Today we’re going to check out couple of characters who are “not right in the head”. I hope their cocktails create interesting variety in your summer cocktail party.

 

GREEN GOBLIN

6 parts half sweet white wine

2 parts Pisang Ambon

1 part Fernet Branca

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

I got a bit negative feedback last Halloween… “C’mon, man! You’re publishing Jack O’Lantern, some second class obscure villain, for Halloween… but NOT Green Goblin?”

My critics were right, it was a dumb move. Well, now I publish the cocktail of totally unhinged madman in the middle of the summer, maybe I should’ve waited for next Halloween… aww, let’s get over it and publish the damn recipe.

You notice similarities between this cocktail and Jack O’Lantern: Pisang Ambon and bitterness… but when Jack is more of a drinking game with flames and marshmallow and slight bitterness of Gammel Dansk, Green Goblin is more full-bodied drink, with raw bitterness of Ferner Branca (that’s “insanity”)… balanced with white wine. I think this is a decent cocktail.

In any case, this year’s Halloween Cocktail Special gets rewritten…and it contains this cocktail, of course… and who knows, maybe another take of the same character?

 

MAXIMA OF ALMERAC

2 parts sloe gin

1 part bourbon

4 parts tomato juice

2 parts cream

2 part red grenadine

Give highball glass half rim with salt (pink Himalayan mountain salt matches nicely with the colour of the drink), add some ice. Shake ingredients with ice and strain into the glass.

Maxima is one of the most exhilarating Superman villains: she’s fiery-tempered, and convinced that Superman is the the only worthy mate in the universe… sounds a bit obsessive? Bit mentally unstable? This highball has a bit weird and challenging, yet enjoyable taste, so I think it is a balanced cocktail, both in theme and taste.

Please do not skip the salt rim. Me and all Test Subjects agreed that it really gives the drink more character to sip it through the salt… but if you’re forced to taste salt with every sip, it gets “suffocating”… so, it’s best the give the glass half rim of salt.

 

So, what’s next? Looks like next “Girl Power”-themed post is coming up…

 

With today’s two recipes I’m able to publish X-Men cocktail compilation, you can find it in Recipes and downloads.

There sure is a need for a compilation… X-Men (and characters associated directly with them) cocktails that I’ve designed: Beast and Cyclops today, Colossus, Phoenix and Dark Phoenix, Emma Frost, Kitty Pryde, Magneto, Mystique and Nightcrawler, Psylocke, Rogue, Storm, Storm (Ororo) and of course Wolverine.

So, now they’re compiled. Let’s check out today’s recipes…

 

BEAST

2 parts extra dry vermouth

1 part blanco tequila

1 part Triple Sec

1 part Blue Curacao

1 part lemon juice

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Hank McCoy can be characterized with many words, including “very smart”… or to put it mildly, “pretty sharp”. In my attempt to represent his intellect, I decided to make his cocktail “sharp”.

Anyone remember Bullfrog? Not the invention of mine, but one of the “sharpest” cocktails ever, without succumbing to over-the-top alcohol content shock value. I love that drink, decided to honour it by using it as the basis for Beast.

Tequila goes well with citrus, that goes without saying… but then the drink is not just “sharp”, it’s “boringly cleaving”. Adding sugar would’ve been the easy path, but sweetness ruins the basic idea of this cocktail… instead adding extra dry vermouth did the job, adding it’s own aroma in the process. And Blue Curacao not just turns the cocktail Beast-like blue, but also adds some taste elements.

To balance out this sour cocktail our next cocktail is nothing but sour…

 

CYCLOPS

4 parts vodka

1 to 2 parts orgeat syrup

3 parts orange juice

3 parts Fanta

Red part: red grenadine and Campari stirred together, 1:1 ratio

Prepare the red part first, stirring grenadine and Campari together. Stir other ingredients with ice and strain to highball glass, add some ice. Pour the red part into glass, let it sink to the bottom. No straw, no garnish! (altought I got carried away when photographing the drink, sorry for misleading you folks)

So what’s the deeper philosophy with this drink? First of all… the colour. Very simple: Cyclops’ power lies in his blasting gaze, and the protective eyewear is yellow/golden, with red narrow stripe. But what about the taste?

