SIGNATURE COCKTAILS

Signature David Loves SOLTORO TEQUILA GRILL!

// July 13th, 2010 // No Comments » // Events, Food and Drink, General, News

If you’re heading to Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut’s Mystic Country, there’s one dining destination that is a sure bet…SOLTORO TEQUILA GRILL.  SOLTORO is a tequila lovers dream with approximately 200 different brands stocking their beautifully designed and comfortable bar.  You want it, SolToro has it!!!    I dined at SolToro last night and it was a phenomenal.  From the fast, friendly, unparalled service to the mouth-watering food choices on their extensive menu blending traditional flavor and authenticity with a modern approach, SolToro serves up a dining experience that radiates energy and fun. 

My recommendations for an amazing dinner….you have to start with the Guacamole for two (or four if you so desire…trust me, you’ll want more) freshly prepared for you tableside.  It is OFF THE CHARTS.  I am a big “Guac” fan, and SolToro’s “Guac” rocks!  Next we tried the Crispy Duck Tacos and the Grilled Filet Mignon Tacos.  These aren’t your everyday tacos!  They are perfectly prepared and dripping in nuanced flavor.  YUM!   We topped everything off by sharing the SolToro Flan.  It was so delicious we were scaping the plate to ensure that we got every last morsel. 

Oh, and did Imention SolToro’s atmosphere?  Rich, hip and sexy!   And it’s the perfect place to have a party with plenty of private dining space.   For a dining experience that will leave y0u breathless and making reservations to come back again, it’s SolToro Tequila Grill. 

SOLTORO TEQUILA GRILL is located on the casino floor of Mohegan Sun’s Casino of the Sky (adjacent to the convention center entrance).   For more information and to make reservations, you can visit them on-line at www.soltororestaurant.com or call 860-862-4800.

Cheers Amigos!  David

MANGOLICIOUS! The Perfect Refreshing Summer Cocktail!

// July 12th, 2010 // No Comments » // Events, Food and Drink, General, Recipes, Seasonal/Holiday

It’s MANGOLICIOUS!  For the perfect mid-summer cocktail, whether you’re  on the beach, your deck  or at your favorite bar or restaurant, you’ve got to try my lastest concoction.  It combines all all the wonderful tropical fruits we all love in the summer time with the smoothness of Captain Morgan’s Parrot Bay Mango Rum and it’s topped off with a bit of bubbly!  You’re going to feel like you’ve just dived into a cool refreshing pool!

Here’s how you make it:   Combine 1 1/2 oz of Captain Morgan’s Parrot Bay Mango Rum with 1/2 oz Cointreau, 1 oz of Cranberry Juice, 1 oz  Pinapple Juice in a shaker filled with ice.  Shake vigorously and strain into a well chilled martini glass. Top with a splash of your favorite bubbly (you can use champagne or club soda) and then garnish with a slice of pineapple.  YUMMMMMY!

Now, go find some friends and pour whip up a big pitcher of this concoction and throw yourself a big party!

Cheers!   David

Shake Up Your Memorial Day Weekend with My Thirst Quenching Strawberry/Rhubarb Martini!

// May 25th, 2010 // No Comments » // Events, Food and Drink, News, Recipes, Seasonal/Holiday

Memorial Day is here and that means a long hot summer is just around the corner!  What better way to kick off the season than with thirst quenching, sweat busting and sinfully sumptuous Strawberry/Rhubarb Martini!   This is one cocktail that you’ll find yourself making over and over again and will have your guests shouting for MORE! 

Here’s how you make it….

Combine 2 oz of vodka, 1/2 oz of Cointreau or triple sec, 4 to 6 large ripe strawberries, 3/4 oz of rhubarb juice (direction on making it below), a drizzle of fresh lime juice and a cup of ice in a blender.  Blend until frothy.  Pour into a well chilled martini glass and top with (or without…depening on your tastes) a dollop of fresh whipped cream and top with a fresh blueberry. 

Warning:  There will always be a little left over for refills!!

Here’s how you make the rhubarb juice…Combine 3 cups of sliced fresh rhubarb stalks and 1 cup of water in a covered saucepan.  Boil for about 1 hour, or until mushy and ugly.  Drain off the liquid through a fine strainer or cheese cloth.  Pray for at least 6 ounces of juice.  Add sugar to sweeten to your taste.  I recommend about 3 tablespoons, which will still leave the juice surprisingly tart.  Cool completely.

Kick back and enjoy this cool and refreshing splash into summer…..AHHHHH!

