Embrace National Margarita Day!

February 22nd is national Margarita Day. The Margarita which is frequently ordered at Latin Restaurants and served at most bachelorette parties, is rated America's most popular cocktail. The drink itself was named after the 1940's Mexican socialite Margarita, who experimentally created the first margarita. The traditional recipe calls for tequila, Cointreau, and lime juice; now has as many variations as a woman's stiletto.

A couple of such variations:


Aphrodisiac Margarita

INGREDIENTS
PEPPERY SALT
2 tablespoons freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons of kosher salt
COCKTAIL
1 lime wedge
8 ounces blanco tequila
5 ounces passion fruit puree or nectar
4 ounces fresh lime juice
2 1/2 ounces pomegranate juice
2 ounces fresh blood orange juice
2 ounces Simple Syrup
4 cups ice

DIRECTIONS
MAKE THE PEPPER SALT: Combine the salt and pepper in a bowl.
MAKE THE COCKTAIL: Moisten half of the outer rim of 6 chilled coupes or martini glasses with the lime wedge and coat lightly with the peppery salt. In a blender, combine the tequila, passion fruit puree, lime juice, pomegranate juice, blood orange juice, Simple Syrup and ice and blend until smooth. Pour the margarita into the glasses.


Blackberry-Mint Margarita

INGREDIENTS
8 blackberries, 2 skewered on a pick
Ice
10 mint leaves
11/2 ounces reposado tequila
1 ounce fresh lime juice
1 ounce Simple Syrup

DIRECTIONS
1. In a cocktail shaker, muddle 6 of the berries. Add ice, the mint, tequila, lime juice and Simple Syrup; shake well. Pour into a rocks glass; top with the 2 berries.


Pineapple-Chile Margarita

INGREDIENTS

8 (3/4- to 1-inch) chunks peeled pineapple
4 slices red jalapeño chile with seeds
1/2 cup 100% blue agave silver tequila
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons Simple Syrup
2 tablespoons Cointreau or other orange liqueur
2 cups ice cubes, divided

DIRECTIONS

1.Place pineapple chunks and red jalapeño slices in medium bowl. Press firmly on solids with muddler or back of wooden spoon until mashed.
2.Mix in tequila, lime juice, Simple Syrup , and Cointreau, then 1 cup ice. Stir to blend well. Strain into large glass measuring cup.
3.Divide remaining ice between 2 tall glasses. Pour Margarita mixture over.
4.Garnish with pineapple

Vodka Spotlight! History and Recipes

Almost every beer, wine, and cocktail connoisseur has encountered vodka at least once. In fact vodka is considered one of the most versatile liquors that is produced and consumed in virtually every country.

Both Russia and Poland claim to be the original producers of vodka. The freezing temperatures of Eastern Europe prohibited shipping of wine and beer, the high alcohol of content of vodka prevented its freezing and thus gained popularity in the 11th century. The liquors popularity spread to America after WWII.

With the introduction of James Bond in the 1960s and his shaken vodka martini, Vodka experienced a rapid boom in popularity and was cemented in American cocktail culture.
Sex and the City's Carrie Bradshaw reinvented vodka's perception by consuming fruity martinis (cosmopolitans, apple martinis, flirtinis, and chocolate martinis). Fancy martini's become a centerpiece of trendy bar menus and even inspired vodka bars, which feature up to 80 vodka brands and innovative vodka-cocktail creations.


Classic Martini
Serves 1

Ingredients

2-1/2 ounces gin
1/2 ounces dry vermouth
Green olive or lemon twist for garnish

Preparation

1.Pour the ingredients into a mixing glass with ice cubes.
2.Stir well and strain into a chilled martini glass.
3.Add the garnish.
4.For a dry martini, reduce or eliminate the vermouth. (Eliminating the vermouth in a vodka martini essentially creates “vodka on the rocks with a twist.”)


Pomegranate Martini
Serves 1

Ingredients

2 ounces orange-flavored vodka
1/2 ounce Grand Marnier® liqueur
Splash of fresh-squeezed lime juice
1 ounce fresh-squeezed orange juice

Preparation

1.Shake all of the ingredients together with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass.
2.Stir the ingredients together in the glass.
3.Garnish with a dozen arils (or an orange zest twist).


Grapefruit and Vodka Cooler
Serves 6
Ingredients

5 Grapefruits, juiced
1 small lemon, juiced
2/3 cup vodka
1-¼ cups sparkling mineral water,
chilled
Plenty of ice cubes

Preparation

1.Mix grapefruit juice, lemon juice, vodka, & ice cubes in a large serving pitcher.
2.Stir in mineral water and serve in wine glasses.

