i like SOBIESKI, WODKA POLSKA. the brand’s gimmick is that there is no gimmick. this VODKA POLSKA, if you will, is as genuine a vodka as one can hope for. you see, it was not russia, but poland who first fermented the potato into the world’s now favorite spirit. a fact for which SOBIESKI apologizes to russia for on it’s very witty website. (which is excellently designed i might add… with smart, funny copy to match it’s classically streamlined graphics.) hey, i’m an artist, i notice these things! but back to alcohol, SOBIESKI is non obtrusively smooth, and that is what all vodka hopes to be. no wonder the brand has been the #1 selling vodka in poland for eons. it comes of rather royal blood lines–named after poland’s beloved King Jan III Sobieski (1629 - 1696). this valient leader was not only passionate and devoted to his wife (he wrote her a treasure trove of love letters,) but was courageous, strong and smart enough to keep his people safe from the evil Ottoman Empire. this was a cool dude, and this is a good vodka (especially for it’s under $15 price tag). that’s the truth!

did i mention that of course INTOXICATED ZODIAC is overly impressed with the the fact that king sobieski had an actual constellation named after him: SOBIESKI’S SHIELD???!!! woah… that’s HUGE!!!! the name has since been changed to SCUTUM. (how lame is that?! scutum… why not just call it tropic of balls.)

visit VODKA SOBIESKI

basil is an herb of scorpio, who is ruled by mars. it’s feisty bite will add a good dose of flavor to whatever recipe is calling for it. i mean, this cocktail would have been great with just the tomato, but add a tad basil and it’s even better. see, having a scorpio around always adds an element of interest. so don’t forget that when you are planning your next cocktail party. go ahead and invite that quiet scorpio across the hall. because whoever you thought they were, will no doubt be the opposite of who they really are, once you get to know them.

TOMATO BASIL TINI
3 oz tomato water*
1 oz vodka
1/2 oz lemon
2 pinch of sea salt
3 leaves basil
cheesecloth (grocery store)

muddle tomato water, basil, salt. do not over-muddle the basil or things will get bitter fast. add vodka and shake over ice. strain into martini glass and garnish with leo’s cherry tomato and scorpio’s leaf basil. or, if you’re not a vegan, garnish with a ball of sagittarius’ fresh non-rBGH cheese.

TOMATO WATER:
puree ripe tomatoes in food processor. place in cheese cloth for several hours, allowing water to drip through. when the water has all dripped through, squeeze out the remaining liquid into a separate container. (drink that tomato juice alone, or make a bloody mary). the water should be pale yellow in color and crystal clear.

VEEV vodka is AWESOME! first of all, let’s discuss its uniqueness.

Made with the trendy super-fruit, the acai berry, VeeV is not certified organic itself, but since the fruit is essentially wild-crafted it is pretty darn organic. that awesome little berry Acai grows only in the Amazon rainforest and has 57% more antioxidants than pomegranate. sign me up, mix me a drink–i’ll have it for breakfast! so not only is VEEV good for you, but it’s also good for mother earth. VEEV takes impressive strides to give back to the environment from whence it came, with $1 from the sale of each bottle going towards green initiatives. VEEV is a carbon-neutral company, thanks to their wind-generated power, hybrid cars, and recycled paper packaging printed with soy ink from everything to the company’s business cards to cocktail napkins. also, their bottle is partially recycled - no word on whether that is POST-CONSUMER recycled or POST-INDUSTRIAL recycled. this makes all the difference in the world, as almost all glass produced is in some way recycled (post-industrial only).

