Cowabunga! (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)

One of my Test Subjects, K., is a huge TMNT fan, and he’s been requesting relevant cocktails for a long time… so here they are, finally.

He thought that the Fantastic Four “Family of drinks”-idea was great, same theme from the first apertif to the last late night shot… and so did I when designing the recipes, and I’m going to do same thing with Turtles.

One difference to Fantastic Four… the shopping list for necessary ingredients is much shorter. Challenge for me, fewer elements to work with, and it also fits thematically: they’re teenagers, they’re not into fine nuances, they want “more bang for their buck” (If you’re teenage mutant turtle, you’re allowed to drink. If you’re human teenager, you shouldn’t be reading this in the first place).

I’m going to compile Turtle Cocktails in one handy PDF, but you’ll have to wait until the next post. I’ve updated the megacompilation, it’s now including Green Lantern and Thor revisions from the last post and these Turtle drinks. Please feel free to download it and check out the recipes: [EDIT: please check out the updated compilations in Recipes and downloads]

ONE MORE THING BEFORE TODAY’S RECIPES… I’ve changed the recommendation for Prosecco in Aquaman, Black Canary and Songbird. It used to be “dry or extra dry”, but after lengthy field tests with Test Subjects I’ve decided to go with “half sweet or half dry”. I personally enjoy versions with dry Prosecco more, but percentage of people who vote for more sweet bubbly is very high: so, recipes have been changed to meet the taste of larger audience.

 

SO, FINALLY… THE SHOPPING LIST FOR TMNT COCKTAILS: bourbon, half sweet white wine (I think 40 grams of sugar per litre is ideal in this case), Midori, Triple Sec and lime juice (optional Tabasco for “Raphael”). Limes and red cocktail cherries for garnish.

 

LEONARDO

Leonardo leads, and that’s why his cocktail is apertif: first to be enjoyed before the meal. It’s not actually “dry”, as apertif should be, but it’s “dry-ish” enough.

3 parts bourbon

2 parts Midori

6 parts half sweet white wine

1 part lime juice

Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with lime wedge.

You can shake the white wine, but the shaker displays its willingness to let out carbonic acid. I feel it’s easier to stir drinks with white wine.

 

DONATELLO

So, we’ve enjoyed our pizza and it’s time for dessert. Of all the Turtles, maybe Don is the one who offers most of his wise-ass hindsight; that’s why this after-dinner drink bears his name.

2 parts Triple Sec

2 parts Midori

4 to 6 parts half sweet white wine

Stir with ice and strain into old fashioned glass with some ice in it. Garnish with cherry.

4 parts wine produces nice little dessert drink; 6 parts give you more “highballish” result. Use whichever you fancy.

 

MICHELANGELO

This Turtle cocktail was voted the best by Test Subject group.

2 parts bourbon

1 part Triple Sec

1 part Midori

4 parts half sweet white wine

Stir with ice and strain into highball glass filled with ice. This drink is too strong to be highball per se, but melting ice dilutes it down without destroying the taste.

 

RAPHAEL

Yes, you knew it: of course hothead Raphael’s drink is a shot.

2 parts bourbon

1 part Midori

1 part half sweet white wine

(drop of Tabasco, if you want to emphasize hot temper)

Stir with ice and strain into shot glass.

 

There it is, folks: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. So, what’s next? Well, I think it’s been too long since our last “Girl Power”-post; Cheetah and Wonder Woman (revisited) being the last… so it’s female heroes next time! …maybe even Femizon heroes…