CruellasConcoctions

Attack the Block with UV drink in hand

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:50:00 -0500

I recently had the opportunity to sit down and watch Attack the Block with Brian Solomon of The Vault of Horror and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this flick from Shaun of the Dead producers. I really enjoyed the minimal CGI feel that the aliens had and even though at times I had a difficult time understanding what the hell they were saying, my interpreter was on hand to ensure I wouldn’t miss any key moments. ( Thanks b_sol!) One thing I did get a real kick out of was the glowing green teeth which replaced the general tired glowing eyes most evil and ominous creatures typically have. So with this in mind I thought—Cruella, you should totally do a cruellasconcoction blog post with a cocktail that reacts under UV light and what better way than with using tonic water?

Tonic water is made from quinine which is a bitter tasting soda like water and is made from the bark of the Cinchona tree found in the Andes Mountains. It was originally used to treat Malaria as it helped to reduce fevers and leg cramps. The interesting thing about Quinine is that it is also photochemical reactive which means it glows blueish white when exposed to ultraviolet or blacklights. The fluorescent quality is better the more tonic that’s used! Here’s a terrific little concoction that is sweet, simple and yes, kittens—UV reactive! I give you the Alien Fallout.

Here’s how we do it up in the crypt:

in a highball glass filled with ice pour 1 oz. each the following:

1 oz. Blue Curacao

1 oz. Tonic

1 oz. Midori

garnish with a gumdrop or your favorite sweet gummi treat

Serve to your fiends and make sure to turn off the incandescents and turn up the ultraviolets! Bottoms up and viva la liquor, kittens!

What not to do. A ghoul's guide to perfect bartending.

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:40:00 -0500

As of recently I’ve found myself with a whole lot of free time on my rotten little hands. With all this spare time kicking around I often start thinking about things that aggravate me. As this tumblr blog is dedicated to the fine art of drinking and being a veteran of the cocktail concocting craft, I present to you Captain Cruella’s basics for being behind the long wooden counter.

1. Liquor building blocks.

Nothing pisses me off more than bellying up to a bar, putting my order in and having the bartender look at me like I just asked them to explain the theory of Quantum Physics. You should never have to ask what goes into a Highball or a Manhattan. These are the very foundations of all your big-titty-sex-on-the -beach-big-blondie-hand-job cocktails fellow bar folk! Know your liquors and know the basics. If you’re one of those people who forget easily, go buy yourself a bartender’s guidebook and make love to it, live with it, breathe it in and never ever go to work without it.

2. Calling Dr. Bartender.

Let’s play devil’s advocate. It’s been two months, by now nothing should shock you. You’ve seen it all right? Wrong. Your job as master mixologist doesn’t just end as your pour the prefect drink and slide it over to your thirsty customer. To be an exceptional bartender you need to embrace your inner therapist. You must be a superb conversationalist. You must be able to engage every customer that walks through the door. They’re tipping you. Sometimes they’re tipping you big. So unless the person is a weirdo stalker that visits the establishment daily and waits for you in a dark alley every night, then consider that person a golden ticket.

3. Are you wearing pajamas?

These rules are simple to follow. Pajamas are for sleeping and not for working in, especially at a bar. Please cover your ass, take out your obnoxious facial piercings and keep your nails at a reasonable length. Your dragon lady fingernail that’s mingling with my cocktail as you serve it to me is totally disgusting and unsanitary. Looking your best and presenting to the world that you can be sexy without having your tits hanging out and that you’re working at a bar, not a street corner also says much about the establishment. Keep it classy ladies and gents, not trashy. You’ll get more respect and believe it or not, bigger tips.

4. STFU! Being nice to each other in the presence of your clientele.

Screaming profanities and talking shit about the other staff while in front of your patrons makes you look like an asshole and no one thinks it’s funny or cute. There. I said it. Just don’t go there, OK?

