Part 1 by Tarbell’s, The Nolet’s Gin Hipster
Part 2 by The Mint, The Life Savings Martini
Part 3 by Citizen Public House, The Persian

It’s only Tuesday morning but fear not fellow nine-to-fivers, our next installment of the St-Germain Cocktail Challenge Part 3 is in full swing and will get you ready for the weekend (or tonight if you’re into that kind of thing). In this edition we go to Old Town Scottsdale’s contemporary, Citizen Public House. With a one of a kind atmosphere and menu, you can imagine their cocktails being of equal caliber.

The Cocktail: The Persian 

The Venue: Citizen Public House

The Recipe:

1.5 oz Absolut Wild Tea vodka

.5 oz St-Germain

.75 oz House-made sweet and sour

.75 oz Cucumber juice

Serve over rocks in an old fashioned glass and garnish with a lemon peel

7111 East 5th Avenue  Scottsdale, AZ 85251   (480) 398-4208

Compare with Part 2 from The Mint

Compare with Part 1 from Tarbell’s

It’s Friday, the week is over and we’re ready to find some of the best cocktails this city has to offer. But where and what should we drink? Well, fortunately, the St-Germain Cocktail Challenge Part 2 is here. Today’s edition comes to you from Scottsdale’s, The Mint.

The Cocktail: Life Savings Martini

The Venue: The Mint

The Recipe:

2 oz Ultimat Vodka
.5 oz St-Germain
2 Basil leaves
2 Strawberries
.5 oz Agave Nectar
.25 oz Lemon juice
Ginger Soda Topper
Strawberry Half

The Mint 7373 East Camelback Road, Scottsdale AZ 85252  tel: 480 947 6468

Compare this cocktail to Part 1 from Tarbell’s HERE

Welcome to the first installment of our St-Germain Cocktail Challenge.   In the coming few weeks we will bring you a collection of amazing cocktails created by some of the top bartenders using one of their favorite ingredients, St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur.  Be sure to make a trip the bar and request these drinks starting today.  Now, to the cocktail:

The Cocktail:  The Nolet’s Gin Hipster

The Venue:  Tarbell’s

The Recipe

2 oz Nolets Silver Gin

1 oz St-Germain

1 oz fresh lemon juice

1.5 oz Creme de Violetter

Shake and serve straight up in martini glass.

Tarbell’s is located at 3213 East Camelback Road, for reservations call 602 955 8100. 

[Official website Tarbell's]

There are a million ways to make a margarita. We’ve counted down the 10 best Valley-made margs in honor of National Margarita 
Day, but with Cinco de Mayo happening tomorrow, we thought we’d share this interesting recipe for Magarita Popsicles from Emeril Lagasse and Food Network. Beat the heat and get a little buzz? Yes, please.

Ingredients

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons tequila
2 tablespoons orange liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier)
Kosher salt, for garnish
Special Equipment: 4 small cups (recommended: Dixie), 4 popsicle sticks

Preparation

Combine sugar, lime juice, water, lemon juice and orange juice in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Once cool transfer to a blender with tequila, orange liqueur, and lime wedge and process until smooth.
Pour into the cups and cover the top of each cup with foil.
Place the popsicle stick in center of cup (down through foil, which will hold it in place).
Freeze until hard, preferably overnight. Remove from freezer and run cup under warm water to loosen popsicle. 
Garnish with kosher salt and serve.

Crisp, refreshing and perfect for summer, if you haven’t ever tried a Moscow Mule, what better time than now? Plenty of places in the valley will make a great one for you like Kazimierz World Wine Bar in Old Town Scottsdale or The Vig in Arcadia and North Phoenix, but we’ve got a recipe from blog, Teroforma, just in case you want to try your hand at bartending this weekend.

Ingredients (For Six Drinks)

6 ounces of good Vodka
The juice of one lime and lime slices for garnish
3 cups of ginger beer
1 tablespoon of freshly grated ginger
Candied ginger slices (optional)

Preparation

Combine vodka, lime juice and grated ginger in a shaker with ice
Shake well for 30 seconds
Distribute lime slices between glasses along with ice
Pour shaken cocktail into glasses and top with ginger beer – stir
Throw on the candied ginger slices
Cheers.