Minted Vodka Lemonade
Serves 6

Ingredients

cup (packed) mint leaves, chopped
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups vodka
Crushed ice
Fresh mint sprigs

Preparation

1.Combine chopped mint and sugar in large bowl. Stir in lemon juice and vodka. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
2.Strain mixture into pitcher. Fill six 6- to 8-ounce glasses with crushed ice. Pour mixture over. Garnish with mint sprigs.

Whats your favorite vodka recipe? Post below:)

Sweet Treat Cocktail for Valentine's Day

With Valentine's Day coming up this Saturday, most of us fall into two camps. A. You are planning a special surprise for your significant other B. You are reveling in singlehood and planning a wild night on the town or single's mixer. Night and Day Productions has a decadent cocktail recipe that delivers to both the singles-celebration and romantic dinner affair.



White Chocolate Martini

INGREDIENTS

Ice
1/2 ounce vodka
1/2 ounce white-chocolate liqueur
1/2 ounce dark-chocolate liqueur
1/2 ounce Chambord
1 raspberry
chocolate syrup

DIRECTIONS

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add all of the ingredients except the raspberry and shake well. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with the raspberry and chocolate syrup.



Bon Appetit!

Super Bowl Margarita: Miami Inspired

Super Bowl and Football is typically accompanied with beer, beer, and more beer. this Super bowl, Night and Day Productions challenges you to go outside of your comfort zone and serve a margarita from the Keys, the Key Lime Margarita.


Key Lime Margaritas
makes 4 Drinks

Ingredients
1 Key lime (optional), quartered
Kosher salt (optional) for rims of glasses
3/4 cup Cointreau or other orange-flavored liqueur
1/2 cup reposado tequila
1/2 cup fresh Key lime juice
2 teaspoons superfine granulated sugar (optional)

Preparation
Run a lime wedge (if using) around rim of each of 4 (6-to 8-ounces) glasses. Put salt (if using) on a small plate and dip glasses in salt to lightly coat rims.

Blend liqueur, tequila, juice, and sugar (if using) in a blender until combined. Serve over ice (in coated glasses).


With this drink, no mstter the score, Sunday is sure to be fun!

Smoky Magarita: Classic concoction goes low-glycemic

Half of the United States' population is worried about diabetes and heart disease, but is unwilling to miss out cocktail fun. To ensure an equal distribution of good times, Night and Day productions would like to unveil a low-glycemic Margarita recipe that is fresh, innovative, and delicious!



Smoky Magarita
Makes 2 drinks

Ingredients

3 tablespoons sea salt
1 tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon
smoked paprika,* divided
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
6 tablespoons agave nectar
2 ounces tequila


Directions
1.Mix sea salt and 1 tablespoon of the smoked paprika on a small plate. Wet outside rims of margarita or other beverage glasses with lime wedge. Dip glasses into sea salt mixture to coat.

2.Fill cocktail shaker with 2 cups of ice. Add lime juice, agave nectar, tequila and remaining 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika; shake until well mixed and chilled. Immediately pour into prepared glasses.


Can be paired with a mexican dinner or enjoyed a la carte.

January= Citrus Cocktail Extravaganza

January is the month of citrus. All of your favorite citrus fruits are bursting with sweet/tart flavor and asking to be grabbed up as you walk through the produce section. Night and Dsy Productions is jumping on the citrus train and transporting two delicious citrus-infused cocktail creations. Delish!




The Big O

If you are inspired enough, juice multiple types of oranges for a taste explosion.

INGREDIENTS
Ice
1 ounce orange vodka
1/2 ounce Cointreau or other triple sec
2 ounces blood orange juice
1 ounce Simple Syrup
Large dash of orange bitters
Large dash of Angostura bitters

DIRECTIONS
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add all of the remaining ingredients and shake well. Strain the drink into a chilled martini glass



The Pink Panther

INGREDIENTS

2 fresh mint sprigs
1 jigger (1 1/2 ounces) citrus-flavored tequila
1/2 cup fresh pink grapefruit juice
About 1/3 cup sparkling pink lemonade
Garnish: 1 mint sprig

DIRECTIONS

In a cocktail shaker, combine mint sprigs with tequila and crush with the back of a spoon. Add grapefruit juice and strain into tall glass three-fourths full of ice cubes. Top off drink with sparkling pink lemonade and garnish with mint sprig

A Twist on Traditional Football-Watching Refreshments

With football season in full-swing and heading towards the Super Bowl, I am guessing that beer-drinking routine may need some innovation. Welcome to the snakebite.

Ingredients
12 oz. Spiced Rum or Blackcurrent cordial
24oz Hard Cider: I suggest Wyder's Rsspberry Cider
24oz ALe Beer: Samuel Adams or Firestone Double Barrel Ale

Directions
1. Shake rum/cordial & ice together
2. Pour into a pilsner glass
3. Add hard cider & ale


Sit Back and Enjoy the Game ;)