Nora Maynard

Yes, believe it or not, there really is a drink called the Income Tax cocktail. And what better day than Tax Day to give this gin-based classic a try?

Just because the 4th of July weekend is over doesn’t mean our look at quick and easy celebratory cocktails has to end. After all, Bastille Day’s just around the corner, storming in next Thursday, July 14th. Here’s a light and lovely 3-ingredient cocktail to toast the occasion: the Liberté featuring the summery, citrusy apéritif, Lillet Blanc.When I first spotted this cocktail on the menu at an event I attended the other week, I was eager to give it a try.

Bourbon. Figs. Ginger. Honey. While this might sound like the beginnings of a luscious dessert, it’s actually the shopping list for a culinary-style cocktail with a sassy name.One of over 100 original recipes featured in Left Coast Libations, a cocktail book showcasing the creations of 51 mixologists from the West Coast of the U.S. and Canada, The Lazy Boy by Chris Churilla takes its inspiration – and most of its ingredients – from the kitchen.

There’s nothing like the briny crunch of a cocktail onion to complement a Gibson’s bracing coolness (in fact, garnished any other way, the drink would just be called a Martini). We like to leave ours til last, savoring the crisp, subtly sweet onion flavor with that final sip. But store-bought pickled onions can often be a letdown – squishy and flavorless duds.

Infused syrups. Muddled fruit. Zippy garnishes. Stylish glassware. Why should drinks made with a shot of the hard stuff have all the fun?Move over, Shirley Temple. “Soft” cocktails are growing up.This is the philosophy of the folks behind the bar at New York’s Eleven Madison Park. Here, alongside the usual booze-laden summer classics, is an intoxicating array of alcohol-free composed drinks.

Looking for new ways to toast Valentine’s Day at home this year? Polish up your best stemware for this bouquet of 12 cocktail and spirit ideas.Say It with Flowers St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur – A crystal-clear liqueur made from a white, star-shaped flower hand-harvested from the French Alps and delivered to the distillery by bicycle. Spirit backstory doesn’t get much more romantic than this.

The Bloody Mary is one of those decades-old drinks that seems to have earned itself as many die-hard haters as it has devoted fans. But love it or loathe it, this tangy, spicy, vodka and tomato juice-based cocktail’s a classic. In honor of Breakfast Week here at The Kitchn, here’s an up-close look at this savory brunch tipple/hangover cure.

Um, is it the long weekend yet? Here are 22 tantalizing (and citrusy, fizzy, garden-fresh, and easy) drink ideas to help get you into summer holiday mode.Citrusy and TangyKick back with something citrusy. There’s simply no substitute for the bright tang of just-squeezed lemon or lime (or grapefruit, or yuzu…) in a cocktail.

Looking for drinks to serve a crowd this Thanksgiving? Or maybe just to toast a romantic dinner for two? Something traditional? Or perhaps something with a more modern twist? Here are 12 Thanksgiving cocktail ideas from The Kitchn’s archives that we hope will inspire you.Looking for Something Using Fresh, Seasonal Ingredients?

Looking for a cocktail to cool off with over the Fourth of July weekend? Something simple and not too fussy that can help max out your chillaxing time? Here are 20 quick-and-easy ones from our archives, each made from no more than three simple ingredients. Perfect for these lusciously lazy days of summer.Fizzy Free-PoursJust a shot of spirit, a couple of glugs of soda, and a squeeze of citrus – these brightly bubbly combos can be thrown together in a snap. Exact measurements optional.

Spicy, zesty, and addictively tangy and salty, Sangrita makes the perfect sipping partner for tequila. I recently tried a version I’m over the moon for, and am excited to share the recipe with you today. What Is Sangrita? But first a little background. Sangrita is a non-alcoholic beverage traditionally served in a small glass alongside a shot of tequila or mezcal.

image:4db405b5c855741b7a4758aeeb7f7280c1c8ef10 w:540 s:"fit" class_name:"mt-image-center" show_pin_button:"true" show_image_credits:"true" As the days grow shorter and cooler, I begin to crave drinks with subtle, complex flavors. With its delicately layered and nuanced flavors and aromas, the Sazerac feels like the perfect drink for this time of year.

