Good Morning Darlings!

It has been quite a sweltering week here in Atlanta. With temps topping 100F, we are just about to melt.

I am so ready to enjoy the weekend and beat the heat.

Have you ever tried a Moscow Mule? I hadn’t either. Until recently. It is made with my newest favorite ingredient, ginger beer. And there are always limes in our house, so this is easy peasy. I can even fill you in on a terrific bargain – For a limited time only, Russian Standard Vodka is offering the ultimate cocktail accessory: The Moscow Mule Co-Pack.

Russian Standard gives you two of the three ingredients, making the job of “at-home bartender” even easier! Each pack includes a 750 ML bottle of Russian Standard Vodka and an accompanying bottle of Regatta Ginger Beer for a small price tag of $18.99!

And here’s the incredibly easy recipe for your own Moscow Mule.

2 oz. Russian Standard Vodka
5 oz. Ginger Beer
Squeeze of Lime

Build in a mug over ice.

With Daquiri Day coming up on July 19th, you might like one of these luscious tiki drinks. Go on and splurge on the cute paper umbrellas. Mix them up the way Hemingway did with this recipe. This recipe uses Flor de Cana rum, which has been my rum of choice all summer, showing up in regular Cuba Libres at our house.

1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
3/4 oz. maraschino liqueur
1 oz. fresh grapefruit juice
1 1/2 oz. Flor de Caña 4 Year Extra Lite

Shake with ice, and strain into a chilled 5 1/2 oz. coupe. Garnish with a cherry.

You know, I just picked up some Izze Grapefruit soda – I wonder how it would taste using it instead of the plain grapefruit juice? I am going to try it! Fizzy!

Last, but never least, I give you Partida, Oprah’s favorite tequila. If you can’t trust Oprah, who can you trust? I especially love the sweet rounded bottles. I love these ideas for this scrumptious tequila. And isn’t it always time for something with tequila?

Ruby Partida
1 ½ oz Partida Reposado Tequila
1 ½ oz Fresh Ruby Red Grapefruit juice
½ oz Cointreau
½ oz Fresh squeezed lemon juice
½ oz French Cassis

Shake the first 4 ingredients in a shaker with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Pour the ½ oz French Cassis down the inside of the glass so it will settle at the bottom.
Recipe by King Cocktail — Dale De Groff

Southern Heat
1 ½ oz Partida Blanco Tequila
¾ oz Cointreau
1oz Fresh squeezed lime juice
6 Slices of cucumber skinned
2 to 3 Slices of jalapeno
¼ oz of simple syrup

In a mixing glass muddle the cucumber, jalapeno, lime juice and simple syrup. Add the ice, Partida Blanco Tequila and Cointreau. Shake and strain into an Old-fashioned glass and garnish with cucumber slices fanned out.

All those ideas should give you a dang good start to the weekend. Remember to imbibe responsibly and to always send your designated driver flowers the next day. We love our designated drivers!

xoxo, Patti

Today blogging to Katy Perry – Last Friday Night (TGIF)