VEEV is blended with exotic ingredients, such as prickly pear and acerola cherry, that lends it a subtle sweetness reminiscent of dark chocolate. it’s really, really, really good. so, don’t be a VODKABOT and go drinking REGULAR vodka… be a discerning, adventurous and philanthropic connoisseur–drink VEEV. not your ordinary vodka. oh, and if you’re unsure what a VODKABOT looks like, you can check one out at TheEndofVodka.com.

it’s that time of year again– the time of plenty, the reaping of nature’s bounty, the reward for your hard work… autumn harvest. there is such as vast wealth of produce available at this time of year that i find it’s simply not possible to keep up with it all. it’s a crime against nature and humanity when those beautiful plums go rotten, just because you were too full from peaches and raspberries to eat them. a crime it tell you, but fret no more! good ‘ole mom has the solution… and that solution is STEWED FRUIT.

when mom sees the contents of her fruit bowl sliding down the slippery slope of rottenness, she takes the whole lot and dumps them in a pot. she then adds some sugar, with a little bit of water to prevent the bottom from sticking, and simmers on low until what’s left is a big pile of wet lumpy fruit. trust me, this will taste much better than it sounds. after you finish stewing the fruit (20 minutes or so), strain (be sure to squeeze out all the valuable liquid), and add a splash of vodka as a preservative. store in fridge until you are ready to use. voila–no wasted bounty, and a fresh cocktail to boot!

while most but not all fruit falls under the dominion of delectable venus, the very nature of this cocktail is scorpion. taking something whose vital force is all but gone… and giving it an entirely new life in the form of a cocktail–well, that’s scorpio for you. the sign of life and death, and that of the greatest healer as well. like the phoenix rising from the ashes, scorpio will have your near rotten fruit smelling like roses and tasting like heaven. cheers to you all powerful scorpion.

STEWED FRUIT COCKTAIL:
1 cup stewed fruit juice (mom used plum)
3 oz fresh squeezed lemon
4 oz tequila
1 cup or so simple syrup* (sweeten to taste)

add all ingredients to small pitcher and stir. cool in fridge and serve straight up, or over ice if the mixture is very thick. (the ice will water it down). garnish with a piece of non-rotten fruit.

simple syrup is a mixture of equal parts sugar and water. no need to heat, simply stir, shake or agitate until dissolved and store in fridge.

THANKS TO KOCHTOPF HOSTING WEEKEND HERB BLOGGING.

i have honestly never tasted infused vodkas whose flavors were so intensely like the real thing. those brits got this infusion thing down pat…

you’d almost be hard pressed to differentiate the real espresso from THREE OLIVE’S TRIPLE SHOT ESPRESSO VODKA. it is that flavorful, and if you love the coffee the way i love coffee, then it is that delicious. if an espressotini is in the plan, so should be this vodka. wow. yummy. you could potentially even skip the chilled genuine espresso in a pinch and just serve this up with some simple syrup and cream for you woosies. anyway, this CAPRICORN approves of this capricornian flavored espresso vodka.

soldiering onto the next creation… THREE OLIVE’S ROOT BEER VODKA. and yes, it is certainly root beer. no mistaking this for coke, dr pepper, or what have you. this baby screams out, I AM ROOT BEER, HEAR ME ROAR!!! if you are a fan of this rather odd flavor, then hands down, you will be a fan of this vodka. it packs a punch. i’m not root beer’s biggest fan, but i’m thinking cream soda on the rocks with a shot of this savory stuff would be quite drinkable. did i mention that the notoriously odd sign of AQUARIUS rules root beer?

and last but not least… we have THREE OLIVE’S TOMATO VODKA. and yes, it certainly does taste just like LEO’s regal tomato. i love tomatoes, and i love bloody mary’s even more. not that you have to mix this bloody… you can always dress up your martini with some tomato flavoring. i certainly wouldn’t mind having a little extra tomato umph in my next brunch time bloody mary.

Approx $20 bottle… Visit THREEOLIVES.com

my dad is the king of ice cream sodas. his uncle was a soda jerk and operated his own parlor in new york city which served this now famous kaiser treat. upon hearing that i intended to post his recipe, with added alcohol, on my blog got my dad slightly irritated. there was no way in hell his daughter was going to bastardize his secret recipe by adding vodka. in fact, he refused to make me one if i did so. stubborn insane aquarius that he is, i knew he meant it. my illicit vodka had to be added in secret. i ran into my kitchen, and added the vodka to the finished product, which did get a little messy, stirring with all that whipped cream all ready on it. i therefore recommend adding the vodka in the initial stages, all though i have not actually tested how it effects the carbonation. somebody wouldn’t let me, but i highly suggest you do just that the next time you find yourself wanting to be a soda jerk. the vodka gave an extra kick to an all ready out of this world treat. in the same way that a brandied chocolate covered cherry beats the hell out of a regular one, so does this bevvie beat the hell out of dad’s old fashioned version. i’ll not drink a virgin ice cream soda again. sorry dad, oh and thanks for the recipe!

