I’m a bartender/server at work and I love making drinks. I can’t wait to have my own bar at home some day..
Right now, I’m all about the Malibu Breeze—it’s like a Pina Colada, but better! It’s got a more intense pineapple flavor, which I like, and the Malibu’s coconut flavor blends in beautifully. Over a glass full of ice: 2 oz. Malibu rum, 4 oz. pineapple juice, shot of grenadine. Stir and enjoy. Yumz.
I also love margaritas.. I love making them, too. Definitely use anything other than bottom shelf tequila and triple sec. For a luxe margarita, use Cointreau instead of the crappy triple sec most bars stock. I don’t usually measure when I make them, but it’s something like: 1.5–2 oz. tequila in a shaker with ice, add 1/2 oz. Cointreau/triple sec, 3–4 oz. sour mix, 1 oz. Rose’s Lime. Shake, taste to make sure proportions are right, and strain over a salt-rimmed glass full of ice. Delish. :)
Lastly, I am all about the vodka gimlet, my old standby and long-time favorite. Classy, old-fashioned, and not something many people drink. People who know drinks will give you a nod when they see you drink a gimlet. Again, I do them to taste, but I think generally the ratio is 1.5 oz. vodka to each 1 oz. of Rose’s Lime. Put both into an iced shaker, shake for 10 seconds, strain into glass. I like mine with ice, but I don’t think that’s how they’re usually made. Squeeze the lime garnish into the drink and enjoy. After one, it’s like drinking limeade.. yum.