Cocktail of the Weekend: Harvey Wallbanger

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 History
"The Harvey Wallbanger appears in literature as early as 1971.The cocktail is reputed to have been invented in 1952 by three-time world champion mixologist Donato "Duke" Antone, and named by Antone after a surfer frequenting Antone's Blackwatch Bar in Los Angeles. However, recent research by culinary historians casts doubt on this theory.

Is Champagne Good for your Heart?

 

"The sound of Champagne bottles popping is enough to get anyone’s heart racing, but it turns out drinking the bubbly ambrosia could have even greater cardiovascular benefits. According to a new study from the University of Reading in England , sparkling wines like Champagne and prosecco can help improve heart health, much like red wine.

The study found that sparkling wines improve blood vessel functionality and aid circulation. While we like to imagine that the bubbles are propelling our blood cells through our bodies, the polyphenols in the wines are actually the responsible parties. Polyphenols reduce obstructive inflammation in the bloodstream, and act as antioxidants fighting free radicals elsewhere in the body.

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 This is not the first time the team at Reading has boosted the benefits of bubbly. Three years ago, they found that Champagne improves memory, determining that three glasses of sparkling wine could offset dementia and Alzheimer's. With the combined effects on brain and heart, this is one regimen we can definitely follow. Hopefully, the Champagne diet will be the next big health trend."

Source

Jägermeister: More Than just a Party Shot

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"Jägermeister may be the number one imported liqueur in the U.S., but we certainly don’t treat it like we do other fine, foreign liqueurs. We slam it. We mix it with Red Bull. We line shots of it up and domino bomb them into beers. 

Cocktails to Order instead of Gin and Tonic

Gin and Tonic

Spritzy and refreshing with a bittersweet finish, the Gin and Tonic is a two-ingredient cocktail whose beauty lies in its simple construction and quality ingredients. 

...what does a Clothespin do in my Cocktail?

 

"The latest cocktail trend is teeny tiny, undeniably adorable and looks like it has been ripped from a Pinterest board. Mini clothespins are securing to your glass everything from citrus peels and chamomile blossoms to notecards and nibbles. But do they make the garnish more about style than substance? And does your lemon twist really need to be hung out to dry?

Cocktail of The Weekend: Pina Colada

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"Piña Colada (Spanish for strained pineapple) was officially invented on August 15 1954 by a bartender named Ramón “Monchito” Marrero at the Caribe Hilton’s Beachcomber Bar in San Juan, Puerto Rico...

Absinthe: a cocktail of myth

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"The history of absinthe is a cocktail of myth, conjecture and controversy. A turn-of-the-twentieth-century favorite of artists and writers, the spirit was banned in the United States in 1912 because it was believed to be hallucinogenic. Just a few years ago, it once again became legal in America to buy the high-alcohol, anise-flavored liquor.

The term “absinthe” comes from Artemisia absinthium, the scientific name for its key ingredient, wormwood. Long before distillers discovered it, the herb was used for medicinal purposes.

The production of absinthe is much like that of gin: High-proof neutral spirit is infused with a blend of botanicals, including wormwood, and redistilled. Traditionally, the alcohol is infused a second time before bottling to intensify the flavor and create the signature green color. Many modern producers skip this final step and use dyes instead.

HOW TO DRINK ABSINTHE:

The traditional preparation is to slowly drip water over a sugar cube and into the spirit, which becomes cloudy (this is called the louche). According to Jim Meehan, an award-winning mixologist and a Liquor.com advisor, you can also use small quantities of absinthe (a few dashes, a rinse or a quarter-ounce) to add a floral, bittersweet quality to just about any cocktail. You also need absinthe to make a proper Sazerac, a Corpse Reviver #2 and a Death in the Afternoon." - Source

Cocktail of the Weekend: Mojito

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"To many people, the Mojito represents the perfect rum cocktail. The origins of the drink can be traced back to Cuba and the 16th-century Cuban cocktail El Draque, named for Sir Francis Drake. Appropriately, almost all of the ingredients in the Mojito are indigenous to Cuba. Rum, lime, mint and sugar (derived from cane juice) are mixed with soda water to create a refreshing classic cocktail.