this obscenely decadent snack could only belong to one sign, and that is Sagittarius, the zodiacal hedon. savorer of the whole pint of ben and jerrys. drinker of the whole pitcher of frozen margaritas. eater of all the leftover birthday cake. polite acceptor of second helpings. Sagittarius knows no bounds and her generous below offering super cedes any level of decadence you think you may have known. taste this, and taste gluttony’s broken sin.

NAUGHTY ICE CREAM SODA
vanilla organic icecream
chocolate syrup
fresh organic whipped cream*
seltzer
cherry*
organic whole milk
oh, and vodka

NO COOL WHIP: make fresh whipped cream by adding 1 cup cream to mixing bowl and beating on high until stiff. add sugar to taste. be sure not to over-whip or you will have made butter! you can also beat by hand using a whisk.

CHERRIES: i don’t feel cadmium red dye #9. trader joe has some really great sour morello cherries, or i hear brandied cherries are easy to make. (ashamed to say i’ve not made them).

start with whole milk. of course organic is recommended as there is no RBGH3 growth hormone in it.

add chocolate syrup. dad says be sure that too much milk will flatten the carbonation so BE CAREFUL : )

stir very well with a long-handled spoon or bar spoon.

add more soda and stir again.

add yet MORE seltzer and stir again.

add 2-3 scoops of icecream. again, organic is best cuz there’s no RGBH3 growth hormone.

at this point things will start to get messy so be sure to have RECYCLED MARCAL napkins on hand!

perhaps a little too messy.

/> pop a cherry on that baby and enjoy!

The label on Matusalem Gran Reserva’s 15 year old bottle of rum looks as if Blackbeard himself designed it. It resembles a found treasure map with parchment paper, ragged edges, rich embossing and antique Cuban coins giving it an old world charm. The dark brown classically shaped bottle is the same one you’d see wash up on a deserted island. But the message inside of is not a lonely SOS note but an eloquent love letter of layered tastes and pleasing aromas. If you are trapped on a desert island, a few swigs of Gran Reserva will certainly help you forget your predicament. A sweet buttery opening thanks to Venus’ Vanilla continues on to a subtly smoky flavor and finishes with a woodsy, enjoyable aftertaste. I tasted it neat, but this hearty rum would make any Mojito proud. Worth it’s price tag of $35-$40, it’s certainly in a category above average—well above average, actually. This is real rum, from the mother country of the Mojito itself… Cuba! The family was forced into exile by Fidel Castro and they now operate their distillery out of the Dominican Republic. The Gran Reserva calls on a recipe that is 130 years old and uses a 15 year old aging and blending process. Persistence pays off, it just won the “Double Gold Medal” in the reputable San Fran Spirit’s awards.

Check out their humorous Fidel Castro ads on youtube.
Visit Matusalem Rum

happy summer zodiacal intoxicants! intoxicated zodiac’s taking a little vaca, poolside. see you in august tipsy tipplers! cheers, gwen

picked up one of these little guys at the NEW YORK BAR SHOW a while back. perfect for any outside event in the hot north american summers! there are little holes in the bottom of the scoop to allow for seapage. available for a five note at DRAINSCOOP.COM.

some interesting events to attend if you happen to reside in or nearby the big apple. i just found out about this neat little place while i was at the BAR SHOW a few weekends ago… ASTOR CENTER NYC is offering some pretty cool events:

this tuesday, the The 2008 Indy Spirits Expo is being held… $25 will get you in for tastings, demonstations and discussions on sorts of new and offbeat intoxicating liquids.

VISIT THE ASTOR CENTER HERE for their upcoming classes which include:

Elements of Mixology: The Cocktail Lab

Slow U: Slow Spirits - Greenmarket Inspired Mixology

Blend Your Own Whisky

PDT Presents: Home Bar Basics