Now that I’ve bitched about some bad bar behavior I’d like to end this on a high note by talking about a place that knows how to make an exceptional concoction. The Stockade Tavern located on 313 Fair Street in the beautiful and historic uptown Kingston, NY knows a thing or two about hand crafted beverages. The bar is beautiful, the drinks are superbly hand crafted and the owners and staff always make you feel like you’re part of the family. If you’re ever in the Hudson Valley I highly recommend it. Just be sure to tell ‘em that the zombie Captain sent ya! As always viva la liquor and bottoms up, kittens!

Nosferatu and the VampTini

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:39:50 -0500

This time in CruellasConcoctions we’re helping the new year-long series The Vault of Horror is doling out for the 90th anniversary of the classic F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu. What better way to celebrate one of the best vampire films of all time but with a concoction as dark as Count Orlock himself. I give you—the VampTini.

How is it that this film still can effect us so profoundly, when so much of horror’s power is drawn from the unexpected? One would think that age would be the death knell of a great horror movie, and yet films like Nosferatu prove this to be dead wrong. Whether you’re discovering it for the first time all these decades later, or watching it for the 90th time, Nosferatu has the power to utterly creep you out. Personally, I credit it to the merits of German Expressionism.-The Vault of Horror.

Be sure to check out the award winning blog, The Vault of Horror, for further ghoulishly good reads in celebration of 90 years of Nosferatu!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 oz Finlandia Vodka
1 1/2 oz Korbel Champagne
3/4 oz Chambord
red sugar for rimming

Here’s how we do it up in the crypt; in an ice filled shaker pour vodka, champagne and Chambord. Shake and strain into a pre-chilled, red sugar rimmed martini glass. Guard your neck and enjoy! Viva la liquor and bottoms up, Kittens!

Gary Busey Decks Your Halls with the Gingerdead Man

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 22:20:00 -0500

Winter brings us the holidays, families gathered around the dinner table, laughter, presents, snowy adventures into winter wonderlands and Gary Busey—as a living gingerbread cookie. If you’ve never seen this highly laughable horror flick I recommend you do. What other film will you get the great Buse-meister portraying a murdering cookie man-thing? Which brings me to my delicious concoction of the day, A gingerbread martini!

Hiram Walker doesn’t always have the gingerbread liqueur as it’s a seasonal item so stock up for those wild parties as this libation will keep your ghouls coming back every year!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 oz citrus vodka

1 1/2 oz Hiram Walker Gingerbread liqueur

1/2 oz dry vermouth

1/4 oz simple syrup

lime juice

gingerbread cookie crumbles

Here’s how we do it up in the Crypt:

Dip a frozen martini glass rim into lime juice then cookie crumbles. Mix vodka, Hiram Walker, vermouth and simple syrup in a shaker filled with ice. Pour into cookie rimmed martini glass and serve.

Be sure to thrill your guests this holiday season with The Gingerdead Man while serving up a gingerbread martini! Viva la liquor and Merry Christmas. Kittens!

Get out the Swiffer-it's time for a Brain-Duster!

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 11:46:00 -0500

It’s been too long since I’ve posted a new concoction and what better way to come back in full force than with Dead Alive and the Brain-Duster—two classics! The Brain-Duster was first created in 1895 by fellow ace bartender, George J. Kappeler who advised that while drinking the Brain-Duster, you’d have to hold onto your hat. Ample warning for such a potent libation!

As far as Dead Alive goes I’ve heard the gore is plentiful, the zombies awesome, and the dark twisted humor totally killer. Horror fans have told me that this flick reminds them of Evil Dead II and with that, this film is a total must see for me! So while you’re kicking back and enjoying Brain Dead aka Dead Alive, pour yourself a Brain-Duster and enjoy the gore! As always viva la liquor and bottoms up, Kittens!

Here’s how we do it up in the crypt:

INGREDIENTS:

1 oz Rye Whiskey

1 oz Absinthe

1 oz Italian Vermouth

Dash of Angostura bitters

Stir rye, absinthe, vermouth and bitters well with cracked ice, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Enjoy!