This drink is based on the idea that Scott Summers started out as archetypal American Hero, but has gotten more and more embittered within time. So we start drinking Cyclops The Cocktail: clear, brisk taste; refreshing orange with the hint of almond… but it gets bitter as you work your way through the drink.

 

I hope you enjoy my X-Men cocktails, see you next time!

 

Mocktail compilation updated to include today’s recipes: [EDIT: updated compilations can be found in Recipes and downloads]

 

LEX LUTHOR

16 parts lager

4 parts orange juice

2 parts Triple Sec

1 to 2 (or even more) parts lemon juice

(1 part simple syrup)

Blue Curacao for colour

Build into suitable glass, adding Blue Curacao last, spoon by spoon; stirring until colour is right. Adding ice is optional.

Exact measurements aren’t that important in this drink… lager-orange juice ratio roughly 4:1; Triple Sec about half of orange juice used, less lemon juice than Triple Sec used; dash of simple syrup if you think you need one.

So why is this drink called “Lex Luthor”? Why isn’t it using XO cognac or some other expensive ingredient, since L.L. always seems to be sipping some priceless booze (if any)? Justifiable question by Test Subject K., let me answer.

Luthor hates Superman because he’s superpowered alien. So after all… L.L. is on humanity’s side, he stands for The Common Man: so we use beer, no fancy cognac. Often Luthor stands more for himself than the common man, I give you that…

I could’ve tried to build the most intriguing cocktail ever, complex flavours to represent Luthor’s many devious plans… but since those plans to destroy Man Of Steel are doomed to fail, time after time I ended up using few ingredients: simple, declarative, no excuses… failed again. Simple taste.

(Also, I must admit… I’ve gotten feedback: “Every single cocktail doesn’t have to contain complex aromas and nuances; simple drinks are okay once in a while.”)

L.L. fails time after time, and gets more and more sour after every defeat… that’s why his drink is sour. Pretty obvious… as is the colour of the drink: of course Luthor carries some backup kryptonite around, so the drink is green.

LEX LUTHOR (MOCKTAIL VERSION)

16 parts non-alcoholic beer (I use Heineken 0.0%)

4 parts orange juice

1 to 2 parts lemon juice

2 parts simple syrup

blue grenadine for colour

Build into suitable glass, as in cocktail version above.

 

And now it’s time for beetroot juice cocktail I promised last time…

 

PSYLOCKE

3 to 4 parts vodka

2 parts beetroot juice

2 parts cream

3 parts simple syrup

few drops of Tabasco

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Precognition, telepathy, telekinesis… Psylocke has all sorts of abilities, this cocktail is a combination of different aromas so I think it goes well thematically. Also, colours associated with her always seem to be pink, purple, magenta etc… well, colours match.

PSYLOCKE (MOCKTAIL VERSION)

3 parts beetroot juice

2 parts cream

2 parts simple syrup

few drops of Tabasco

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

 

Enjoy your cocktails and mocktails, enjoy the sunshine! See you in the week or so!

 

Today’s theme… beetroot juice?!? 

Long time ago Test Subject L. challenged me: “Try making something palatable out of beetroot juice. The aroma is so “suffocating”, it just drowns everything else.” Well, challenge accepted.

On the other hand… Test Subject K. has been asking for a Nightcrawler recipe for a long time… “It doesn’t have to be blue, the taste is the most important thing… somehow mystical and out-of-this-world, and let’s not forget that Kurt Wagner is a jester.”

Okay, L. and K., here’s my answer to you…

 

NIGHTCRAWLER

4 parts sweet red vermouth

4 parts beetroot juice

1 part Parfait Amour or Galliano (see below)

Shake with ice and strain into old fashioned glass with some ice in it (not too much).

This drink sure has a menacing look, but the taste doesn’t follow the same suit (as with Kurt: looks something out of hell, but he really is a warm human being… erm, mutant being.)

So, where’s “jester”? My idea of “jesting” is the hint of vanilla, crashing with opposite taste of beetroot… If you prefer more vanilla, please feel free to add vanilla extract as much as you like.

I think Parfait Amour is better choice than Galliano… just before serving the drink you could spray some P-Amour right onto the drink (even if you’re using Galliano in drink): it gives beautiful scent…and then comes the beetroot punch! Now there’s a jest for you! 😀

 

MYSTIQUE

Mystique is Nighcrawler’s mother, so I think it’s logical to use beetroot in her cocktail also.