Cheers!  David

Choose Your Poison! Cocktails Crafted with PISCO…The Spirit of the Peruvian Gods!

// March 24th, 2010 // No Comments » // Food and Drink, General, News, Recipes

My good friends, Michael and Sabina, recently asked me to create the perfect “Pisco Sour” to help celebrate Sabina’s big birthday bash.  Hmmmm, I knew I had my work cut out for me when my immediate response was “what is a Pisco Sour?”  I did my research and discovered that Pisco is a clear spirit distilled from quebranta grapes in copper stills called alambiques and that the Pisco Sour is the national drink of Peru.  It combines 5 simple ingredients (Pisco, fresh lime juice, simple syrup, egg whites and Angostura Bitters) into one unbelievably potent, delicious and irresistible cocktail.   So, emboldened by a bottle of Pisco, I began the work of crafting the perfect concoction. 

Here’s how you make it…

The Pisco Sour… Combine 2 oz Pisco, 1 oz simple Syrup, 1 oz fresh lime juice and 1 egg white in a shaker filled with ice.  Shake vigorously (to froth the egg white) and pour into a rocks glass.  Garnish with a dash or two of Angostura Bitters on the top of the egg foam.  You can also add a slice or wheel of lime to the edge of the glass. 

This cocktail is absolutely scrumptuous and is the perfect spring and summer cocktail.  For a great food pairing, try it with Grilled Chilean Sea Bass.  YUM!

Here’s another great Pisco recipe…

The Poison Apple… Combine 1 oz Pisco, 2 oz Dekuyper’s Sour Apple Pucker, a splash fresh lime juice and a splash of Honey Syrup in a shaker filled with ice.  Shake vigorously and strain into a martini glass.  Garnish with a wedge of apple.

Cheers!  David

The Temperature is Heating Up! Try My Two Latest Creations to Cool You Down!

// March 21st, 2010 // No Comments » // Food and Drink, General, News, Recipes, Seasonal/Holiday

Spring is in the air,  the temperature is starting to soar and it’s time to think about cocktails that will quench your thirst and cool you down.  I have an entire line of cocktails coming for Spring and Summer 2010 and here are the first two, appropriately named “Spring Awakening” and “Summer Solstice”!  

Here’s how you make them..

“Spring Awakening” …Freeze six to ten small cantaloupe and honeydew melon balls until completely frozen. Place the frozen melon balls in the bottom of a tall glass.  Combine 1 3/4 oz Vodka, 1/2 oz Melon Liqueur and a splash of Triple Sec or Cointreau into a shaker full of ice and shake vigorously.  Strain into the glass over the frozen melon balls.  Top with Proseco or Champagne.
 
“Summer Solstice” …Combine 1 1/2 oz Vanilla Vodka, 1 oz White Cranberry juice and 1 oz Hypnotiq Liqueur in a shaker full of ice and shake well.   Strain into a tall glass.  Drop a splash of Grenadine into the cocktail until it rests on the bottom creating a second layer.  Garnish with a cherry at the bottom of the glass.

Enjoy them both and come back in the coming weeks for more exciting warm weather cocktails!

Cheers!  David

HOTEL CALIFORNIA…My Favorite Tequila!!!

// March 15th, 2010 // No Comments » // California Dreaming, Food and Drink, General, News, Recipes

If you LOVE great tequila, then you simply must try HOTEL CALIFORNIA TEQUILA.  This is an ultra premium tequila made with 100 percent Blue Weber Agave and is available in Blanco, Reposado and Anejo expressions. 

 The winner of Double Gold in the 2009 International Spirits Competition in San Francisco, Hotel California is the perfect tequila for mixing in your favorite cocktail or for sipping if you are a tequila purist.  I love mixing the Blanco with fresh orange and lime juice over rocks.  You can also be a bit more daring and mix it with a hefty splash of root beer and a cherry garnish.   I call it the “Tequila Float” and it is absolutely delicioius!!!   The possibilities are endless with Hotel California Tequila.

Hotel California is currently available in the Northeast and, of course, in California, but it will soon be coming your way.  I know you will certainly see me making lots more cocktails with Hotel California, so please check back here in the coming weeks.  I’ve got some great surprises planned for you!

To learn more about Hotel California Tequila, please visit their website at www.hotelcaliforniatequila.com.

Cheers!  David

Just in time for St. Patty’s Day! My “MINT CONDITION” Martini and the “DIRTY IRISHMAN” Cocktail!