THEY LIVE while we kick back with a cocktail.

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 18:00:24 -0400

It’s not often one gets to kick back and chat with Rowdy Roddy Piper about his movie role in the classic 1988 flick THEY LIVE, in between him piledriving and hammerlocking his compadres. But he did just that with my Terror Team-mate Brian Solomon from The Vault of Horror. In a rare audio clip, Piper discusses how John Carpenter asked him to play the lead role, and also talks about the legendary fight scene.

You can catch They Live, listen to this clip and hang with The Terror Team this Thursday, September 22 at the historic Avon Theatre in Stamford, Connecticut, where we host the Cult Classics series typically twice a month. It all starts at 9 pm!

What better way to celebrate an evil zomBie-alienesque takeover than with a drink that will bend your mind. This one I’m calling OBEY YOUR THIRST and we do it up in the crypt like this:

OBEY YOUR THIRST!

2 ounces of Midori

1 ounce of apple vodka

1 ounce of Bailey’s

splash of grenadine

Mix all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice, shake like your life depends on it, and then pour into a rocks glass. Enjoy!

I know I’ll be sipping this delightful concoction while comparing the fight scenes from They Live and South Park’s infamous Cripple Fight scene, won’t you join me? Viva la cocktail and bottoms up!

You think they’re people just like you. You’re wrong. Dead wrong.

A drink that's fit for a Troll Hunter!

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 12:07:51 -0400

This cherry flavored cocktail is just what the Doctor ordered after a hard day of Troll hunting. Imagine, after a day trekking through the fields and woods on a chilly Fall day and returning to camp with a Huntress waiting for you. What a deviously delightful thought!
I’ve heard nothing but good things about this Norwegian made flick and I’m planning on turning in early, settling into the crypt with the Vault Keeper and enjoying a well made Huntress myself. I’ll let you all know how it was and please leave a comment about the concoction OR the movie!

What you’ll need for a well made Huntress cocktail:

1 oz bourbon
1 oz cherry liqueur
1 oz cream or milk
dash of Triple Sec

Here’s how we do it up in the crypt. Pour all ingredients into a shaker. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled old fashioned glass and enjoy as you reminisce on a job well done turning mountain dwelling Ringlefinches into stone. And remember it takes time to catch a Troll just like it does to make a good cocktail!

Cheers to Fright Night and blood red cocktails

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 15:15:00 -0400

This current concoction I owe mostly to Mr. Solomon from the Vault of Horror who, much to my complete resistance, recently talked me into the notion that getting cable television would actually be sort of fun. Along with our cable television hookup came FEARnet and I’m really not sure how we lived without it. If you don’t have FEARnet, you NEED THIS.

Anyway…we caught the quintessential vampire flick FRIGHT NIGHT last evening and it truly inspired me to concoct for all you ghoulies a frightfully delicious drink to sip while watching Chris Sarandon and Amanda Bearse get their vamp on.

Here’s how we do it up in the crypt:

Dark & Stormy with a Vampiric twist:

2 ounces beet infused rum (recipe follows)
3 ounces ginger beer
1 oz dark rum
1 oz Yazi ginger flavored vodka
maraschino cherry for garnish

Combine the beet infused rum, ginger flavored vodka and ginger beer in a tall glass full of ice cubes. Using the back of a spoon float the dark rum on top and stir. Garnish with a cherry. Serve it up!

Beet-Infused Rum:

3 small raw red beets (trimmed, peeled, and cut into quarters)
1 bottle (750 ml) light rum

Put the beets in a wide-mouthed glass jar with a lid. Add the rum and seal the container tightly. The mixture will immediately turn a bright red. Store the rum in a cool dark place for 4 days, rotating the jar to mix at least once a day. After 4 days remove and discard the beets, using a slotted spoon. Replace the lid and store in the refrigerator for up to six months. Bottoms up and viva la liquor!