2 parts extra dry vermouth

1 part gin

1 part Midori OR Heering (see below)

3 parts raspberry juice

2 parts beetroot juice

Shake with ice and strain into highball glass with some ice in it (again, not too much). Garnish with something beautiful but menacing and “dark”.

As always… for raspberry juice, please use high quality concentrate diluted with water 1:1 ratio instead of recommended 1:3 or 1:4.

Midori gives certain “sting”, using Heering produces somehow “heavy” result… changing this liqueur is my representation of Mystique’s chameleon abilities. There are differences, but in the end it’s always the same Mystique.

Please feel free to substitute Midori/Heering with other liqueurs, but be warned: beetroot really drowns other aromas, liqueurs are likely end up “lost” somewhere in there.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, beetroot juice has one inherent problem… it seems that there are no significant differences between the brands, they’re all the same organic healthstuff (so these cocktails are good for your health ;P)… anyway, I noticed that if you store opened bottle overnight, even if it’s in the fridge, next day “Mystique” made out of that juice will taste pretty much the same as “Nightcrawler”.

This is disappointing. When using freshly opened bottle, two cocktails are different… but that’s the way it is. As a solution I give you another version of Mystique…

MYSTIQUE (RAVEN DARKHÖLME)

3 to 4 parts extra dry vermouth

2 parts beetroot juice

Shake with ice and strain into highball glass. Add ice and garnish as above.

This version has very little common with original Mystique cocktail and it’s not that good, but at least it’s completely different from Nightcrawler.

 

I will continue my experiments with beetroot juice, next time I’ll introduce one more recipe using that same ingredient… but please relax, there will be a cocktail with much more “easy” taste… and more mocktails!

 

I wrote the first part of Metal Men in the middle of the winter: Colossus and Iron Man were designed when it was freezing outside… let’s see what kind of treatment Cyborg and Metallo get when the sun is shining…

And now, when Cyborg The Cocktail is published, I’m proud to present one more superhero recipe compilation… Justice League.

I’ll include Cyborg and Metallo in future update, but this megacompilation update contains revisions for Clayface and Songbird, check out the new versions at the end this post.

All updated compilatons are available in Recipes and downloads.

CYBORG

1 part Passoã

1 part Battery energy drink

few dashes of Angostura Bitters

Build into highball glass, add ice. Garnish however you like, but for some reason I think it’s essential to include one red cherry which “stares” at you ;P

Thank you, Test Subject K.! I’ve been working with Cyborg-concept for a while, always ended up with unsatisfactory sludges… how to give the drink “mechanical” taste (like Iron Man earlier, and Metallo, below)…?

Subject K. suggested that I forget about “mechanical”, and consider that machines need power supply… “So why not use Battery as the basis for the drink?” Well, why not? I was satisfied with my Hulk mocktail, so why not give it a go?

Passoã blends well with Battery, and Angostura Bitters balances the sweetness perfectly… and Angostura also serves a thematical purpose: after all, Victor Stone sure has some bitterness in him.

I’ve thrashed Passoã in the past for being useless “teenage booze”… well, it worked well in Two-Face,  Flame on! and Captain America, and now in Cyborg, so I stand corrected.

And on to the next metal man… well, metal “man”…

METALLO

6 parts apple cider (medium dry to sweet)

1 part Kirschwasser

(1 part simple syrup, depends on what kind of cider you’re using)

2 parts orange juice

Blue Curacao, for colour

Stir with ice, adding enough Blue Curacao to turn the whole shebang into suitable kryptonite green. Strain into highball glass with some ice in it. Garnish with orange wedge.

Henry Westons Vintage is decent cider for this drink, you’ll have to use some simple syrup, though: with sweeter ciders you can skip added sugar (or not, it’s all up to your personal taste). Kirschwasser adds “mechanical” taste for the drink… Metallo is, after all, robot fueled with Kryptonite power supply.

[EDIT: second version of Metallo can be found here.]

