Valentine's Day Cocktails

If you're looking for a festive drink this weekend, try this concoction created by Marian Jansen op de Haar, Director of Wine at Fleming's Steakhouse.

Valentini
1 oz Belvedere Vodka
1/2 oz Peach Schnapps
1-1/2 oz fresh Peach Puree
A squeeze of fresh Lemon Juice
Topped off with 3 oz Chandon Rosee

But for you college kids who either don't want to pay for Belvedere vodka or don't have the time or the means to puree peaches, here's a cheaper, less labor-intensive version:

1 oz Smirnoff Vodka ($17.99 per bottle vs. $39.99 for Belvedere)
1 oz DeKuyper Peachtree Schnapps
A squeeze of lemon juice
Topped off with Andre Strawberry Champagne

Both variations should be served in a champagne flute and garnished with a pair of raspberries. (Because raspberries are aphrodisiacs. Cherries, the traditional garnish for every girly drink from a Rum & Pineapple to a Midori Sour has actually been shown to decrease sexual arousal in women. Check out this article in the New York Times on optimal Valentine's Day foods. It might surprise you.)

Here's the recipe for another festive drink (inspired by and named after last year's Halloween costume and my favorite character in Alice in Wonderland):

Queen of Hearts
1 part Stoli Raspberry vodka
1 part Chambord Liqueur
1 part Minute Maid Apple Cran-Raspberry juice
1 part Sprite

(Although this drink is heavy on the raspberry flavor, it has no actual raspberries in it. Therefore, I'm pretty sure it has absolutely no aphrodisiacal powers.)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Mardi Gras

Decorating for a Mardi Gras party is easy enough. Beads and decorative masks are a plenty this time of year and can be purchased at iParty or your local event supply store. The Mardi Gras colors -- purple (for justice), green (for faith), and gold (for power)-- can be incorporated, pretty cheaply, through balloons, streamers, and tablecloths.

But what types of food and beverages should be served? I like my drinks to enhance my color scheme. Colorful punches or pre-mixed drinks in plastic champagne flutes look great on a buffet table. Here are some recipes to get you started with planning your Mardi Gras party. They include three beloved spirits (vodka, rum, and tequila) and are purple, green, and yellow, respectively. All can be served in a punch bowl or pre-mixed and set out in individual portions.

Purple: 1 part vodka, 1 part Ginger Ale, 1 part grape juice
(In bartending books, this drink is known as the "Purple Jesus".)

Green: 1 part Malibu, 1 part Midori, 1 part pineapple juice
(Add more Midori as necessary to give this drink a true green color.)

Yellow: 1 part tequila, 1 part lemonade, dash of salt
(Basically a British tequila shot in one step.)

If this proves to be too much, grape, pineapple, and lime jell-o shots will also do the trick. Use vodka for the grape, tequila in the lime, and coconut rum with the pineapple.

For food, you could try your hand at making a King Cake. This New Orleans Mardi Gras tradition is typically made from a twisted ring of bread, sometimes with a filling like cream cheese or praline, topped with icing and purple, green and yellow sprinkles. A small toy baby, symbolizing the baby Jesus, is baked in. Whoever finds the baby must provide the next cake.

Here's a good recipe, courtesy of Emeril Lagasse and the food network.

If you can't get your hands on a traditional King Cake, a regular cake, cupcakes, or cookies with the appropriate colored frosting or sprinkles can be substituted