A rich and satisfying after-dinner drink blended from vodka, coffee liqueur, and light cream, the White Russian could almost be said to have it all. A one-stop source of alcohol, sugar, caffeine, and milk fat, the only legal substance it lacks is nicotine. The Coen brothers’ cult comedy classic, The Big Lebowski (1998), is a trippy, California-noir, loosely inspired by The Big Sleep (1946).

Have you tried Becherovka? Spicy, aromatic, and bittersweet, this iconic Czech liqueur makes a surprisingly flavorful addition to summer cocktails.Up until this year, Becherovka (pronounced beck-ur-OHV-kuh) was a rare sight in U.S. bars and liquor stores. But thanks to its recent acquisition by liquor giant Pernod Ricard, it’s now popping up on shelves nationwide.And although it’s relatively new to this part of the world, the liqueur comes with a 200-year-old pedigree.

Looking for a mouthwateringly good warm-weather cocktail with garden-fresh ingredients? How about a savory-sweet Watermelon-Cucumber Refresher?I was leafing through DIY Cocktails when this summer sipper immediately caught my eye. A drink made from cool slabs of sweet watermelon and soothingly vegetal cucumber seemed like the perfect thing on a hot day.

The tinkle of ice. The scent of fresh-cut lime. The bittersweet effervescence of tonic water. The soft, junipery astringency of gin. Mixed together, these four ingredients are heaven enough, no? But what would you say if we subbed out or added in one more element? Something with a botanical twist? Well, this week, I did just that: I mixed a Gin and Tonic four new ways.I’d already been hearing some buzz about souped-up gin and tonics.

Gin. Lemon. Sugar. Mint. That’s all you need to make this cool, citrusy summer sipper. So simple and so refreshingly good.There are quite a few stories about the origins of this gin-based, mint-kissed classic. By some accounts, it came from the South Side of Chicago and was enjoyed by Prohibition-era gangsters looking for a way to cover up the taste of some bad bootleg gin.

TGIF: Thank goodness I’ve fangsIf anyone deserves a drink this weekend, it’s the Bronx Zoo’s Cobra. Allow me to explain.The freedom-loving reptile became an instant celebrity when she escaped from the Bronx Zoo in late March. Tweeting as @BronxZoosCobra, she kept her followers entertained with witty reports of her exploits around New York City before she was finally apprehended and returned to her high-security enclosure six days later.

If you love apricots as much as I do, you’re in for a treat with today’s cocktail recipe: the luscious – and saucily named – Knicker Twist.I first tried this cocktail at Rye in Brooklyn. I’m a big fan of drinks from the sours family (alcohol + citrus juice + a sweetener) and this combination of vodka, fresh lime juice, orange liqueur, and apricot preserves immediately grabbed my interest.

I wanted to try a new recipe this week. Something light and clean and fresh-tasting as a way of toasting the new spring season. Well, I found one I’m absolutely over the moon about: the Kew Garden cocktail.

Impatiently waiting for spring? Dreaming about the flavors of ripe summer stone fruit and lush, dark berries? How about this tall, roaring-red cocktail made with ruby port: the Black Cup.

Looking to channel a little Old Hollywood glamor and elegance for the Academy Awards this Sunday – all from the no-tuxes-or-gowns-required comfort of your own cozy couch? How about shaking yourself up a batch of this simple yet luscious, 3-ingredient beauty: the White Lady cocktail.A pale cousin of the blush-colored Pink Lady, the White Lady is a classic sours recipe with a gin base, featuring the tart tang of fresh lemon juice tempered by the orangey bittersweetness of Cointreau.