This Week in Cocktails: Holiday Jello Shots, Creme Brulee Martini, and Christmas Cocktails is a post from: Girly Drinks. Check out more ice wine and martini recipes.

Christmas Cocktails

The first week of December is coming to a close and the Christmas Cocktail recipes are starting to come out. To get you started and in the spirit, try a Snickerdoodle Cookie Cocktail, a holiday jello shot, or holiday water.

If you’re feeling like dessert in martini form, you’ll be drooling over the Creme Brulee Martini.

Belvedere Vodka is reintroducing Belvedere Silver for the holiday season, along with recipes for their variations of the Gibson and Mule Cocktail.

My old home, Vegas, always has the most amazing cocktails. Las Vegas Weekly rounds up some of the season cocktails being presented at clubs throughout the city, including Cocktail Trees at Sushi Samba, Vanguard Cider at Vanguard Lounge, and Mint & Chip Cocktail at Johnny Smalls.

Like Jack Daniel’s? Incorporate it into your holiday baking by taking a look at Spike the Cookies, Jack Daniel’s holiday website with spiked cookie and cocktail recipes.

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This Week in Cocktails: What Would Martha Drink, Sweet Potato Shots, and Thanksgiving Cocktails is a post from: Girly Drinks. Check out more ice wine and martini recipes.

Reserve de Mure: Rum, Blackberry, Pom Juice, and Cream De Mure Thanksgiving Cocktail

Thanksgiving is less than a week away. Enjoy some Thanksgiving themed cocktails like the Reserve de Mure or Gingerbread Man. And if the weather is getting you down, take a mental escape and enjoy a Prickly Margarita or a Toasted Coconut Colada.

Fan of Tales of the Cocktail, the world’s premier cocktail festival? They’ll be taking their New Orleans based conference to Vancouver, Canada March 13-15, 2011, featuring seminars and cocktail events at the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel. Find out more about Tales and the Vancouver events at Tales of the Cocktail.

Ready for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows? Enjoy a Frozen Butterbeer, made from cream soda and butterscotch schnapps, to psych yourself for the movie. Via Cook Like A Champion Blog

On a budget this Thanksgiving but still want to serve cocktails? Take YumSugar’s suggestions and make a Cranberry Champagne Cocktail. Via Budget Thanksgiving Drinks on YumSugar

Try The Chocolatier’s En-Core, created by Cheri Loughlin, which consists of Frangelico, Godiva Liqueur, Vodka, and Buttershots liqueur, among other winter themed cocktails like the Apfel Strudel and Winter Slumber. Via The Intoxicologist

Find out which drinks made the “Sexiest Cocktails” list, a group of cocktails inspired by the men of People’s Sexiest Man Alive. Cocktails include the Matthew McConaughey Match and The Flor de Caña Like It Mojito, inspired by Enrique Iglesias, among others. Via SheKnows.com

Drool over sweet potatoes? Try it in cocktail form with the “Shoot a Wild Turkey” shot. Wild turkey, sweet potatoes, butterscoth schnapps, and topped with marshmallows. The video is worth watching. Via Caroline on Crack

If sweet potatoes aren’t your thing, go for the Apple Pie on the Rocks, which consists of Frangelico, apple vodka, and apple cider. Via Bella Gets Real

What would Martha drink? Lots of Rosemary themed cocktails on Martha’s list for this Thanksgiving. Pear Rosemary and Olive Rosemary made Martha’s list, as well as Cognac Sparklers and 8 other cocktails. Via Martha Stewart

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This Week In Cocktails: Women & Whiskey, Contests, and Thanksgiving Cocktails is a post from: Girly Drinks. Check out more ice wine and martini recipes.

This week in cocktails, the Halloween themed martinis come to an end and the Thanksgiving and cold weather cocktails start making their rounds. There are also quite a few contests going on right now, so be sure to enter and enter often.

I always miss quite a bit when doing these roundups, so if you would like to be included or know of a link, please leave a comment or contact me on twitter at @girlydrinks.

