Fiery Daiquiri

1 1/2 oz spiced rum
1/4 oz lime juice
2 oz sour cherry juice (jus de griottes)
2 oz blood orange juice
Generous dash of Tabasco

Shake well with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Add lots of crushed ice.

La Cerise

A simple, refreshing cocktail.

2 oz Lillet Blanc
2 oz sour cherry juice (jus de griottes)

Apple Jelly cocktail

We have a backyard apple tree that has never been a good producer. However, due to the drought last summer, all of the apple trees got a good rest and this year everyone is reporting bumper crops. So too with our tired old apple. Whereas normally it only produces enough apples for the squirrels, this year the branches are weighed down with fruit. I simply had to make apple jelly. And thus this cocktail!

1 1/2 oz vodka
1 oz applejack or Calvados
2 tsp apple jelly
1/4 tsp Peychaud’s bitters

Shake well and stain into ice-filled jelly jar.

Cucumber mint vodka martini

This is really too easy to call a recipe. Muddle a few chunks of peeled English cucumber and a few mint leaves with some vodka and let it steep for half an hour or so. Chill a cocktail glass. Fine strain two ounces of the vodka into an ice-filled shaker and add 1/4 ounce of dry vermouth. Stir well until the tin gets frosty and strain into glass. Garnish with a cucumber slice and mint sprig.

Plummy

1 1/2 oz sloe gin
1 oz Choya 23° Ume LIquor
3/4 oz dry vermouth

Shake well with ice and strain into large chilled ice-filled cocktail glass. Charge with soda.

Elderflower margarita

1 1/2 oz tequila
1 1/2 oz lime juice
1/2 oz simple syrup or light agave syrup
3/4 oz St. Germain elderflower liqueur
Lots of crushed ice