I spend the majority of my time bartending while mixing up new craft cocktail recipes quite often. Craft cocktailing is the job that I enjoy the most in the restaurant industry. It is so fun and exciting, especially with all of the herb choices I have in my home garden or from the local produce store. I grow many different varieties herbs such as mint, lemon balm, and bee balm that are tasty, healthy, and refreshing inside of a cocktail or as a garnish.
Here’s a few pictures of my favorite craft cocktails that I have created over the years:
First, the original 1944 Mai Tai
Ingredients for the 1944 Jersey Style Mai Tai:
Cruzan Aged Light Rum
Dash of cointreau
Dash of nut liquor
Fresh squeezed orange juice
((Shake))
Float with Jamaican Dark Rum
Top with your favorite garnish! In Hawaii we usually use pineapple but I did a little spin on it with a super fresh organic orange slice, cherry, and fresh picked garden mint! It was a customer favorite for sure 🙂
Next, the Acai Bowl cocktail for two!
Who doesn’t love an acai bowl? I know I do! So much, that i designed a cocktail to imitate it! How fun is this? It’s just like your favorite frozen treat, but with a liquid twist! All of your classic acai fruits with a little hint of citrus and mint. So delicious and romantic too!
Ingredients:
Acai-blueberry Van Gogh vodka
Banana Van Gogh vodka
Guava juice
Cranberry Juice
Garnish with fruits!
In the photo above, I used blueberries, strawberries, citrus fruits, and a fresh garden mint. I’ve also used mango pieces and cherries for this recipe too 🙂 enjoy!
Last, the homemade Bloody Mary 
My most favorite cocktail I ever created from scratch was made with the help of my vegetable garden from my parents home in New Jersey. I juiced my own Jersey tomatoes to make this delicious afternoon treat!
Here’s how:
Muddle garden tomatoes with fresh basil, a lil horseradish, a lil olive juice, a lil lime juice, a lil bell pepper oil, an a dash of Tabasco and strain the juice through a gravy strainer into a cup and set aside.
Use a shaker to combine vodka, ice, and fresh muddled tomato juice. Shake it up and pour into a glass, with or without the ice. I prefer no ice so that it doesn’t get watered down.
My favorite part was the garnish! I used the beautiful summer basil grown in my parents’ garden with a fresh rosemary sprig and goat cheese stuffed Italian olives. I always use the very best vodka I can for a drink like this. Choose your favorite!