• Roasted Jalapeno Blackberry Margarita: via KitchenKonfidence. Roasted jalapeno infused tequila (home made) mixes with muddled blackberries, orange liqueur, and fresh lime.
• Cranberry Spritz: via YumSugar. A simple cocktail recipe that combines cranberry juice, tangerine juice, rose and fresh cranberries.
• Van Gogh Blue Contest: From now until December 3rd, 2010, you can enter Van Gogh Blue’s Cocktails & Confessions contest on Facebook for a chance to win a ladie’s night in package with 25 friends, a $500 AMEX card, and a visit from gorgeous celebrity chef Jon Ashton who will cook for you and your friends.
  

  women and whiskies

• Women and Whiskies: Skyy Spirits has launched a new program for women who love whiskey. Join the Facebook group to join in on the whiskey conversation, and check out the whiskey based cocktail recipes, including the Hibiki Falling Leaves.
• Reyka Vodka and Iceland Naturally Contest: 10 Trips to Iceland are up for grabs in the “Toast to Iceland” sweepstakes. Ten Reyka Vodka fans will win an all expense paid trip for two to Iceland.
• Spice Up Your Season Pie Sweepstakes: From the Food Network comes a chance to win $4,500 cash and a collection of Food Network Chef Cookbooks. Just vote for your favorite pie recipes on the Food Network from now until November 29, 2010.
• Apple Cider Cups: From Gimme Some Oven, enjoy your favorite warm cocktail, or apple cider, in an apple.
• Thanksgiving Cocktail Recipes from Cosmopolitan: Six Thanksgiving themed cocktails from Cosmopolitan, including a Cranberry Ginger Martini and a Spiced Apple Martini.
• 21+ Must Try Classic Cocktails: The Intoxicologist prepares 21 classic cocktails, complete with drool worthy pictures.
• Bourbon Milk Punch: Todd Abrams at Gourmet Underground creates a Bourbon Milk Punch cocktail.
• 10 Winter Cocktails: Chicago Now rounds up 10 cocktails that are perfect for winter, including a Gingerbread Hot Toddy and a Spiced Old Fashioned.

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Give Me Back That Crème Yvette, Give It To Me…Link Roundup and Testing Cocktails In Order To Stay Skinny is a post from: Girly Drinks. Check out more ice wine and martini recipes.

Rhubarb Cocktails

Another round of links from cocktailers around the web! This week, the Pickle Back talk is beginning to die down and Creme Yvette talk is heating up. There’s contests, recipe submission opportunities, cocktail recipes, and blind taste testing results to keep you busy for a few minutes:

• The Pickle Back: For the past few weeks, all the cocktailers on twitter have been talking about The Pickle Back: a shot of Jameson Irish Whiskey followed by a back of pickle juice. While it doesn’t sound appealing, the flavors supposedly work well together.
• Creme Yvette Cocktails: The newest trend, however, is Creme Yvette. A blend of berries, spices, honey, vanilla, and a touch of violet petals, Creme Yvette ceased production in 1969 and just recently made a reappearance. Use it in gin cocktails if you’re a fan of the Aviation, or try it in an absinthe based cocktail.
• Six Signs You’re in a Serious Cocktail Bar: @Swigs_ has reposted an article that originally ran in the Metro Times, detailing the six signs that you’re in a serious cocktail bar. When an “apple martini” is actually a “Jack Rose” (applejack brandy, fresh lime juice, grenadine) instead of vodka and sour apple liqueur, that’s a sign that the bartender knows their stuff.
• Women Who Drink Gain Less Weight: According to a study that was posted in the New York Times, nondrinkers gained more weight over time while regular moderate drinkers gained much less. “The risk of becoming overweight was almost 30 percent lower for women who consumed one or two alcohol beverages a day, compared with nondrinkers.“
• Chance to Appear in The Cocktail Deeva’s Newest Cocktail Book: @CocktailDeeva is working on her newest book and you have a chance to be featured in it! Send The Cocktail Deeva your life stories and the cocktail that goes along with that story – if chosen, you’re in the book!
• The Whiskey Renaissance: Top 5 Rye Bottles: Bon Appétit Magazine writer Andrew Knowlton blind taste tested 16 different brands of Rye with PDT bartender, Jim Meehan. The result: 5 Ryes that are worth your money.
• 20+ Recipes That Call For Beer: From Fine Living Network, over 20 Recipes that use beer, including “Bubba’s Beer Biscuits” and “Beer-a-mi-su.”
• LUPEC Boston Celebrates International Women’s Day With a Ladies’ Cocktail: March 5th was International Women’s Day, and the ladies of LUPEC (Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails) Boston suggest that you try the Ladies’ Cocktail to celebrate.
• Beer With Branson: This is just a fun story. Justin “Bugsy” Sailor wants to have beer with Richard Branson, and he’s reaching out to anyone that might have a connection to Sir Branson.
• Bartender’s/Waitresses/Hostesses Wanted For LA Reality Show: Your chance to be on TV! One of Hollywood’s celebrity restaurateurs, along with a major cable network, is looking for bartenders, servers, and hostesses to audition for a chance to be on national TV.
• Pinky Vodka Mixology Contest: Pinky Vodka is giving mixologists the chance to create a new featured cocktail for their brand and an opportunity to win $500 to $1,000 dollars (grand prize and runner up winners). One entry per participant is allowed, and the entries must contain at least one fresh ingredient and Pinky Vodka, with no more than five ingredients total.
• Rhubarb Cooler: Just in case you missed it - The Rhubarb Cooler, a recipe from Kara Newman’s book and virtual cocktail party.
• The Razz: Cheri Loughlin, The Intoxicologist, is on a coffee kick (check out her tweets) – so much so that she decided to come up with a few coffee cocktails, including The Razz (DaVinci Raspberry syrup, half & half, hot coffee, whipped cream).
• Tales of the Cocktail: Just a PSA that Tales of the Cocktail is only 132 days away! Tickets went on sale last week, with seminars covering everything from gin to a “Ladies Only hands-on demo” with master mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim (The Modern Mixologist).