With the end of the school year approaching and the beginning of vacation season looming wonderfully close, there are many things to celebrate this weekend. Perhaps life is one of them (hey, sometimes we are glass-half-full kind of people) but if you can’t think of anything, at least praise the fact that a warm, sunset-tainted evening at the beach may very soon be near. Celebrate that dream with this weekend’s libation, the simply-titled Champagne Cocktail, courteous of our favorite new cocktail-recipe haunt – what else? – Pinterest.

Ingredients

• 1 sugar cube or 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 6 dashes bitters
• .5 oz brandy
• .5 cup Champagne, chilled
• Maraschino cherry
• Lemon slice

Preparation

Place sugar in a champagne flute or cocktail glass; sprinkle with bitters. Pour brandy into the glass. Top with Champagne. Garnish as desired.

Perhaps it’s the whole look of this beautifully colored drink, or maybe the fact that it’s served in a mason jar, but when we saw this Blueberry Infused Vodka Lemonade recipe from Keep It Simple Foods, we dribbled a little on our chins. Make your weekend a little more cheerful by serving up these great looking drinks by the pool, on the porch or in your own living room. P.S. They taste great, too. Cheers.

Ingredients (for two)
vodka
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1 teaspoon sugar
fresh lemonade
lemon slices for the look of it

Preparation
Place fresh blueberries at the bottom of the mason jar.
Pour your choice of vodka over the blueberries until the mason jar is filled
Smash blueberries with a fork, cover and refrigerate for 12 hours
Strain the vodka (and save the blueberries for later)
Thaw the frozen blueberries and then mix with sugar in a separate bowl
Divide the sugared berries in two and place them in two fresh mason jars
Add one part infused vodka and two parts lemonade over ice, stir and garnish with a lemon slice.

We love our fruity drinks and chocolate martinis but sometimes a simple, classy and super fresh cocktail is the refreshing break our weekend needs. Found at Scottsdale’s Zona Hotel and Suites, this weekend’s libation – with its fusion of gin, tonic, prosecco and fresh rosemary – is organic, invigorating and just plain delicious. We’ll take two, but only because of the taste, right?

Ingredients
Fresh rosemary
Juice of half a lime
2 oz of High spirits Gin
Splash of Tonic
Splash of Bisol “Jeio” Prosecco

Preparation
Muddle rosemary. Add lime juice, gin and ice. Shake vigorously and pour into chilled martini glass. Add a splash of tonic and Bisol prosecco; garnish with a sprig of rosemary.

With Pinterest feeling the legal heat these days, we choose to ignore the copyright infringement and use the site like it was meant to be used, a way for people to share things (like drink recipes) on a public forum where it is far more likely to be seen than their personal blog. The truth stings. Better drink to make it better. Good thing Spring fever as set it and the best way to cool off is with a nice cold cocktail right around now. Here are three cocktails that caught our fancy.

1. “Skinny” Caipirinha from Refinery 29 (above) - All the way from Brazil, this delightful cocktail is better for you…really! With Leblon Cachaca, lime juice and agave nectar, you can feel good about feeling good.

2. Limoncello Collins from Food and Wine -Light and refreshing, this classic cocktail has a little Italian twist with Limoncello and then the classic gin, club soda and mint sprigs we know and love. Delizioso.

3. Pink Grapefruit Margaritas from There Goes the Cupcake – Um, yum? What is more Spring-like in taste than a grapefruit? You just feel better about life thinking about eating a grapefruit….it’s not an exact science, but it is true. Grapefruit juice (fresh squeezed or bottled, we don’t judge), lime juice, triple sec orange liqueur, silver tequila and some salt?

The list could go on and on and on, but we know you have better things to do with your time. Happy hour awaits you.