The Great White Shark Attack

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 17:49:00 -0400

This cocktail was inspired by my recent yet reluctant viewing of the 1975 mechanical fish nightmare known as JAWS. As a small child I was allowed to watch this classic thriller forever scarring me, making Captain Cruella galeophobic. However god awful the thought of sharks are for me, I will admit that when it comes to this kind of thriller, no movie has been able to top this type of horror flick. Many have tried and as the years go by, it seems increasingly unlikely that anything will ever come close. So as my salute to one of the most truly horrifying summer movies of all times I say, Bottoms up! And maybe one day I’ll finally be able to sit through the entire movie without covering my eyes and crying like a little bitch.

Here’s how we do it up in the Crypt:

3 oz light rum
3/4 oz Chambord
3 tbsp coconut milk
3 tbsp crushed pineapple

Pour rum, coconut milk and pineapple into your blender with about two cups of ice. Blend until smooth and pour into a coupe glass. Pour Chambord over top.

Until next time Kittens, make sure you slather on your sunscreen, wait a half an hour after you eat and drink before swimming, and when someone washes up on shore looking like a half devoured turkey on Thanksgiving, STAY THE HELL OUT OF THE WATER.

daddahrednaxela: The classic Vesper, inspired by Ian Fleming’s...

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 17:53:49 -0400

daddahrednaxela:

The classic Vesper, inspired by Ian Fleming’s recipe from Casino Royale (the novel).

Last night’s bourbon/strawberry/basil punch was so good I decided today I wanted to make another unorthodox cocktail. Found Kina Lillet in the store and decided I’d splurge so I could finally try this recipe.

I’ll go ahead and say it: FUCKING DELICIOUS, y’all.

I know there are a lot of different ways of making this, but I made a relatively complex adaptation tonight, because I felt like improvising and I had a lot of ingredients on hand from which to choose. Here’s how I did it.

In a cocktail shaker over a couple ice cubes, combine:

1 and 1/2 measure of London dry gin (I used Sapphire, which is the closest thing to the original recipe for Gordon’s*, which is what James Bond uses in the book)

1/2 measure of vodka (I used Monopolowa; I’d suggest some other potato vodka like Tito’s)

1/4 to 1/2 measure of Lillet blanc (depending on how sweet you want it)

Shake and strain into a cocktail glass with a lemon twist. Add 1-2 drops of Angostura bitters, stir… and you’re golden.

Happy Sunday—

Bartender Al

* I did some research; apparently the original recipe for Gordon’s Dry Gin was quite a bit stronger than the current 37.5% - closer to 45% (Sapphire now clocks in at 43%). Bombay and Gordon’s are very close in taste to each other because they use, although in slightly different ratios, the same combination of botanicals during the distilling process. And now, I’m pretty sure that’s all you ever wanted to know on this subject, so I’ll leave it at that.

I don’t normally reblog but damn… this drink is pretty amazing and it was up on my list of drinks to post in the near future. So enjoy, bottoms up Kittens, and Viva la Liquor!

Roses are red, violets are in my cocktail. The original Aviation.

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 13:32:00 -0400

The Aviation has been around at least since 1911 and is a deliciously obscure cocktail that has the combination of bad luck and an uncommon-ingredients recipe. Combining two parts gin, one part lemon juice, and two dashes each of maraschino and Crème de Violette liqueur which gives this drink it’s very interesting periwinkle coloring. Crème de Violette is an essential ingredient but may be very hard to find. It is a deep lavender coloured liqueur that uses Violet flowers to obtain its very unique flavoring.

Here’s how we do it up in the Crypt:

2 shots gin ( I prefer Tanqueray)
½ shot lemon juice
⅓ shot Maraschino Liqueur
⅙ shot Crème de Violette Liqueur
Shake well with ice and fine strain in to a cocktail glass. Garnish with a Maraschino cherry.