Well, folks… I’ve been publishing summertime highballs for some time now, sudden burst of sunshine after a looong dark winter has that effect… Next time, once again, I’ll introduce recipes that can be described “summertime-ish”, but they sure have “dark taste”…

But before that, couple of old recipes revisited…

CLAYFACE

Original version was heavenly… but only when it succeeded right, otherwise it was bit of a disappoitment. It is very frustrating when you do things exactly the same, and the result is different than the last time.

I guess it’s because egg whites aren’t the same every time. Have you noticed that egg whites don’t foam the same amount when you shake them? Some batches produce more foam, some less… a lot less. I’ve also noticed slight differences in taste… not when you fry the eggs for breakfast, but when you use them for cocktails.

The main flaw in the old version was the orange juice. You had to use exactly right kind of juice and hope that it worked with the eggs you’ve bought.

Too many uncontrollable variables, here’s new version that works EVERY time…

4 cl (1 1/2 oz) Skittles tequila

4 cl Kahlúa

4 cl orange juice

1 egg white

Shake with ice and strain into suitable glass, add some ice.

There’s still the alliance of Skittles, tequila and orange juice, but Kahlúa balances the uncontollable factors. If you’ve tried the earlier version and recoiled in horror, please give this new version a chance!

And another old recipe that needs a little tuning…

SONGBIRD

Nothing wrong with the old recipe… only problem is that some sparkling wines just “swallow” the aroma of strawberry juice, creating the drink which is “almost right”.

We can’t have that. Let me rephrase the recipe…

2 parts bourbon (Jim Beam recommended)

4 parts strawberry juice (and strawberry syrup if necessary, see below)

around 15 parts sweetened sparkling wine (see how it’s done)

Build into champagne coupe or flute, stir gently.

For strawberry juice please use high quality concentrate, diluted with water 1:1 ratio instead of recommendation (usually 1:3 or 1:4).

If the drink tastes too sharp, bourbon “jumps out”, add strawberry syrup drop by drop, stirring and tasting until you’re satisfied. You know when you hit the spot: when strawberry cuts “the edge” off the bourbon, but sturdy corn alcohol still supports the whole.

That’s it. As I promised earlier… next time we’ll check out “dark tastes”.

Summertime: it’s warm, white clouds in the blue sky… oh, what was that flying up there?

Before checking out Thanagarians soaring the skies, please feel free to download Avengers Cocktail Compilation, you’ll find it in Recipes and downloads.

HAWKGIRL

1 part light rum

1 part Triple Sec

2 parts carrot juice

4 parts Coca-Cola

Stir with ice and strain into highball glass with some ice and some lime wedges in it.

I know, the colour has nothing to do with blue skies… But with Thanagarians I decided to go with the taste and feeling instead of the looks. Coca-Cola is always a fresh choice, carrot juice in suitable ratio gives it a twist… light rum to introduce some punch, Triple Sec to wrap it all together into delightful summertime highball.

HAWKMAN

2 parts cognac

1 part Triple Sec

1 part carrot juice

2 parts Coca-Cola

Stir with ice and strain into old fashioned glass with some ice and couple of lime wedges in it.

This is more “royal” version of Hawkgirl: cognac has tendency to give “more class” to any drink. I think it blends well with carrot juice+Coke-mix; again some Triple Sec to wrap it up.

[EDIT: please check out the new version of Hawkman here]

Next time… more summer cocktails! 😀

I compiled all mocktail recipes so far into one PDF, please check it out in Recipes and downloads.

Last time I promised more highballs, and so be it. But this time I’m going to introduce a highball which is not “easy”: actually, it’s quite a challenge to drink!

 

JUDGE DREDD

BE WARNED: this drink will not have many friends… but neither does Dredd ;P

Judge Dredd’s abrupt and unforgiving personality is represented with good ol’ Ginger Rum. Yes, the same we used in Wonder Woman (Golden Lasso), The Flash, The Thing (Clobbering Time), Ghost Rider and Mole Man.

It’s easy: dump 1 teaspoon of ground ginger into 1 dl (3 3/4 oz) of dark rum. Let it soak for 15 minutes, filter. It’s unpalatable as it is, way too fiery, but it’s meant for cocktails.

1 part ginger rum

1 part red wine

1 part Coca-Cola

Build into highball glass, add ice. Absolutely no garnish at all.

So, in addition to challenging taste it’s also insanely strong for a highball?

