Taste-Alikes

Today, I thought I'd go through a few "taste-alike" recipes. What I mean by "taste-alike" is that they taste like the thing they're named after. In some cases, you wouldn't think that combination of ingredients would taste the way it does, but it works. And below, there will be places where I'm referring to a mixing glass... If you've got a shaker tin and want to use that, feel free.

The first drink on today's menu is the Oatmeal Cookie. There are a couple of different recipes, but here's the one I like. Fill a mixing (pint) glass with ice. Pour in 1/2 oz. of the following: Jagermeister, Cinnamon Schnapps, Irish Cream (I prefer Bailey's), and Butterscotch Schnapps. Shake it and then strain it into a chilled glass. Yum.

Next up is the Apple Jolly Rancher. Get some ice in the mixing glass and then pour in 1 oz. of Apple Schnapps (not Apple Pucker), 1/2 oz. of Citrus Vodka (like Absolut Citron), 1/2 oz. of Triple Sec (Cointreau, if you want to go top shelf), and a splash each of Sweet & Sour Mix and Sprite. Stir it and strain it into a chilled glass. If you'd like, and don't want to get a bar spoon dirty, swirling the glass will work too.

The last one for today is the Chocolate Cake. This is one of those that you wouldn't think would work, but does. Pop some ice into the mixing glass and pour in 3/4 oz. each of Citrus Vodka and Hazelnut Liqueur (like Frangelico). Stir or swirl and strain into a shot glass. You'd garnish that with a sugar-coated lemon. You take the shot and then bite into the sugar-coated lemon. Tastes just like chocolate cake.

That's it for now... remember, please enjoy this stuff responsibly.