Images from Pinterest by way of Refinery 29 and There Goes the Cupcake

With the sound and smell (and of course temperature) of summer starting to show its face one can’t help but think about laying lazily around the pool with a cold drink in hand. So what comes to mind? A margarita? A beer? Why not both? Now we know national margarita was back in February, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the unique combination that stems from two ordinary drinks. The best part is that delicious beverage is quite simple to make, you’ll be entertaining guests in no time.

Ingredients
1 (12 fluid ounce) can frozen limeade concentrate
12 fluid ounces tequila
12 fluid ounces water
12 fluid ounces beer
ice
1 lime, cut into wedges

Preparation
Pour limeade, tequila, water, and beer into a large pitcher. Stir until well-blended, and limeade has melted. Add plenty of ice, and garnish with lime wedges. Adjust with additional water, if needed.

The Shamrock Shake recipe courtesy of Refinery29 this week has us all shook up for St. Patrick’s Day. Exactly the same as Reminiscent of our favorite holiday drink, the Grasshopper, the Shamrock Shake is a creamy blend of our favorite things: ice cream, mint, chocolate and vodka, we’re happy to ditch the corned beef and cabbage and head straight for this dessert cocktail once again this year. If the Shamrock Shake isn’t shaking your tree, try another of this week’s St. Patrick’s Day Drink Recipes:

Baby Irish Stout
St. Paddy’s Girl
Celtic Pride
Apple Mint Martini

»READ MORE

Are you getting tired of green cocktails yet? If you are, get over it, because it’s only Thursday and the green beer will be flowin’ generously until Sunday morning. However, courtesy of Hidden Meadow Ranch in Greer, Arizona, today’s drink is a little classier than green beer. The Ranch, hosting its own St. Patrick’s Day celebration with a Corned Beef and Hash dinner on March 17th, will offer the drink as part of its day-long Irish celebration. With a healthy slice of green apple and plenty of apple vodka, this is the perfect spring drink, St. Patty’s celebration or not.

Ingredients
1 oz apple vodka
½ oz green crème de menthe
2 ½ oz Soda
Green apple slice
4 mint leaves

Preparation
Fill cocktail shaker with ice and pour apple vodka, crème de menthe and soda over ice. Gently shake (not stirred) and pour into a martini glass. Garnish with a slice of green apple and float four mint leaves on top to represent a four leaf clover.

It isn’t St. Patrick’s Day without a dash of whiskey, but if you’re like us, straight up is sometimes a little too harsh (we’re not all tough cowboys, ok?). In that case, today’s simple and super easy cocktail is a jackpot-of-gold: the Celtic Pride from Old Town Whiskey in Scottsdale will have you kickin’ up your heels in no time.

Ingredients
1.5 oz John L. Sullivan Irish whiskey
1 oz simple syrup
.75 oz lemon juice
3 heavy dashes of amarena cherry juice reduction

Preparation
Pour into a coupe glass or on the rocks with a cherry garnish.

This fiery, yet sweet ‘St. Paddy’s Girl’ cocktail recipe from the Thirsty Lion in Tempe will ruffle your kilt this weekend. Serve this little lady up for your St. Patrick’s Day party or as a dessert, post any of the fun St. Patrick’s Day events in Phoenix.

Ingredients
1 oz Jameson Irish Whiskey
1/4 oz Baily’s Irish Cream
1/4 oz Frangelico
2 oz Iced Coffee
Chocolate Rimmed Martini Glass
Whipped Cream
Mint Leaf

Preparation
Fill pint glass ful of ice add Bushmills, Bailey’s, Frangelico and iced coffee, shake and strain into a chocolate rimmed martini glass and top with whipped cream and a mint leaf.

We’re celebrating this St. Patrick’s Day the best way we know how: with a St. Patrick’s Day drink recipe a day! Check back this week for a barrel of St. Patrick’s Day drinks to mix up a little leprechaun-themed fun for your holiday.

First up, we’re starting off small, yet strong with the Baby Irish Stout from Tilted Kilt in Phoenix.

Ingredients
1 oz Patron XO Cafe (chilled)
.5 oz Irish Creme Liquor (chilled)

Preparation
Pour chilled Patron XO Café into shot glass, then float Irish Cream on top.

