May 4, 2017 – Mother’s Day and your significant other’s birthday are two days that call for extra effort.  Next weekend, Sunday, May 14 is the date to keep in mind for anyone having a hard time keeping track of the calendar.  If you are old enough to drink cocktails you’ve been around long enough to develop some traditions for honoring Mom on her special day.  Keep them up but add a little extra by making her one of the drinks below.

We’ve focused on coffee – real coffee, coffee flavored liqueur as well as deliciously flavored bottled coffee –- to makes Mom’s cup of Joe something to remember.  In fact, one recipe is called Cup–o-Joe and it couldn’t be easier.  Just be sure to leave the bottle of Captain Morgan’s LocoNut coconut flavored rum on her kitchen counter so she can keep on enjoying it.

Another recipe comes to us from the headquarters of Lavazza in Turin, Italy, the largest coffee training center in the world.  The recipe is Lavazza Coffeetail No. 51 and it looks healthy enough to be lunch!

Grind & Malt makes a stunningly elegant statement served in a flute.  Its unusual combination of whisky, coffee flavored liqueur and heavy sweet wine (Pedro Ximenez, a Spanish grape used to make an intensely sweet, dark, dessert sherry) is topped with tonic creating a lovely froth on the top.  Take away Mom’s car keys!

Skye Guard and Sand and Smoke both use Chameleon bottled coffees available at your local supermarket or via Amazon.  It couldn’t be easier.

Finally, if coffee isn’t Mom’s thing, here’s the prettiest drink she’s ever had, the Lavender Collins.  This amazing cocktail changes color from blue to purple to pink.  How come you ask?  Well, we’ll admit that we groaned when we read the recipe calling for two drops of butterfly pea extract.  It seemed a bit precious but it turns out that butterfly pea extract changes color when acid is added.  Hence the slow addition of lemon juice at the end.  Both BevMo and Total Wines & More stock it.  Go to www.wildhibiscus.com to find a store near you.

Other coffee-based recipes for Mother’s Day were featured last year under this Entertaining tab.  Just click here!

Recipes

Cup-o-Joe

*Recipe courtesy of W&P Design

2 oz. Captain Morgan LocoNut
4 oz. Cold Brew Concentrate

Method:  Combine all ingredients over ice. Stir and serve.

Lavazza Coffeetail No. 51

3 parts ginger ale
2 parts cold brew coffee concentrate
2/3 part vodka
Splash of Grand Marnier
Splash of simple syrup
Sliced lemon, orange and cucumber
Maraschino cherries
Fresh mint

Method: Fill a 12 oz. glass with ice. In a shaker, combine cold brew, Grand Marnier, vodka and syrup; pour over the ice. Top with ginger ale. Decorate with wheel or slices of orange and/or a lemon. Skewer cherries and cucumber wedge. Garnish with mint.

Grind & Malt 

by Seb Derbomez

1 ½ parts Monkey Shoulder Scotch Whisky
¾ part Kahlua liqueur
¼ part Pedro Ximenez sherry
Top with Tonic water

Method:  Shake first three ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker.  Strain into a flute and top with tonic water.  Garnish with a cherry.

Skye Guard

1 part Drambuie
.50 part Green Chartreuse
3 parts Chameleon Vanilla Coffee Concentrate

Method:  Combine with ice in a rocks glass, stir until well chilled. Garnish skewered ginger candy.

Sand and Smoke

1 part Drambuie
1 part Pineapple Juice
3 Fresh Basil Leaves
2 part Chameleon Mexican Coffee
.50 part Mezcal

Method:  Combine with Ice, shake, double-strain.  Serve over fresh ice and finish with a splash of club soda.  Garnish with fresh basil.

Lavender Collins

1.5 oz elit Vodka
.75 oz lavender honey syrup
2.0 sparkling water
2 drops Butterfly Pea Extract
.75 oz of fresh lemon juice

Method: Build all ingredients over ice in a highball glass. Slowly add 0.75 oz of fresh lemon juice and watch the color change. Garnish with lavender sprigs.