I highly suggest this drink be made WITH the violette liqueur as I’ve had it without and it is an entirely different drink. Serve with your favorite human, I mean FOR your favorite human and enjoy a cocktail that takes you back to a time where class meant more than a social standing. Viva la liquor and bottoms up, kittens!

The Bastardized Box Car

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 11:14:00 -0400

The Box Car is one of those classic cocktails that’s been around since the days of prohibition.There are some ghoulisciously great cocktails emerging from these times and one of my all time favorites is the Box Car. Gin, triple sec, lemon juice and grenadine are all original ingredients BUT the original recipe called for egg whites. However, with such fear of salmonella poisoning humans are always cautious about adding this extra ingredient. (I’ll go out on a severed limb here, and just tell you that by using pasteurized egg whites this pretty much solves this little issue…so DON’T SKIP IT!)

I for one consider the use of the egg white is an essential ingredient - it adds to the overall frothiness of this cocktail. You can always adjust the sweet or sour balance to your own tastes but in all seriousness kittens, don’t leave out the egg white! Enjoy this classic cocktail like we do up in Cruella’s Crypt and party like it’s 1933!

Here’s how we do it up in the Crypt:

Box Car

1/12 oz Tanqueray

1 oz Triple Sec

1 Tsp Lemon Juice

½ Tsp Grenadine Syrup

1 egg white (highly recommended so just do it!)

In a shaker half-filled with ice cubes, combine all of the ingredients. Shake well. Strain into a sours glass or a martini glass ( if you’re fancy) and serve promptly to all your ghoul friends! As always Viva la Liquor and bottoms up, Kittens!

One Big Lebowski and raise you a White Russian

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 23:10:00 -0400

“The Big Lebowski” has attracted a cult following, and as the film’s renown has grown, so has the renown of the White Russian, or, as the Dude calls them, “Caucasians.” Not long ago, the cocktail was considered passé and often likened, in its original formula, to an alcoholic milkshake and I couldn’t agree more. However, on a nice relaxing Saturday afternoon there’s nothing better than pouring yourself one of these, sitting down with a good book and chillaxing for the afternoon.

I know most of you might be surprised by what I’m about to tell you, and as a bartender myself I often come across this cocktail murder as most people have no idea how to make a White Russian. Repeat after me, VODKA, Kahlua, Cream. Yes…3 part drink. 3. Here’s how we do it up in the crypt:

2 oz Vodka ( I prefer Grey Goose or Three Olives) but anything will do

1 oz Kahlua

4 parts cream

In a rocks glass filled with ice pour the Vodka, Kahlua and cream. Shake and serve up to all your “dudes”

My suggestion to you is to go netflix the Big Lebowski, sit back with your White Russians and count how many times the dude actually bowls. ( and I’m sure after about 3 or 4 of these babies you’ll be skipping back and forth through this movie to see that he never actually does get to bowl..not even once!) Enjoy and Viva la Lebowski, Kittens!

I want MEAT in MY cocktail, you?

Thu, 26 May 2011 21:11:00 -0400

I have a crazy fascination with bacon. Actually come to think of it I have a fascination with smoked and cured meats in general, thus adding to my ever growing list of drink recipes this one including—you guessed it, bacon infused vodka. Why you ask? Why not? Make yourself a Bloody Mary. Now go make yourself a Bloody Mary with Bakon Vodka. It just got infinitely better, trust me. Now I’m not one for mixing chocolate and anything meat flavored, real or not, but I’m thinking that we just might be serving up a little choco-Bakon Vodka cocktail in the near future. ( I’ll let you know how that goes on a later post.)

Getting back to the original drink mentioned, the Bloody Mary has many stories about how it was first concocted. One is that famous Hollywood comedic actor George Jessel invented the drink around 1939, which was first mentioned in print in a gossip column “This New York” which is the earliest known mention of the drink by that name in the United States.

We here in the Crypt enjoy this hearty drink and recommend serving it on a lazy Sunday mid-morning or during an early Saturday brunch after a long night of human hunting.