If you haven’t noticed that the tropics are completely in this season, just take a look around…or at least a drink. While we adore our precious Bahama Mamas and our delectable Piña Coladas, this weekend’s libation – found at RA Sushi - has us reaching for our sunglasses, tanning oil and time-off sheets. However, please give us at least another month till we grab those bathing suits. For now, the Bikini Martini is as beach-ready as we’re getting.

Ingredients
.75 oz. Kai Young Coconut Shochu
.75 oz. vanilla vodka
1.5 oz. pineapple juice
.5 oz. simple syrup
.25 oz. blue Curacao
Splash of lemon-lime soda
Pineapple wedge for garnish

Preparation
Pour all ingredients into mixing tin with ice. Shake and strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a pineapple wedge and dash of blue Curacao.

The refreshment of a trip to the spa can be found in a cold glass of a “Day at The Spa” cocktail from El Chorro. Refreshing, yet spicy, the cocktail will be available through spring along with 11 others until temperatures hit triple digits. Considering asking your drinking buddy for a foot massage while enjoying your Day at The Spa for a spa-like experience at the bar. We kid. Bring the spa home with recipe below.

A Day at The Spa Cocktail

Ingredients:
1 ½ oz Grey Goose La Poire
1 oz St-Germain Elderflower liqueur
2 cucumber slices
2 jalapeno slices
Sprite
Soda water

Preparation:
Muddle the cucumber and the jalapeno in a tall glass. Add Grey Goose and St-Germain.
Top with equal parts Sprite and soda water.
Garnish with a cucumber slice on the rim.

***Tip: Remove jalapeno seeds for a milder cocktail.

Whether you’re a cocktail connoisseur or just a lover of libations, Arizona Cocktail Week has been a blast, but it is far from over. Keep the celebrations in tow with a Cocktail Dinner at Distrito or a Clase Azul Tequila Dinner at La Hacienda February 23, and top off the week’s festivities with St. Germains at Culinary Dropout.

From 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, February 23, Distrito Chef Pete Balodimas, Ambassador for Milagro tequila Gaston Martinez and master mixologist Jason Asher will host a special “imbibe and dine” evening, where each guest will be given their own mixology kit and will learn to make Milagro cocktails, the Mercadito, Veracruzana and Carpe Dia. Guests will also pair their creations with three courses featuring luscious dishes like Tuna Ceviche with cucumber salsa, lime sorbet, pickled jalapeno and compressed cucumber and Roasted Suckling Pig with blackberry mojo and garbanzo-sage cassoulet. Followed by tequila flights and churros for dessert, cost is $40 per guest. To make reservations, call 480.970.4444.

That same evening, La Hacienda will provide a four-course dinner menu featuring Clase Azul Anejo tequila, accompanied by specialty cocktails, tequila flights and a sampling of the Clase Azul Extra Anejo, ‘Ultra.’ Clase Azul owner, John Hanson, will ride along for the evening, along with Chef Forest Hamrick and “Tequila Goddess” Danielle Griffin. Limited seating available. Cost is $85 per person. To reserve a spot, call 480.585.4848 ex. 7320.

Cap off Cocktail Week at St. Germains Bottoms Up Event at 11 a.m. February 25 at Culinary Dropout. Co-hosted by Young’s Market Co., the event is complimentary for conference attendees and will feature live music, food and of course, specialty cocktails until midnight. Guests will be able to discuss what they learned this week, speak with industry experts and perhaps mix up some new concoctions.

Culinary Dropout | 7135 East Camelback Road # 125, Scottsdale, AZ | 85251

Via Cosmopolitan

Whether you’re recovering from Valentine’s Day (or S.A.D) festivities or readying yourself for a few days of Mardi Gras revelry, we don’t think it’ll be difficult for you to squeeze in a little time this weekend to recognize National Margarita Day February 19. All it takes is a little ice, a little lemon juice, and a lot little tequila to remember that it’s always at least 5 o’ clock somewhere.

