Ring the bell, it's time for Last Call, where JK Grence, bartender at Shady's, serves up booze advice and recipes. Got a burning question for your bartender? Leave it in the comments and it might be answered in a future column.
When we Chow Bella folks were discussing our New Year's Eve plans, I was begged by about half of the crew to give them some shot recipes. While I'm more of a vintage cocktail fan, I have to admit that shots are quite fun when reveling with reckless abandon. My favorite shots are ones that simulate edible sweets. Luridly named shots like Redheaded Sluts, Buttery Nipples, and Liquid Marijuana bore me; all the fun is in the name, not in the drink. When a drink is named after dessert, at least you know going into it that it's going to taste sweet. And, there's the fun of throwing back something and having a moment of "Wow, that tastes just like chocolate cake!"
See Also: Easy Champagne Cocktails for Extra-Festive Holiday Parties
I prefer to give shot recipes in parts for simplicity's sake. Shoot for 1 ½ to 2 ounces of ingredients per shot. Shake everything together with ice (except as noted), and strain into small glasses.
Pardon me a moment while I get on the soap box, but I've seen a lot of people get in way over their head on the 31st. Please, please make plans in advance for a safe ride home. A designated driver is very much your best friend on New Year's Eve; treat them like royalty. If your plans to safely get home fall through, AAA offers Tipsy Tow service everywhere in Arizona from 6 PM on the 31st until 6 AM on the 1st. Call 1-800-AAA-HELP and ask for a Tipsy Tow. All you need to give them is the driver's name, home address, phone number, and the location of them and their vehicle. They will get the driver, their vehicle, and one passenger home within ten miles for FREE. You can call for a Tipsy Tow for yourself or someone else, and you don't have to be a AAA member to use it.
Cheers to all of you, and Happy New Year!
Oatmeal Cookie Be a little more careful measuring this one than with the others. 2 parts Baileys 2 parts butterscotch schnapps 2 parts Jägermeister 1 part cinnamon schnapps (or Fireball cinnamon whiskey since it's so popular these days) Garnish with 3 skewered raisins, if you wish.
Girl Scout Cookie How could I resist? 1 part Bailey's 1 part Kahlúa 1 part peppermint schnapps (or crème de menthe if you don't have peppermint schnapps)
Chocolate Cake There isn't a lick of chocolate anywhere near it, but it turns out hazelnut and lemon taste quite a bit like chocolate cake. Who knew? 1 part citron vodka 1 part Frangelico To serve, coat a lemon slice in sugar. Bite the lemon slice, and down the shot.
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake For visual effect, the grenadine is poured in last so it settles at the bottom. I like to float a little dark rum on top while I'm at it. 1 part vanilla vodka 1 part amaretto 1 part pineapple juice Splash of grenadine, after pouring
Fudge Brownie I'm sure someone elsewhere beat me to the punch, but I accidentally created this one when I grabbed the wrong bottle while making a drink at work. I'm glad it happened. 1 part whipped cream vodka 1 part dark chocolate vodka (I'm partial to Van Gogh) Splash of soda, after pouring
