PH factor:  9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 1 ½ ounces Finlandia vodka o ½ ounce Cointreau o 4 ounces of chilled Italian roast coffee o 1 ounce heavy cream Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients vigorously over ice. 2. Strain into whatever glass, cup, or mug you have handy. Remarks: If this is what you need to wake up, who are we to quibble about what you drink it from? . . .

PH factor:  8.5 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o salt o lime zest o 2 ounces sake o ½ ounce Triple Sec o 1 ounce Roses' Sweetened Lime Juice o ½ ounce fresh lime juice o ½ ounce Simple Syrup, see: Syrups etc. Garnish o lime peel Method: 1. Moisten the rim of a cocktail glass and invert it into a shallow dish of salt to coat the rim of the glass. 2. Shake remaining cocktail ingredients over ice. 3. Strain into the prepared glass. 4. Garnish with lime peel. Remarks: We didn’t know what to expect looking at these ingredients and were pleasantly surprised with the result. It's a refreshing on a warm day kind of cocktail. . . .

PH factor:  9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail       o 2 ounces 1800 Añejo tequila o ¾ ounce pumpkin puree o ½ ounce condensed milk o 1 dash Angostura bitters or to taste o 1 pinch cinnamon Garnish o mint sprig or whipped cream and cinnamon Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients over ice. 2. Serve up in a cocktail glass. 3. Garnish with mint sprig or top with whipped cream and dust with cinnamon. Remarks: This cocktail would be good anytime. However, if thoughts of Thanksgiving dance in your head, try the alternate garnish and skip the dessert. Or try the alternate garnish and don’t skip the dessert. After all, it's Thanksgiving. . . .

PH factor:  8.5 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o ½ kiwifruit peeled o ½ ounce Grey Goose vodka o 1 ½ ounces sake o ¼ ounce agave syrup o 2 ounces Fever-Tree Premium Club Soda Garnish o 1 slice of peeled kiwifruit Method: 1. Muddle kiwifruit in a cocktail shaker. 2. Add ice and remaining cocktail ingredients except soda and shake to chill. 3. Fine strain into a cocktail glass. 4. Add a piece or two of fresh ice and top with soda. 5. Garnish with kiwifruit. Remarks: If you like kiwifruit and if adjectives like refreshing, pleasant, and fruity, appeal to you, you’re going to enjoy this cocktail. . . .

PH factor:  9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 4 mint leaves o 3 ounces Grey Goose vodka o ¾ ounce fresh lime juice o ¾ ounce orgeat syrup Garnish o mint sprig Method: 1. Muddle 4 mint leaves in a cocktail shaker. 2. Add ice and remaining cocktail ingredients and shake to chill. 3. Fine strain into a martini glass. 4. Garnish with a mint sprig. Remarks: Note: The original recipe used Zubrowka Bison Grass vodka. We tested that vodka in other recipes and found the taste of grass to be over-powering. We suggest using Grey Goose as it has an herbaceous quality yet doesn't taste like you're French kissing your landscaper. . . .

PH factor:  9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 1 ounce Finlandia vodka o 1 ½ ounces Godiva White Chocolate liqueur o 2 ounces cream Method: 1. Shake over ice. 2. Serve up in chilled martini glass. Remarks: This cocktail poses a question that has mystified mankind for millennia, "Is this a cocktail or a martini or a milkshake in a very fancy glass?" . . .

PH factor:  8.5 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail       o grated lime zest o salt o 3 ounces 1800 Silver tequila o 1 ounce Triple Sec o 1 ounce fresh lime juice o 1 splash agave nectar o 1 dash Hella Orange bitters Garnish o lime wheel Method: 1. Moisten the rim of a margarita glass and invert it into a shallow dish of a salt and lime zest mixture to coat the rim of the glass. 2. Shake remaining cocktail ingredients over ice to chill. 3. Serve up in the prepared glass. 4. Garnish with lime wheel. Remarks: Is this your perfect margarita? Perhaps. But we have a dozen variations so you'll have to try them all to find out. . . .

PH factor:  9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail       o powdered sugar o 2 ounces 1800 Silver Tequila o 1 teaspoon light Crème de Cacao o ½ ounce fresh lemon juice o 1 ounce grenadine o 1 dash Moroccan Orange Blossom Water Garnish o 1 piece Turkish Delight Method: 1. Moisten the rim of a cocktail glass and invert it into a shallow dish of powdered sugar to coat the rim. 2. Shake remaining cocktail ingredients over ice to chill. 3. Strain into the prepared glass. 4. Garnish with a piece of Turkish Delight. Remarks: You can also serve a piece of Turkish Delight or other treat on the side. Señoritas will like that too. . . .

PH factor: 8.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 40 ounces Olde English 800 Malt Liquor o orange juice Method: 1. Pour off the Olde English until level with the top of the label. 2. Refill with orange juice. 3. Recap and gently invert the bottle to disperse the juice. 4. Take a drink and pass the bottle to the person to your left. Remarks: Original, unique, and not half bad. No one seems to be sure who it was that first thought of this technique for "cocktail" preparation. . . .

PH factor:  8.5 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 1 ½ ounces Lillet Rouge o 3 ½ ounces Fever-Tree Bitter Lemon Garnish o 2 thin lime wedges Method: 1. Add Lillet to an ice-filled collins glass. 2. Top with bitter lemon. 3. Stir gently. 4. Garnish with lime wedges. Remarks: Easy to make and good with food. It's perfect for an outdoor summer lunch. . . .

PH factor:  8.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o ½ ounce Finlandia vodka o ½ ounce Crème de Mûre o ½ ounce Kahlúa o ½ ounce agave nectar o 3 ounces cold brew coffee Garnish o blackberry Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients over ice. 2. Strain into a cocktail glass. 3. Garnish with a blackberry. Remarks: This is a very tasty and sweet caffeinated cocktail. . . .

PH factor:  8.5 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 1 ounce Bombay gin o ½ ounce Sambuca Romano o 2 ounces espresso chilled Garnish o lemon peel Method: 1. Shake over ice. 2. Strain into a glass mug or cup. Remarks: Yankee fans will find this appropriate for a post-game discussion or during extra innings. Hopefully someday bonus cantos without the imaginary man on second. . . .