Saturday Spirits: Salted Caramel Apple Hot Toddy

January 10, 2015 1 Comment A Well Crafted Pantry

The colder it gets outside the more I love to cuddle up with a good blanket and a hot drink. Teas, coffees, ciders… I have no favorites. Hot Toddy’s tend to be on a regular rotation at my house when the temps get cooler. I particularly love a good traditional hot toddy (check out this post or this post for a good, simple hot toddy recipe) but, today I felt like mixing it up a bit and making myself a hot toddy with an salted caramel apple twist. I honestly don’t know if it is better to call it a hot cider or hot toddy… but, either way, it is tasty and hot.

Salted Caramel Apple Hot Toddy

Ingredients:

3/4 oz UV Vodka‘s Salty Caramel Apple Vodka
1 oz Buffalo Trace Bourbon Whiskey
4 oz Hot Apple Juice
Optional: Sprinkle of sea salt, sprinkle of nutmeg & apple slice for garnish

Directions:

Heat apple juice on stove top and pour into a mug or brandy glass
Pour in bourbon and flavored vodka
Top with garnish of your choice… I chose all three!

FTC Disclosure: UV Vodka sent a bottle of vodka for me to try out. All opinions are my own.

A Well Crafted Pantry

Favorite Cocktails of 2014

January 3, 2015 1 Comment A Well Crafted Pantry

In the spirit of the new year I’m looking back on some favorites… since I try to post cocktails on Saturdays for my Saturday Spirits posts I thought I’d share my top five favorite cocktail posts of 2014! These five are the cocktails that I loved the most out of the ones I shared this past year.

Sparkling Lollipop Cocktail

This cocktail has to be my favorite of the year… not because it is complex or anything. But, I loved the flavor of the home-made lollipop paired with the sparkling wine. I featured this drink at my Hey Girl— Ryan Gosling themed birthday party.

Spiked Ice Cream (without an ice cream maker)

Not quite sure this one counts as a cocktail really… but, it definitely counts as a favorite. These easy spiked ice cream recipes don’t even need an ice cream maker.

Lemon Ginger Drop

A good lemon drop should be sweet and tart both. This Lemon Ginger Drop gives you the sweet, the tart & an added kick of spice!

Twists on the Classic Martini

Never underestimate the greatness of a good ole’ fashion martini. Twists on the classic martini can make an old favorite a new favorite with ease.

Jalapeno Margarita

I guess I really like a kick in my cocktails. This Jalapeno Margarita recipe was inspired by the best margarita I’ve ever had.

A Well Crafted Pantry

Saturday Spirits: Classic Manhattan

December 27, 2014 4 Comments A Well Crafted Pantry

The new year is a time to look forward to all the things to come. But, the thing about the new year that I like most is the time to reflect a little bit on the year that has just past and the years leading up. A classic cocktail is a great way to give a nod to the past as you celebrate the future. This year at your New Year’s Eve party serve a classic martini or this classic manhattan cocktail to give your party a touch of old-style class.

These images were taken by the fabulous Portland-area wedding photographer Mary Boyden as a part of a styled shoot collaboration with Suzannah (Create-Enjoy) and Kelsey (Ladies in Navy). The vintage rental items were sourced through Something Borrowed in Portland, Oregon. I can’t wait to show the whole shoot beginning on Monday with free printables and New Years Eve party worthy recipes.

How to make a Classic Manhattan Cocktail

Links below may be affiliate links. A small portion of the sales made through the affiliate links go towards supporting this blog at no cost to readers. Thank you for supporting my blog.

Ingredients:

2 oz Whiskey
1 oz Sweet Vermouth
2 dashes Bitters (I used Angostura)
Maraschino Cherries
Ice
Cocktail Shaker
Optional: Orange peel

Note about Whiskey: Some bartenders will swear by Rye whiskey for a manhattan. Personally, I like Bourbon Whiskey the most so I use bourbon whiskey in my manhattan. I used Burnside Bourbon from Eastside Distilling for this cocktail.

Note about Maraschino Cherries: I don’t like the bright red maraschino cherries you can find with the sundae toppings in most grocery stores. Typically those cherries are bleached and then filled with a syrup that has artificial dyes to make that bright red color. I tend to skip the cherry all together if that is the cherry offered. However, you can easily make your own Maraschino cherries or buy versions that are made without artificial dyes. I used Tillen Farms Organic Maraschino Cherries (which are a beautiful bright pink in color) and they were delicious!

Directions:

Pour all ingredients over ice in shaker
Shake well
If using the optional orange peel, rub around the rim of your cocktail glass. The orange oils will deposit on the rim and give your drink an extra delicious kick.
Strain into a cocktail glass, garnish with a cherry and enjoy!

Resources:
Photography by Mary Boyden— Connect: Website, Facebook, Instagram
Vintage Rentals by Something Borrowed— Connect: Website, Facebook, Instagram
Cocktail Napkins from Hen House Linens— Connect: Website, Facebook, Instagram
Aqua Leather Wrap Bracelet via Flourish Leather— Connect: Website, Facebook, Instagram
Styled Shoot by Bloggers of Create-Enjoy, Ladies in Navy & A Well Crafted Party:
Connect with Suzannah of Create-Enjoy: Website, Facebook, Instagram
Connect with Kelsey of Ladies in Navy: Website, Facebook, Instagram
Connect with ME! Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest OR Click Share on the bottom of this post!