Yes, it is! Fiery ginger for destructive capacity of Dredd’s arsenal; red wine’s acridity for grumpy disposition; Coke to give suitable dark colour and little relief for drinker; overall high alcohol content to smash you in the head like Megacity’s justice system…

“Citizen, remember that drunk and disorderly is a criminal offence: 8 months in an Iso-Cube. Have a nice day. ” 😀

 

JUDGE ANDERSON

I admit: Judge Dredd is pretty harsh for a cocktail. Let me redeem myself with this tasty frappé.

Prepare a frappé by cooling down suitable small glasses in the freezer beforehand. Fill the glasses with shaven/crushed ice, then quickly prepare the drink:

1 part ginger rum (as in Judge Dredd)

1 part Kahlúa

Shake with ice until glacial cold, strain into glass. Serve with straw.

If you prefer sweeter version, use 1 part ginger rum and 2 parts Kahlúa. Anyway: Judge Anderson is a Megacity Judge, hence same ginger rum as in Judge Dredd… but she is not as blunt as Dredd, AND she is a telepath: that’s why we’ll use Kahlúa to create “mystic” feeling, and also to turn the drink sweet.

 

Time for today’s mocktails!

 

MR. FREEZE

Remember Mr. Freeze? It still tastes great without any alcohol!

4 parts lime juice

6 parts simple syrup

8 parts cream

1 to 2 parts blue grenadine

Rim suitable glass with blue grenadine and sugar, and fill it with crushed ice. Shake ingredients with ice and strain into glass.

 

POISON IVY

I’ve designed two Poison Ivy cocktails: they’re completely different, reflecting different sides of the character. Shall her mocktail be an avalanche of plants!

Fill suitable glass with cucumber wheels (or long strips, your call) and mint sprigs, add crushed ice.

Mash mint, cucumber and Rose’s Lime Cordial (or simple syrup and lime juice) with suitable pestle to create green “Poison Ivy Elixir”.

1 part Poison Ivy Elixir

3 to 5 parts non-alcoholic sparkling wine, pear lemonade (Finnish readers: Pommac) or sparkling water

Stir with ice and strain into glass.

Pear lemonade creates nice drink, though sparkling wine gives “more royal” aroma. Sparkling water results in pretty harsh drink, but I like it: “raw” taste retains its brutal appeal to the end of the glass.

 

That’s all, folks. See you next time… which is going to be after Midsummer’s Eve. So…

HAPPY MIDSUMMER’S EVE! HYVÄÄ JUHANNUSTA!

 

It’s looks like the summer is here! To celebrate it, I’m going to concentrate in refreshing highballs for a while… and here’s the first one:

 

EMMA FROST

I mean, really… this superhero has been waiting her cocktail for waaay too long!

1 part gin

1 part Luxardo Maraschino

1 part simple syrup

2 parts milk

Shake with ice and strain into highball glass with some ice in it, add a straw. Garnish with cherry and lime wedge: althought the drink itself doesn’t contain any citrus, lime creates a nice and fitting fragnance.

I have designed a few recipes using cream: Mr. Freeze, Chemo and Supergirl, to name a few. Cream is okay, but sometimes you want dairy product’s “cool breeze” without the excess fat… until now my only milk cocktail has been Bizarro; now we have Emma Frost.

Cool breeze of a milk (because she’s cool), dry wit of the gin (describes the character well, I think), Luxardo’s cherry to bind it all together. You may recoil from the drink at first, but trust me: after few sips you’ll learn to appreciate it.

 

And now it’s time for today’s mocktails!

 

CATWOMAN

This is basically the same as Catwoman The Cocktail, just use ordinary coffee instead of coffee-infused rum.

1 part evaporated milk

1 part coconut milk

1 part coffee (as strong as you like)

Blend or whisk+shake without ice, pour into cocktail glass. Grate some lime chocolate on top (or chocolate and citrus skin).

If you’re preparing the drink for lactose intolerant, use these ingredients:

2 parts lactose free cream

1 to 2 parts simple syrup

2 parts coffee (again, as strong as you like).

 

But if you’re using coconut milk, please remember there are other mocktail uses for it…

 

THE THING

Remember this from the last summer? A mocktail version of The Thing? Let’s rehearse…

1 part lemon juice

1 part carrot juice

1 part coconut milk

1 part simple syrup

Shake with ice and strain into highball glass with some ice in it. Garnish it with any way you like, but please make sure you add a stirrer (in case the coconut milk starts to separate).

