Anne Taintor - Im So Happy Its Happy Hour: Sinfully Delicious Cocktails for Any Occasion

I grew up with a proper reverence for cocktails. My grandfather used to sit on the back steps with his next-door neighbor and a couple of cocktails. They called this their hour of charm. Every day when my father came home from work, he and my mother took their cocktails into the sunroom and sent us kids outside. Nothing was ever more exciting than peeking from the top of the staircase when my parents invited in a houseful of friends for a few shakerfuls. When, as a young adult, I was finally able to drink cocktails myself, I made one or two slight errors in judgment.

As a matter of self-preservation, I adopted the never mix, never worry approach to drinking and became for many years a one-drink gal. Oh, the wasted years! My friend Martha once told me that after three martinis (my one drink), I find myself very amusing. So as I tested cocktails for inclusion in this collection, I endeavored to limit myself to two per eveningnot as easy as it sounds! Who knew there was such a big delicious world of cocktails beyond my (still beloved) Hendricks martini? The Merry Widow cocktail is a new personal favorite; every time I drink one, I feel as though Im wearing pearls and heels. (Believe me, Im not.) The Frostbite was a monumental success at the Taintor family Christmas reunion. Against all odds, my six-foot-five, leather-clad nephew has become a huge fan of the Pink Squirrel. I look forward wistfully to a long summer of Naked Waiters on my patio.

And the Scarlet Lady? Any cocktail featuring Campari is a winner in my book. You know what they say about nice work if you can get it? Putting this collection together was the nicest work I ever got! I sincerely hope that you will enjoy every one of these cocktails just as much as I did. Cheers!

Who has not, when in a festive mood, put an umbrella in her martini? But the very best drink in which to put an umbrella is the classic pia colada. 2 ounces light rum 2 ounces cream of coconut 1 ounce coconut milk 1 ounce pineapple juice 1/8 cup chopped pineapple 1 cups crushed ice Pineapple wedge for garnish Mix the liquid ingredients and the chopped pineapple in a blender with the crushed ice at high speed until smooth. Pour into a hurricane glass. Garnish with a pineapple wedgeand an umbrella. They used to call it unexpected turbulence, a phrase fraught with suggestion.

Now they call it rough air. No wonder they say air travel has lost its glamour! Create a little unexpected turbulence of your own with this glamorous classic cocktail. 2 ounces gin ounce maraschino liqueur ounce lemon juice Ice cubes Maraschino cherry for garnish Shake the liquid ingredients vigorously with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

Nuance is everything. Adios and hasta luego? Kind of the sameand yet oh so different. Many years ago I worked in a bar, and I served five hundred million Sombreros.

The Sombreros we served were coffee liqueur and milk over ice. People seemed to like them, but I think you will find this cocktail much more nuanced. 1 ounce pure agave tequila 1 ounce coffee liqueur 2 teaspoons crme de cacao 4 ounces light cream Ice cubes Grated nutmeg for garnish Shake the liquid ingredients vigorously with ice and strain into a chilled old-fashioned glass. Sprinkle with grated nutmeg.

If you spend too long hanging around with nuns (say, for instance, in your eight years of Catholic school), you run the very real risk of turning into a goody two-shoes. Dont despair! With a little creative drinking, youll kick off those shoes in no time! This yummy cocktail should help. 1 ounce dark rum 1 ounce peach schnapps 1 ounce coconut liqueur 1 ounce pineapple juice 1 ounce orange juice Ice cubes Pineapple wedge for garnish Shake the liquid ingredients vigorously with ice and strain into a large cocktail glass. My first mother-in-law used to refer to me, I am told, as that gypsy. My first mother-in-law used to refer to me, I am told, as that gypsy.

Guess what I called her? 1 ounce Tia Maria 1 ounce Baileys Irish Cream 1 ounce vodka Pour the Tia Maria into a double shot glass. Using the back of a spoon, slowly float the Baileys Irish Cream, and then the vodka, in that order.

If what youre looking for in a relationship is charm, maturity, and honest affection, you may be looking for a cat. If what youre looking for in a cocktail is fruity and delicious, look no further. 2 ounces gin 4 ounces pineapple juice Ice cubes 1 teaspoon grenadine Combine the gin and the pineapple juice in an old-fashioned glass almost filled with ice cubes. Stir well.