PH factor: 8.5 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 2 ounces Grey Goose vodka o 1 ounce St. Germain liqueur o ½ ounce Lime Cordial, see: Syrups etc. Garnish o lime peel Method: 1. Shake over ice. 2. Strain into a cocktail glass. 3. Garnish with lime peel. Remarks: If the word Gimlet suggests gin or vodka to you, we would like to suggest the same. Try both. . . .

PH factor: 8.5 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 1 ½ ounces Finlandia vodka o ½ ounce Lillet Blanc o 1 splash green Chartreuse Method: 1. Stir over ice. 2. Serve over ice in a martini or cocktail glass. Remarks: If martinis, shaken or stirred, leave you cold. If even the dirty ones don't get you there. If garnishes of olives stuffed with blue cheese aren't enough to make you smile? Try this martini. It's a real gem. . . .

PH factor: 9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 2 ounces Finlandia vodka o ½ ounce Kahlúa o ½ ounce white Crème de Menthe o 1 ½ ounces cream Method: 1. Stir spirits in an ice-filled Old Fashioned glass. 2. Top with cream. Remarks: This is very like a White Russian. Given the book it is named after that isn't surprising. It differs though as the Crème de Menthe brightens the experience, a lot. . . .

PH factor: 8.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 2 ounces Grey Goose vodka o ½ ounce Cointreau o 1 splash blue Curaçao o 2 drops Moroccan Orange Blossom Water or to taste Method: 1. Shake over ice. 2. Serve up in a cocktail glass. Remarks: If Mondays make you blue and perhaps a little bitter this drink is for you. . . .

PH factor: 8.5 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 1 ½ ounces Finlandia vodka o 1 ½ ounces Lindemans Pêche Lambic o ½ ounce fresh lime juice o 3 ounces Fever-Tree Premium Ginger Beer Garnish o lime wheel or peach slice Method: 1. Stir gently over ice in a chilled mug or beer glass. 2. Garnish with lime wheel or peach slice. Remarks: Yes, Belgium has a mule of it's own too. Moscow claims to have “the” mule. Try both and you decide who’s got the best mule. . . .

PH factor: 8.5 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 1 ½ ounces Pedro Domencq Fundador brandy o 1 ½ ounces Finlandia vodka o ½ ounce Amontillado sherry o champagne Garnish o lemon peel Method: 1. Stir all but champagne over ice in a mixing glass. 2. Strain into a chilled cocktail or martini glass. 3. Top with champagne. 4. Garnish with lemon peel. Remarks: The sherry and the brandy are complimentary tastes although each is evident in this drink. . . .

PH factor: 9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 2 ounces Finlandia vodka o ¾ ounce Aperol o ½ ounce Cointreau o ½ ounce fresh lime juice Garnish o orange peel Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients over ice. 2. Serve up in a cocktail glass. 3. Garnish with orange peel. Remarks: If you’re paying attention, you’ll notice that this is a conventional Cosmo where the cranberry juice is replaced by Aperol. This does make it different and sometimes different is better. . . .

PH factor: 10 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 1 ½ ounces Finlandia vodka o ½ ounce Galliano o ½ ounce Plymouth Sloe Gin o ½ ounce Southern Comfort o 3 ounces orange juice Garnish o orange wheel Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients except Galliano over ice. 2. Strain into ice-filled collins glass. 3. Float the Galliano on top of the drink. 4. Garnish with orange wheel. Remarks: This should serve as the model for the naming of cocktails: Long- because it’s in tall glass, Slow- for the sloe gin. Comfortable- for the Southern Comfort. Screw- because of the vodka and orange juice as in a screw- driver. Lastly, because of the Galliano, an Italian liqueur, which one can associate with the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre that famously took place- Up against a wall. . . .

PH factor: 8.5 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 2 ounces 1800 Silver tequila o 2 ounces Flor de Caña Extra Seco rum o ¼ ounce Cointreau o ¼ ounce blue Curaçao o 1 splash fresh lime juice o 1 dash Rose’s Sweetened Lime Juice Garnish o orange twist Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients over ice. 2. Serve up in a martini glass. 3. Garnish with an orange twist. Remarks: Gentlemen, in dance or life, you are either on your toes or your heels. With the Texas Two-Step, dance or cocktail, you are or you soon will be, on your heels. Ladies, as usual, be on your toes. . . .

PH factor: 9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 2 ounces 1800 Reposado tequila o 1 ounce Lillet Rouge o 1 dash Hella Orange bitters or to taste Garnish o lime twist Method: 1. Stir cocktail ingredients over ice in a mixing glass. 2. Serve up in a cocktail glass. 3. Garnish with a twist of lime. Remarks: Lighter and a bit tangier than your basic Manhattan. As with that cocktail, feel free to adjust the sweet vermouth, or in our case, the Lillet Rouge to suit your personal preference. . . .

PH factor: 9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 2 ounces 1800 Añejo tequila o 1 ¾ ounces Licor 43, Cuarenta y Tres o ½ ounce fresh lime juice o 1 dash Hella Orange bitters or to taste Garnish o lime wheel o mint sprig Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients over ice. 2. Serve up in a martini glass. 3. Garnish with lime wheel and a mint sprig. Remarks: This is an interesting use of Cuarenta y Tres. It’s a drink that’s good on its own or with food. . . .

PH factor: 9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 1 egg white o 2 ounces 1800 Reposado tequila o ½ ounce fresh lemon juice o ¾ ounce Persian Black Tea and Orange Blossom Syrup, see: Syrups etc. Garnish o orange peel Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients without ice. 2. Add ice and shake again to chill. 3. Fine strain into a cocktail glass. 4. Express orange peel over the glass and discard. Remarks: If you’re wondering if you should make this unusual syrup, a sip of this cocktail will make it abundantly clear. Enjoy. . . .