing drink to make us feel warm all over. The vitamins in this drink will invigorate your bloodstream to face the elements outside in the cold.  This is also a great drink to have sit on you're stove top on a low flame to make the whole house smell of cinnamon, ginger and all the other ingredients.

God bless and Cheers,

John Apodaca
john@daddyosmartinis.com

Cinnamon Warmer


1 1/4 oz Calvados ( Apple Brandy)
1/2 oz dark rum
3 1/2 oz clear apple juice
Juice of half a lemon
3 slices of fresh ginger
1 teaspoon of clear honey
3 cloves
1 small cinnamon stick

Pour all of the liquid, including the honey into a saucepan and heat slowly. Do not boil.  Place the spices in a muslin cloth, tie the top in a knot and place in the saucepan.  (This provides the flavor and avoids having to scoop the bits out when the drink is ready) Float a few twists of lemon and orange peel in the mixture.  This will give a slight citrus taste.  Strain in the glass and enjoy.

Lion's Tail

Some of my favorite things about October is the relaxing scents that accompany the season such at cinnamon, pine cone, allspice, etc. One of the cocktails that includes some of these aromas is the Lion's Tail. It's from the Cafe Royal Cookbook from published in London in 1937 and since the term twisting the Lion's tail was American slang it must have been an American refugee that went to the UK during prohibition and stayed.

I've made this cocktail for several friends and they love it because of the flavors it carries. Give it a try at you're fall celebrations.

God bless and Cheers,

John Apodaca
john@daddyosmartinis.com

Lion's Tail 

2 oz of bourbon whiskey
3/4 oz Allspice Dram
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
1/2 oz tablespoon simple syrup
2 dashes angostura bitters

Put all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously, strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Brandy Alexander

I recently taught a class on Vintage Cocktails along with a chef teaching appetizers at Culinary Enterprises in Signal Hill on last Friday night. One of the drinks that I featured was the Brandy Alexander. It's origin is from the Alexander Cocktail named after Czar Alexander II that's made with gin. This variation uses brandy was supposedly concocted for the wedding of Princess Mary and the Viscount Lascelles in London in 1922.  It became very popular during the Jazz age and is recently made a comeback. Try this recipe and you'll think you're drinking chocolate, you wont be disappointed!

God bless and cheers,

John Apodaca
john@daddyosmartinis.com

Brandy Alexander 


3/4 oz Brandy
3/4 oz Brown cream de cacao
3/4 oz Heavy cream
Ground nutmeg for garnish

Place all ingredients in a cocktails shaker with ice and shake vigorously and pour into a chilled cocktails glass, sprinkle ground nutmeg on top before serving.