Presented by Cooks’ World and Pinnacle Wine & Liquor Please note: There will be no Cocktail of the Week posts for May 16 or May 23, as I’ll be taking an intensive course on sake those two weeks. Summer is Caipirinha time, sure—but there’s more to Cachaça than Caipirinhas. Meet the Caipirinha's cousin "Esmeralda," or … Continue reading Cocktail of the Week: The Caipirinha’s Cousin Esmeralda
Scotch
Cooks’ World/Pinnacle Liquor Cocktail of the Week: Black Sabbath
First, happy Burns Night to all who celebrate! Tonight’s the night!! We conclude our month-long observation of Burns Night with a rock star of Scotch whisky cocktails: the Black Sabbath. (See what I did there?) This is a very, very easy cocktail to make. Smoky Islay whiskies (and mezcals, tequilas, and other strongly flavored, aromatic … Continue reading Cooks’ World/Pinnacle Liquor Cocktail of the Week: Black Sabbath
Cooks’ World/Pinnacle Liquor Cocktail of the Week: Bitter Jean
Thursday, January 25th, is the birthday of Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns—one of the most important dates on the Scottish cultural calendar. It’s celebrated worldwide with Burns Night suppers, a tradition that began in 1801, and naturally there is always fine Scotch whisky involved. To observe the occasion in advance and help customers with their … Continue reading Cooks’ World/Pinnacle Liquor Cocktail of the Week: Bitter Jean
For Burns Night: The Bobby Burns Cocktail
Happy 265th birthday (well, on January 25th) to Robert Burns, and happy Burns Night to all my friends who celebrate! I’ve already posted my annual homage to Scotland’s bard, so let's talk about the cocktail that bears his name. I chose the word “bears” carefully, because it turns out that this drink may not have … Continue reading For Burns Night: The Bobby Burns Cocktail
Scotch Whisky lovers: Make a Burns Night plan
Rochester area friends, come to Pinnacle Wine & Liquor between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, January 20! Mark this on your calendar: From 2-5 p.m. on Saturday, January 20, Pinnacle Wine & Liquor will hold its third annual Burns Day Scotch whisky tasting—a midwinter celebration of Scotland’s two greatest gifts to the … Continue reading Scotch Whisky lovers: Make a Burns Night plan
Cooks’ World/Pinnacle Liquor Cocktail of the Week: Peat’s Dragon
It’s December again. Well, not quite—but there was snow in the air and on the ground in Western New York early this week, so I call the horseshoes rule: It’s close enough. But you didn’t click over here for a weather report; either you’re here and know this already, or you aren’t and you don’t … Continue reading Cooks’ World/Pinnacle Liquor Cocktail of the Week: Peat’s Dragon
It’s almost Thanksgiving—a holiday made for “Drunk Uncles”
The old adage says, "you are what you eat." Or, in my case, "you are what you drink,” and I do have a dozen nieces and nephews. I can’t think of a better holiday than Thanksgiving to enjoy a cocktail named for a tipsy uncle. One description I found calls this cocktail a "Scotch Negroni." Ehhhh … Continue reading It’s almost Thanksgiving—a holiday made for “Drunk Uncles”
The Bloody Blood and Sand
I love freshly squeezed blood orange juice in cocktails, but it can be hard to find blood oranges at local supermarkets sometimes. So keep this between us, okay? We wouldn’t want everyone else to go buy them out, would we? The Blood & Sand is a classic Scotch whisky recipe that first appeared in Harry … Continue reading The Bloody Blood and Sand
The Modern
You've heard of the Old Fashioned? Well, this is The Modern. And wow, there is a LOT going on in this glass! You’ll need sloe gin, which raises the point that “sloe gin” is mostly a misnomer, although gin is involved. It’s a gin-based liqueur produced by macerating sloe berries with a significant amount of … Continue reading The Modern
Armchair Travel: The Whisky Isles by Bike
If you're a Scotch whisky lover, you've heard about Islay (pronounced 'eye-luh') and Jura, and maybe you've been fortunate enough to visit there (I haven't, but that trip's on my bucket list). Here's a YouTube video from the Global Cycling Network of two cyclists seeing those islands up close and personal, gravel roads, mud, shaggy … Continue reading Armchair Travel: The Whisky Isles by Bike
The Libation Lounge 