 

Okay, enough cream and milk and coconut milk. Last time I published Spider-Man The Mocktail, an innovative way of enjoying coffee and staying sharp. Let’s check out more ways to energize ourselves…

 

HULK

HULK SMASH! Drink too many of these and you’ll start smashing up the place, even when you’re completely sober.

2 parts energy drink (of brown/gold colour)

1 part pineapple juice

dash of lime juice

blue grenadine (for colour)

Build into highball glass; add grenadine last, drop by drop, stirring until you’re content with the colour. Add ice and a straw, garnish with lime wedge.

So, it’s an energy drink with a twist: I think it’s delightful, “juices up” your normal Battery or whatever. Satisfactory representation of gamma ray’s effect, I dare to say.

 

I got carried away with Emma Frost’s dry wit: next time I’ll intoduce a character with the most straightforward disposition so far… and more mocktails, of course.

 

It’s time for our last Serpent Society cocktail, Diamondback. Series completed, I compiled all Serpent recipes in one handy compilation, you’ll find it in Recipes and downloads.

In addition to Diamondback I’ll introduce some mocktail recipes. Designated drivers, pregnant ladies, people who don’t drink alcohol for some other reason… they are in the same cocktail parties with the rest, and drinking Coke or coffee gets boring pretty fast. Through the years I’ve made some effort to provide them with some interesting mocktails, and I’ve gotten positive feedback.

But before mocktails…

 

DIAMONDBACK

Yes, history repeats itself: as in Magneto and Hawkeye, once again my photograph of purple drink is abysmal! Lightning up with brute force and moderate use of “saturation” colour enhancement brings us pretty close to IRL-colour. To my (and my cameras) defence: I once succeeded taking a picture of purple drink… Gorilla Grodd.

Le Purp liqueur… “blueberryish with lime, with a slight hint of strawberry”… well, I guess so; not my favourite. Anyway, it inspired me to add balance it with the dry spicyness of vermouth; then I added a touch of apple’s sourness, and a tiny touch of Parfait Amour…

4 parts Le Purp

4 parts extra dry vermouth

1 part Parfait Amour

2 parts apple juice

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

This drink is not for those in haste! Enjoy it slowly, I think it’s a decent representation of Diamondback’s character and abilities.

 

And then to mocktails. This is the first batch, there’s going to be more… but let’s start with these.

PLEASE NOTE: Some might consider mocktails to be just children’s drinks, tasting sweet and simple. That might be the case with some drinks, but many of my mocktail recipes are intended for adults: they have aromas that only grown-ups appreciate. Test Subject Children love some of these… but most of them make them grimace in disgust, while their parents nod approvingly while tasting.

 

BATKID

I dedicated my 100th recipe to Batkid, aka. Miles Scott. Well, it was a grown-up version containing alcohol (because we’re all hoping Miles reaches legal drinking age), and I promised to introduce mocktail version… it’s been too long, but here it is…

1 part Dr. Pepper (see below)

1 part cranberry juice

Tabasco

Build into highball glass, add some ice. Garnish accordinly.

And as always with berry juices… please use high quality concentrate diluted with water 1:1 ratio instead of recommendation.

Whats the point of Tabasco? The goal of this drink: Dr. Pepper and cranberry juice create “a dark taste”, thick as the shadows in the darkest alleys of Gotham… and in the aftertaste there’s a Tabasco sting: reminder of vigilant Batman guarding those alleys. The amount of Tabasco is up to each individual’s taste: start with half a dozen drops while testing, then just add more.

Coca Cola creates better “dark taste” than Dr. Pepper, but it tends to “drown” Tabasco. Use Coke if you find it more suitable for your taste.

 

WONDER WOMAN

I’ve designed two Wonder Woman cocktails, Golden Lasso with fiery ginger and the other with salmiac… it’s time for WW-mocktail. Working with that ginger idea…

2 parts ginger ale (the one with the fiery ginger taste, forget bland brands)

1 part orange juice

red grenadine

Gently stir ginger ale and orange juice together in the highball glass, top with red grenadine. Add ice, garnish with orange wedges and whatever paraphernalia you find suitable.

