Sips & Apps

I just got an iPhone and I'm am slightly addicted (well, that's an understatement - it's like crack). I'm excited because now I'll be able to Tweet more for Martini Talk to bring you the best cocktails in all the cities I go to.

So, I've spent the morning doing my new favorite thing (downloading free apps, of course!) and unfortunately, I couldn't really find any cocktail apps I like.

Any suggestions?

I think the problem is that all the apps I find seem to have a lot of the same traditional sips. I wish there was an app that mixed up all the great cocktails served up at restaurants and bars around the country. It could be filtered by city, style (old-school, molecular, herbal, etc.), spirit (sort of like the UrbanSpoon app - my new fave). That's it -- Martini Talk needs its own app! I wonder how I could make that happen....

Now that I have a new phone, my old phone will soon be retired. As I was clearing everything out, I noticed that I had a lot of cocktail recipes saved in my notepad (which I should have Tweeted). So I thought I'd list them here. Enjoy!

Rooskie Doo @ Rick Moonen's RM Seafood, Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas
Chinaco blanco tequila, lemon juice, grapefruit juice, and honey-ginger syrup. Garnished with house-pickled jicama.

10 Sage @ Palomino, Indianapolis
Tangueray, Alize gold passion, fresh sage leaves, and fresh lime sour mix

Rafaella @ deSantos, New York
Vodka, fresh raspberries, Cointreau, fresh orange and lime

Classe X @ Bagatelle, New York
Belvedere IX, muddled ginger, lime juice, pineapple juice, and passion fruit syrup

Grapefruit Basil Martini @ Whiskey Blue, W New York
Bombay Sapphire, grapefruit juice, basil, and simple syrup

Nina Fresa @ Sushi Samba NYC7
Svedka vodka, muddled strawberries, orange liqueur, lime, guava

Tequlia!

In case you missed National Tequila Day like I did (it was last Friday, the 24th), you can make up for it by mixing up one of these delicious sips I discovered on one of my many trips to the Wynn Las Vegas this year.

Fiesta Fatale (left), made with Milagro tequila, Patron Citronage, passion fruit puree, fresh lime, and organic agave nectar.

Margarita al Melograno (right): Herradura reposado tequila, Luxardo maraschino liqueur, fresh squeezed lime juice, pomegranate juice, and organic agave nectar.

Must. Have. Tao.

OK, so I'm here in Vegas (4th time this year) and during my requisite stop at Tao (this restaurant should seriously pay me to eat here...), I decided to try the signature sip: The Tao-tini. Of course, it was amazing, just like the joint's delicious lobster wontons. Here are the ingredients.

The Tao-tini
Absolut Mandarin
Stoli Razberi
Malibu Rum
Cranberry Juice
Fresh lime Juice

PS: Really sorry I have not been posting...an no, sadly, I wasn't even at Tales. I've recently moved and became an aunt, so life has been a little hectic -- but there has been no shortage of cocktails to celebrate these new life events. Watch this space for more Martini Talk soon -- promise!

Wynner Drinks All

Just got back from my second trip to Vegas. Yes, second. I actually have to go to Vegas at least 5 times this year for work. Some people feel bad for me, but I'm trying to make the best of it, which is pretty easy considering this time I got to stay at Steve Wynn's Encore and the cocktails in this town are faabuloussss (I hope you could hear me sing that in my high-pitched voice). Here we go:

Citronnade at Encore's Island Bar: Grey Goose Le Citron, Cointreau and fresh sweet and sour

Smiling Buddha Sangria at Koi in the skank-tastic Planet Hollywood: white wine, Licor 43, white peach puree, fresh mango, oranges and peaches

Raspberry Lemon Drop at Sinatra in Encore (shown above): Stoli Rasberi, Danny DeVito's limoncello (yes, the Danny DeVito), and sweet and sour served in a dried raspberry-sugar rimmed martini glass

Cadillac Margarita at Dos Caminos in The Palazzo: a margarita with Grand Marnier

Rhubarb and Strawberry Collins at Daniel Boulud in Wynn: Zephyr Blue gin, Cointreau, club soda, muddled strawberries and rhubarb juice

What happens in Vegas...

...definitely stays in Vegas -- unless we are talking about cocktails. I've been in town since Thursday, and while there have been many highlights -- Paul Oakenfold, Cirque du Soleil, the Center Bar at the Hard Rock Hotel (above) -- these cocktails deserve an honorable mention. So let's get to it.

Mango Tamarind Martini at Tao in The Venetian: Finlandia Mango, Cranberry Juice, and tamarind

Stoli Doli at Capital Grille: Stoli vodka infused with Dole pineapples for 10 days - a new American classic

Black Rabbit at Okada in Wynn: Takara Shochu (Japanese rice vodka), passion fruit juice, and grenadine

Pom Sangria at Okada in Wynn: Ichinokura sake, vodka, pomegranate juice, and sprite

Momo Punch at Pearl in the MGM Grand: Bacardi rum, Hakasatura sake, coconut milk, and angostura bitters