Here’s how we do it up in the Crypt-

1½ oz. Bakon Vodka
• Tomato juice or V8
• 1 dash each of celery salt and ground black pepper
• 2-4 dashes each of Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco
• 1/8 tsp. horseradish

Shake and pour into a salt rimmed pint glass. Garnish with a celery stalk, a row of speared olives and a slice of bacon. I also highly recommend a fresh human and several spoons to scoop the brains with, what can I say—we’re classy up in this here joint. As always Viva la Liquor and Bottoms up, Kittens!

Toasting the end of the world with Dark and Stormies!

Fri, 20 May 2011 14:38:00 -0400

As you may or may not have heard, tomorrow is claiming to be our last days on earth. I for one am kind of giddy with excitement, as there’s nothing better than a bunch of easily obtained cadavers just laying about for the taking. So—as I sit and wait for the world to burn, explode, implode, be swallowed by a huge wave of water, be destroyed by radioactive stay puff marshmallow men or my horde of hungry zombies, I raise my glass and toast ya’ll with one hell of an easy to make and delicious to drink end-of-time cocktails. Dark and Stormy anyone?

This classic highball is a brand-specific mixed drink that is completely—and some would say wrong tasting— if anything other than Gosling’s Black Seal rum and Gosling’s ginger beer were to be used. Some bartenders will add lime juice to the drink, but the addition of this is totally unnecessary and my preference is to leave it out all together. The Dark and Stormy gained popularity through sailing folks up and down the East coast of the US, having been brought home by various sailors who frequented places such as Bermuda and other tropical islands.

So while you’re running around grabbing gallons of water, a thousand canned goods and other provisions here’s the list of ingredients you’ll be needing to celebrate your demise along with me:

Dark and Stormy:

2 oz Gosling’s Black Seal rum

8 oz Gosling’s ginger beer

lime slice for garnish

Highball glass

ice

Here’s how we do it up in the Crypt-

In a highball glass filled with ice pour in the 2 oz of rum, then top with the ginger beer. Garnish with a lime slice and enjoy while the world burns! So while we’re drinking it’s an opportune time to let you know that you’ve been duped. This is a ploy on my part to get you totally drunk. It’s easier to pluck you delicious humans off while you’re intoxicated after all! As always Bottoms Up and Viva la Faux Rapture!

WHAT IS YOUR EARLIEST HUMAN MEMORY?

Tue, 10 May 2011 10:54:34 -0400

HA ha ha ha haaaa… Oh Tumblrbot. You do ask the silliest questions.

Green Aliens, Lance Henriksen and The Vault of Horror

Tue, 10 May 2011 10:49:00 -0400

In lieu of Lance Henriksens biography Not Bad for a Human, the blogathon, which ended Sunday and The Vault of Horror’s interview with Mr. Henriksen I have decided to share here in CruellasConcoctions the Green Alien cocktail with all you Crypt Creepers! Of course this a dedication to one of his most notable roles as the android Bishop in the Aliens movies. So sit back, pop in one of your favorite Lance movies and imbibe in a little green alcoholic goodness!

Ingredients for a Green Alien

3 oz Midori Melon Liqueur

1 oz Lemon Juice

1 oz Rose’s Lime juice

Top with equal parts of Sprite and Seltzer

Here’s how we do it up in the Crypt:

In a shaker filled with ice pour the Midori, lemon juice and Rose’s lime juice. Shake and pour in a highball glass filled with ice. Fill with equal parts Sprite and seltzer, garnish with a lime wedge and serve to your ghouls! And as always Viva la Liquor and Bottoms up, Kittens!

The D-lux, The D-lish, The Cadillac Margarita!