// March 15th, 2010 // No Comments » // Events, Food and Drink, General, Recipes, Seasonal/Holiday

Top of the mornin’ to you all!  It’s almost time for my favorite holiday of the year…that’s right, St. Patty’s Day.  So, break out your green shamrock t-shirt and get your Irish brogue in high gear and let’s tip a few back in honor of St. Patrick, our Irish ancestors and leprechauns the world over.  And, what better way to kick off the celebration than with two of my signature cocktails, the “MINT CONDITION” martini and my latest creation, the “DIRTY IRISHMAN” cocktail!

Here’s how you make the “Mint Condition” …1 1/2 oz of vodka,  1/2 oz green creme de menthe, 1 oz Irish Cream.  Swirl chocolate sauce inside a dry martini glass. Combine ingredients in a shake full of ice and shake well. Strain into the martini glass.

And the “Dirty Irishman”…Fill a tall glass full of ice.  Combine 1 3/4 oz vanilla vodka and 1/2 oz Frangelica (hazelnut liquor) in a shake full of ice and shake well.  Strain into glass.  Combine 1 oz  Guinness beer and 1 oz of Irish Cream into a second shaker of ice and shake until frothy.  Strain slowly onto the top of the drink.  To add a touch of  green, add three small drops Green Creme de Menthe onto the top of the cocktail and it will float to the bottom of the drink.

Enjoy the spirit of the day and may you find a pot of gold at the end of your rainbow!  Happy St. Patrick’s Day!  Cheers!  David

Signature David LOVES “The Shadow Room”!!!

// February 10th, 2010 // No Comments » // Food and Drink, General, News

The Shadow Room…think chic and trendy Manhattan lounge without all the attitude!  That’s what I  love about the Shadow Room…in my opinion, the best thing to hit the Connecticut bar scene in years!   Owners Nick Cacaci and David Gere have done it right.  They’ve taken a fabulous cocktail menu added some a great late night bites and wrapped it all inside an incredibly comfortable and inviting  space featuring ever changing art exhibits and some of the hottest DJ’s on the East Coast.  The staff is friendly, talented and accomodating and the guests, well, they are alway in a party mood!  So, the next time you find yourself in Connecticut make sure to stop by the Shadow Room.  Oh, and you have to try a cocktail called “the Grapes of Wrath”…it’s outrageously delicious!

The Shadow Room is located at 170 Main Street in Middletown, CT. 

Cheers!  David

Be Still My Heart! Presenting “CUPID’S ARROW”!

// February 8th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // Events, Food and Drink, Recipes, Seasonal/Holiday

Searching for the perfect signature cocktail to capture someone’s heart?  Well, look no further than my “CUPID’S ARROW” martini.  It’s a sumptuous and sexy way to say “I love you!”

Here’s how you make it…

Mull 3 to 4 large fresh strawberries in a cocktail shaker.  Add crushed ice to the shaker and combine 1 1/2 oz of lemon vodka, a hefty splash of Cointreau and 1 1/2 oz cranberry juice.  Shake vigorously and strain ingredients into a well-chilled martini glass.  Drizzle Chambord through the center the cocktail creating a secondary layer at the bottom.  Slice a strawberry on the bias and skewer on a metal pick and lay it on the top of the cocktail. 

Light a fire, dim the lights and let “CUPID’S ARROW” slay your lover’s heart!

Cheers and Happy Valentine’s Day!  David

Signature David presents “BAD ROMANCE”…the Ultimate Indulgent Valentine’s Day Cocktail!

// February 8th, 2010 // No Comments » // Events, Food and Drink, General, Recipes, Seasonal/Holiday

Feeling a tad bitter this Valentine’s Day?  Have you been scorned by your true love?  I can tell you we’ve all been there!  So, to hell with candy and flowers and romantic dinners.  Here’s to celebrating yourself!  I’ve created the perfect cocktail for your very own Valentine’s Day celebration!  It’s called “BAD ROMANCE” and it’s deliciously dripping in self indulgence!

Here’s how you make it…

Fill a rocks glass with ice and combine 2 oz of Patron Cafe Tequila and 1 oz of Frangelica hazelnut liqueur.  Stir lightly.  Pour 1 1/2 oz of  White Godiva liqueur over ice in a cocktail shaker and shake until frothy.  Strain contents over the bottom side of a spoon onto the inside rim of the glass.  Garnish with chocolate shavings.  

Invite some friends over, turn up the Lady Gaga and celebrate the day!

Cheers and Happy Valentine’s Day!  David