So it’s a Shirley Temple with orange juice? Exactly! We’ve all enjoyed our S.T.’s with some added lemon twist: why not try it with other kind of citrus? Please use ale with strong ginger taste, the juice balances it pretty nice. Children usually dislike fiery ginger ale: I’ve discovered they love this mocktail… and adults, too.

 

SPIDER-MAN

In Spider-Man cocktail I used strawberry juice, arguing that Peter Parker, being a teenager of barely legal drinking age, would love a highball using that particular juice. In mocktail version I decided to stick with strawberry, but instead of easy-to-drink highball I tried something else…

4 parts coffee (let it cool down before preparing the drink)

4 parts strawberry juice

1 part Rose’s Lime Cordial

Stir with ice and strain into old fashioned glass, add some ice.

This mocktail is an effort to create “slow and ponderous drink”, kinda glass of Scotch… but alcohol-free. It really has an acquired taste, I guess you’ll have to love coffee to like this… but there it is, Spider-Man The Mocktail.

Same thing with strawberry juice here as with cranberry in Batkid: concentrate diluted 1:1 ratio. Please don’t waste your time with pre-mixed juice drink, ever.

And as with Black Mamba and Princess Python… espresso is too strong for this mocktail, please use milder brews.

 

Next time: more mocktails. But since this is a blog dedicated to superhero cocktails, I’ll introduce alcohol-based recipes also. Stay tuned.

 

Second post in our Serpent Society Female Character Series. Last time we discovered two venomous snakes, Asp and Black Mamba, now it’s time to check out constrictors.

 

ANACONDA

Mixing mint and chocolate is old news, as is chocolate combined with port wine… how about mixing them all? My philosophy while designing this drink was to express the suffocating and overwhelming sensation of being “embraced” by poweful Anaconda: this drink, suitable for dessert, is SO intense and sweet that people, even if they love it while tasting it the first time, rarely ask for a second.

4cl (1 1/2 oz) hot chocolate (see below)

4cl Creme de Menthe

2cl (3/4 oz) port wine

(simple syrup, depending on the chocolate you’re using, see below)

1 egg white (see below)

Shake with ice and strain into small cocktail glass. Sprinkle chocolate shavings on top.

About hot chocolate… I advise against basic cocoa powder while preparing Anaconda. Crush chocolate of your choice into mixing jar, add little hot water, mash and muddle… and repeat: impregnate the water with as much chocolate as you can, it should be thick goo.

I think dark chocolate with little chili works fine in this one, faint chili aftertaste is satisfying… but it’s up to you to use whatever chocolate you fancy.

If you’re using dark chocolate with very little sugar, you might have to add some simple syrup. Sweeter, lighter-coloured chocolates don’t necessarily require any added sugar (since Creme de Menthe and port wine are so sweet).

Egg white… unfortunately most people recoil when they hear there’s an egg white in their cocktail. You can prepare Anaconda without one, but there will be “something missing”… egg white adds more thickness, blends the aromas together… you should overcome your gratuitous fear for egg whites while preparing Anaconda, it’s worth it.

 

PRINCESS PYTHON

(yes, I know… it’s boa, not python, in the picture…)

In Black Mamba I used coffee to give “The Jolt” for the drink. I’m using coffee in Princess Python also, but for a different reason: to add a hint of cold coffee’s acrid taste, to represent the threat of lurking giant snake. Mixing it with other suitable elements results in “menacing” cocktail.

2 parts coffee (let it cool down before preparing the cocktail)

3 parts sloe gin

2 parts reposado tequila

1 part Rose’s Lime Cordial

Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass. You can also shake, but it results in a bit “muddy-looking” drink (like in the picture above, I chose that photo because some of my Test Subjects thought the cocktail looks better shaken).

About the coffee… Same thing as with Black Mamba, espresso has too intense flavour for this purpose, please use milder brews. And Finnish readers know what I mean with “coffee”: your basic Juhla Mokka, Presidentti etc. that you drink daily. Paulig’s new Café New York Medium Dark Roast is worth checking out.

 

Asp, Black Mamba, Anaconda, Princess Python… Diamondback is missing, and we’ll check out her cocktail in the next post… and I’ll start a new series. See ya 😀