Thu, 05 May 2011 10:38:12 -0400

Hola, Kittens! In celebration of Cinco de Mayo, we in the Crypt wanted to share with all of YOU our favorite way to partake in enjoying the wonderfully smokey flavor of Tequila! Over the years I’ve had some pretty heinous and bastardized versions of what a margarita should be, I’m here to save your taste buds from that horrible fate. Today I bring you, The Cadillac Margarita. We label this as “Cadillac” because there is no skimping on the ingredients. If you are to pull of the proper Cadillac Margarita you will need to go to the top shelf for your Tequila and will want to consider a reposado instead of a blanco. You will also need to skip the white orange liqueurs like Triple Sec and even Cointreau and go with the cognac-based Grand Marnier. The next tip is you absolutely must have freshly squeezed lime juice! With this formula I can garauntee you will have the ultimate margarita drinking experience. It’s what this is all about, yes?

Cadillac Margarita:

1 ½ oz. Premium Tequila

1 oz. Grand Marnier

¾ oz. Freshly squeezed limejuice

Margaritas can be served in a variety of glasses, most notably the stereotypical margarita glass, a variant of the classic Champagne coupe; this is particularly associated with blended fruit margaritas.In formal settings margaritas are often served in a standard cocktail glass, while in informal settings, particularly when serves with ice, margaritas can be served in an old-fashioned glass. This all depends on how fancy you’d like to get and how much you’d like to impress the boils and ghouls that you’re entertaining.

Here’s how we do it up in the Crypt:

Pour the ingredients into your cocktail shaker that’s been filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled margarita or an old-fashioned glass that the rim had been dipped in limejuice, then margarita salt if you prefer. Garnish with a lime wedge. Serve!

As a little side note there are many stories about the history of this delightful and potent concoction was created. Here is one of my personal favorites involving the beautiful Ms. Rita Hayworth.

It was in the early 1940s when an inspired bartender, Enrique Bastate Gutierrez who lived in Tijuana, Mexico, boasted to have created the Margarita as a homage to actress Rita Hayworth, whose real name was Margarita Cansino.Other versions of the story claim the Margarita was indeed named after the actress, but in the 1930s, before she adopted her screen name. As a teenager, Margarita Cansino—Rita Hayworth, worked as a dancer at the Foreign Club, in Tijuana, where there she supposedly inspired a bartender.

Enjoy this Cinco de Mayo, your Cadillac Margaritas and as always Bottoms Up and Viva la Liquor, Kittens!

Red Death-The Cocktail

Wed, 04 May 2011 16:56:00 -0400

As the summer approaches us steadily, we here in the Crypt anxiously await the sweet scent of roasting flesh wafting through the air and what better to pair charred flesh with than one of these delightful concoctions known as Red Death! Despite it’s name, the Red Death cocktail is an exceptionally light and refreshing blend.

Red Death Cocktail: For this cocktail you will be using a highball glass and will require a shaker.

1/2 oz. Vodka

1/2 oz. Triple Sec.

1/2 oz. Amaretto.

1/2 oz. Sloe Gin.

1/2 oz. Southern Comfort.

1 oz. of Rose’s Lime Juice.

Orange juice

Here’s how we do it up in the Crypt:

Fill shaker about half way with ice cubes, add the liquor and lime juice. Fill the rest of the way with orange juice. Shake well and serve! I have been known on occasion in those scorching summer nights to blend this concoction and serve in a tall glass with a straw.

I’ll leave you with a little Poe for inspiration:

There were arabesque figures with unsuited limbs and appointments. There were delirious fancies such as the madman fashions. There was much of the beautiful, much of the wanton, much of the bizarre, something of the terrible, and not a little of that which might have excited disgust. To and fro in the seven chambers there stalked, in fact, a multitude of dreams. And these —the dreams —writhed in and about, taking hue from the rooms, and causing the wild music of the orchestra to seem as the echo of their steps. Edgar Allen Poe- The Masque of the Red Death

I’m thinking they went mad from drinking one too many of these little devils. While they go down smooth, these pack a real 1-2-3 punch! Bottoms Up and Viva la Liquor, Kittens!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE INANIMATE OBJECT?

Wed, 04 May 2011 15:55:25 -0400

Tsk, tsk—cocktail glasses, silly tumblr.