Cocktail

PAT Let’s see . . . the cocktail queen has delivered something frothy, minty-fresh, cool, and spiked with bourbon (I like Jack Daniel’s). Do I need to sell this any harder than that? Forget the Derby and those silly hats—cool down and get down for Memphis in May!

The peach nectar, lemonade, and sparkling wine—ooh, it just makes me tingle all over! And believe me, this is a night when you are going to need all the tingling you can get.

PAT Gina will mix up a batch of this for me to serve our guests, and if I’m lucky she’ll make enough for me, too. It’s good.

GINA The Cubans had the right idea when they invented the classic mojito: it really is a perfect cocktail (not too sweet, not too sour). Another great thing about mojitos is that you can add almost any flavor to them and they taste amazing. I was experimenting with mojitos, creating a brown-sugar one, and I thought, why not blackberries? I’ve always been a fan of blackberries: I even like to eat them frozen right out of the freezer. (I do the same thing with grapes.) The infusion of mint and basil gives this version an herbal freshness, and the agave nectar is a gentle, natural sweetener that dissolves quickly. Of course, you can leave out the rum and just pour some soda water on top of the berries, but why would you? Either way, the drink is a beautiful spring color, and spring is my favorite season, when everything is blooming, and life’s possibilities seem endless.

GINA This always makes me think of that “Love Potion #9” song! And that’s exactly what your sweetie will be thinking when you make him this extra-special potion. When he asks you what’s in it, don’t tell him! He’ll probably think it’s a little girly, because it’s red and pretty. But what he won’t know is that this potion packs a wallop, thanks to the pomegranate’s aphrodisiac qualities. So potion up, ladies. You’ll thank me later.

PAT At twenty-one, most people want their first cocktail . . . but when our kids are moving a little too fast, we always say, “Slow your roll or pump your brakes, sister!” So Gina came up with this recipe for frozen mango margaritas, which tastes great as written (for us) or with only a splash of the tequila and Cointreau (for Spenser).

GINA Pat says no Super Bowl should ever be viewed without a beer, but I’m the queen of cocktails, and who needs regular beer when you can have a Michelada cocktail? When we filmed the show Road Tasted with the Neelys, we discovered this spicy beer in Santa Fe, where it is generally served during Fiesta. It has such a unique flavor, and sometimes it’s nice to mix it up and serve the totally unexpected . . . but you definitely need to be ready for the spice. If you want to add a little something special, you can rim your glasses with lime, put salt and chile powder on a separate plate, and dip the rims of the glasses in it—just to give the cocktail a little something extra! Go ahead—drink it, and score a touchdown!

My friend Wendy makes the best Bloody Marys—full of punchy, spicy flavor. Serve them with little dishes of pickles as well as the usual cucumber and celery spears for fun mix-and-match garnishes.

Now the official cocktail of New Orleans, this spicy, heady concoction was the creation of a Creole apothecary named Peychaud whose medicinal tinctures became after-hours cocktails with the addition of whiskey and sugar.

The combination of bittersweet grapefruit, lime, and salt in this refreshing cocktail is a true palate cleanser.

Thanks to the Kentucky Derby, mint juleps are the best known—and perhaps best loved—of all Southern cocktails. The details are much debated, but the basics are these: fresh spearmint, lightly bruised; smoky-sweet bourbon; cane sugar; and crushed ice. A combination so good, there isn’t much that can be done to improve it.

A favorite from the land of the Jazz Brunch … Sometimes this is made with half-and-half, cream, or even ice cream to create a richer drink.

Watch out for these—they go down easy!

When I first got Rick Bayless’s Mexican Kitchen, I was so inspired by the recipes that I invited people over and made brunch for the first time in years. It was a warm, sunny New Orleans winter day, and I picked satsumas from my backyard tree and made these margaritas to welcome everyone.

Kenny Jackson named this drink after his Gemini heritage. Vya vermouth, which is made in California, is his favorite brand for this particular cocktail, but you can substitute other varieties as well. He says using crushed ice (as opposed to cubes) is crucial.

A few years ago Chip and I took a trip to Peru. We started in Lima and then traveled on to Cuzco and Machu Picchu, one of the most beautiful places on earth. While in Lima, we stopped at an outdoor bar in the Barranco neighborhood, an artists’ and musicians’ enclave rather like a Peruvian French Quarter. We met a salty old bartender who made us these delicious frothy drinks that reminded me somewhat of a gin fizz, but after two, our heads were spinning. Pisco is a spirit made from grapes, and it is quite strong, so beware!