Ingredients
1 1/2 oz. tequila
.25 oz. Campari
.5 oz. fresh lemon juice
.5 oz. honey

If all of this hype about Valentine’s Day makes you want to hurl, cry or bury yourself into a pint of Ben & Jerry’s, we get it – but get over it, throw on your hottest heels and come out to Culinary Dropout at 7 p.m. Wednesday, February 15 to celebrate being single with $5 bubbly, $4 well drinks, $8 cocktails and local band Blues Man Mike. It will be Singles Awareness Day (S.A.D.), after all, and what better way to stick to Valentine’s Day than with aptly-named concoctions such as SADcakes, a sweet libation made with Malibu, Cruzan Rum, crème de cacao, cream and simple syrup topped with pomegranate foam and sprinkles, or the Effen Cupid, which features Effen Black Cherry Vodka, raspberry, lime and simple syrup, garnished with conversation hearts. One shy of a couple? Order a Table for One (with your head held high), created with vanilla liqueur, Hornitos Plata, raspberry puree, simple syrup and lime juice or imbibe your sorrows with Dear John, a forget-it-all potion made with John Jameson, cherry bitters, Solerno, simple syrup and lemon juice and garnished with a lemon-wrapped cherry. And get your mojo going with Chilled Oysters, cozy up to the single person next to you and share a baked-to-order, perfect-for-two Apple Monkey Bread and more.

For more information about Culinary Dropout, click here.

Culinary Dropout | 7135 East Camelback Road, Scottsdale, AZ | 85251.

The Kiss of Bliss will surely impress your Valentine. From the Wigwam Resort in Litchfield Park, this festive martini is like a dessert in a glass, perfect to hold you over until the real dessert starts later.

Ingredients
2 oz. Stoli Vanilla Vodka
1 oz. Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur
1 spoonful Red Velvet Powder
Dash simple syrup
Dash heavy cream

Preparation
Shake all together and strain into a martini glass swirled with white and red chocolate syrups.

Oh la la! Pucker up to The French Martini from the makers of Chambord Flavored Vodka. The pretty pink cocktail the perfect date night sipper. Lay one on your loved one with the following recipe:

INGREDIENTS:
1.5 oz of Chambord Flavored Vodka
.5 oz Chambord Liqueur
2 oz Pineapple Juice

PREPARATION:
Shake all ingredients with ice in cocktail shaker. Pour into a chilled martini glass and serve.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day early with this weekend’s cocktail, the Amore Smooch. Courtesy of Sassi Italian Restaurant in Scottsdale, this lovely beverage is shaken into a martini glass, surrounded with ice and lightly adorned with fresh red rose petals. Head up to Sassi for a romantic evening or stay at home with your sweetheart and whip up something special….we believe this might be our most romantic recipe yet.

Ingredients:
1 oz of Godiva White liqueur
1 oz of Svedka Cherry Vodka
1 oz of Crème de Cacao

Preparation:
Mix all ingredients in a martini shaker. Strain into a stemless martini glass (bottom of the glass filled with crushed ice and 2 fresh rose petals). Garnish with three Svedka Cherry infused cherries, half dipped in chocolate.

Sassi Italian Restaurant | 10455 East Pinnacle Peak Parkway | Scottsdale, AZ |85255

Haven’t figured out your Valentine’s Day plans yet? Don’t panic – not only do you still have time, but this weekend’s cocktail may help point you in the right direction. This Valentine’s Day, head up to the J.W. Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa for a romantic weekend and the Cupid’s Hot Pop, a deliciously sweet, cinnamon-strawberry cocktail with a POP – available at Tuscany, Meritage Steakhouse, Blue Sage and Vista from February 10 to 14 for $10. Until it’s available, cozy up with this February-flavored cocktail at home with the following recipe:

Ingredients
2oz vodka
1 oz Cinnamon Schnapps
1 oz strawberry puree
1 package Cotton Candy-flavored Pop Rocks
Splash of simple syrup

Preparation
Mix ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Rim martini glass with Cotton Candy Pop Rocks. Strain and pour.