just a couple of drink questions

I'm getting together the ingredients for a bar (nineteen bottles so far) and I have some questions.

If a recipe call for banana liquor is Creme de Banana a good choice. What else is there?

When cream is called for is light or heavy prefered?

None of my books have any non alcoholic recipes. I don't want my designated drivers to have plain, boring drinks. Can you share one?

Where do you get cocktail monkies from?

jeremy

On 2003-07-06 11:32, jeremyillingworth wrote:
I'm getting together the ingredients for a bar (nineteen bottles so far) and I have some questions.

If a recipe call for banana liquor is Creme de Banana a good choice. What else is there?

Creme de Banana is the most common name for banana liqueur. I like Bols brand but many companies make it (Hiram Walker, DeKuyper). If money's no object you can buy Marie Brizard brand from France.

When cream is called for is light or heavy prefered?

Half and half is best. Heavy cream may be a bit much.

None of my books have any non alcoholic recipes. I don't want my designated drivers to have plain, boring drinks. Can you share one?

There have been several threads on this topic in the past. Do a search on "non-alchoholic".

Where do you get cocktail monkies from?

If you can't find them in a local store there are online sources. Vintage Vending has 100 for $4.95, and Archie McPhee has 100 for $5.95.

http://www.vintagevending.com/products_shop-detail.cfm?PID=1989&CID=185
http://www.mcphee.com

Welcome to TikiCentral Jeremy!

Pier 1 Imports has long toothpicks with monkeys and palm fronds, but they are for spearing food. They actually look pretty cool in a party setting.

If you want to give your drinks an extra kick, there is a banana schnapps called "99 Bananas" - it 99 proof! The flavor is a little too strong for my liking (and tastes 'fake' if that makes any sense), but if you REALLY like banana...

I've found both mermaids and monkeys at Cost Plus, as well as parasols and palm tree straws, but buying them online is a lot cheaper. You can often find eBay auctions for these with a really low "Buy it Now".

Here are some non-alcoholic choices that I sometimes serve to my underage guests.

Pineapple Iced Tea
Ingredients:
6 tea bags
1/2 cup sugar
4 cups boiling water
fresh mint
juice of 3 lemons
5 tablespoons pineapple juice

Directions:
Place tea bags and sugar in a 2-quart pitcher.
Add 4 cups of boiling water.
Steep for 15 minutes.
Remove tea bags.
Steep fresh mint leaves in tea for at least 3 minutes.
Remove mint leaves.
Add lemon and pineapple juices.
Fill the pitcher with cold water.
Serve over ice.
Garnish with pineapple and fresh mint leaves.

Mo`o's Power Punch
Ingredients:
1 Can (6 oz.) Lemonade concentrate
1 Can (6 oz.) Orange Juice Concentrate
1 Tsp. Vanilla
1 Tsp. Almond Extract
10 C. Water
1 1/2 C. Sugar
1 Quart Sprite
Three simple steps to follow:1) Combine all ingredients except Sprite.2) Stir to blend.3) Add ice and Sprite just before serving.

Aunty Leilani's Strawberry Punch
Ingredients:
1 Pkg. (6 oz.) Strawberry Gelatin
1/2 C. Sugar
1 Qt. Hot Water
1 Can (6 oz.) Frozen Lemon Juice, Thawed
1 Qt. Water
1 Bottle (28 oz.) Sparkling Water Or 7-Up, Chilled
Three simple steps to follow:1) Dissolve gelatin and sugar in hot water; cool.2) Add remaining ingredients; pour over ice in a punch bowl.3) Garnish with fresh strawberries and mint.This recipe yields 30 (4 oz.) servings. Garnish with fresh straw-berries and mint.

Tropical-Not-A-Colada
Ingredients:
3/4 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
Half a banana
2 to 3 packets sweetener
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon coconut extract
3 to 4 ice cubes
Combine ingredients in blender.
Blend on high for 30 seconds, until smooth and creamy.
Pour into your favorite tiki mug and serve with straw.
Makes one 12 ounces serving. Variation: Substitute 1/2 cup of fresh or unsweetened frozen strawberries for banana. If using fresh berries, add 3-4 extra ice cubes.

Free Woody
Ingredients:
2 ounces cocoa creme
3 ounces orange juice
1 scoop vanilla ice cream
Strawberries
Whipped cream

Mix cocoa creme, orange juice and ice cream in a blender with ice.
Pour over strawberries in glass.
Stir with a straw to create a festive design.
Top with fresh whipped cream and a strawberry

Refreshing Raspberry Daiquiri
Ingredients:
2 ounces Sweet & Sour mix
2 ounces Sierra Mist Soda
4 ounces of Raspberry puree
Whipped cream.

Place ingredients in blender and add ice
Mix until desired thickness.
Pour into your favorite tiki mug and top with whipped cream.

Pomegranate Paradise
Ingredients:
4-5 ounces chilled ginger ale or ginger beer (see cook's notes)
1/2 ounce grenadine or pomegranate syrup (non-alcoholic - see cook's notes)
Cracked ice
Optional garnish: 5-7 pomegranate seeds

Combine ingredients (except garnish) in glass measuring cup.
Stir to combine.
Strain into chilled martini glass.
If desired, garnish with pomegranate seeds.
Serve immediately. Cook's notes: I like to use ginger ale with attitude, such as Vernors or Stewart's Ginger Beer, but any ginger ale will work. Grenadine is pomegranate syrup. Make sure you use one that doesn't contain alcohol. Pomegranate syrup is sold in Eastern Mediterranean markets.

South Sea Cooler
Ingredients:
3 ounces orange juice
1/2 ounce undiluted grapefruit concentrate
1 ounce coconut cream
1 ounce half-and-half
About 3/4 cracked ice.

Place all ingredients in shaker
Shake vigorously.
Pour into tall, chilled glass.

The Virgin Lei
Ingredients:
6 ounces Pina Colada Mix
1 ounce pineapple juice
1 ounce strawberry preserves
Ice
Garnish: pineapple wedge

Put all ingredients and ice into blender.
Blend until desired consistency.
Pour into your favorite tiki mug and decorate with pineapple wedge.
Add more pineapple for a more fruity taste.