For more cocktail news and recipes, follow Girly Drinks on twitter or facebook.

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Link Roundup: I Managed to Miss No Less Than 3 National Cocktail Holidays Last Week is a post from: Girly Drinks. Check out more ice wine and martini recipes.

Where I slacked, however, some great cocktail bloggers posted a variety of cocktail recipes, including those for the National Cocktail Days that have passed.

National Margarita Day

• National Kahlua Day Cocktails: National Kahlua Day has gone and passed, but The Intoxicologist has rounded up a list of cocktails made with Kahlua that can be made any day.
• Absolut Mandarin Dreamsicle Cookies: Not cocktails, but these delicious looking cookies are made with Absolut Mandarin vodka. Very cool and out of the box – perfect for a themed party or the next family get together
• National Pancake Day: Alas, I also missed National Pancake Day last week. IHop was giving away free pancakes and twitter was buzzing about pancake recipes. Of course, the cocktail connoisseurs out there came up with a pancake cocktail (it’s not gross, I promise). Lettuce Martini presents the Blueberry Pancake Martini.
• St. Patrick’s Day Cocktails: St Patty’s Day is still a few weeks away, but Drink of the Week is already gearing up with a list of St. Patrick’s Day Drinks.
• The Lemon Meringue Pie Cocktail (discovered via Liqurious):  The folks over at Hello Sonoma have re-created the Lemon Meringue Pie in cocktail form!
• Best Picture Cocktails: Just in time for the Oscars (March 7th), Chow.com has identified 10 Oscar worthy cocktails that fit in with each of the nominated films this year. Perfect excuse to host a Oscar watching party
• National Margarita Day: Yep, this was a national holiday last week, as well. I drank a margarita on National Margarita Day (at Harrah’s Atlantic City), but I didn’t post anything. Still, you can celebrate with a margarita any day. Cosmo Online posted two different recipes, a honeydew margarita and a pink margarita.
• Budget Friendly Cocktails: Using Seagrams Lime Melonade as the base, these three summer cocktails can be made in large quantities for a low price.
• Tales of the Cocktail is less than 142 days away! Specialty tickets go on sale today, March 1st. Take it from someone that loves cocktails so much she started a blog about them – this is the most amazing event! I could go on and on (I am) about why you should attend, but here’s the top 3 reasons: discover new spirits that you’ve previously shyed away from (I discovered my obsessive love for gin, a spirit I thought I didn’t like, because of TOTC); meet some talented folks that know how to make excellent and unique cocktails; and discover the beautiful city of New Orleans through a wonderful cocktail event.

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Weekly Cocktail Roundup: October 16, 2009 is a post from: Girly Drinks. Check out more ice wine and martini recipes.

I received an email from a reader this week that requested I bring back my “Girly Drinks Link Love” posts, a weekly post of cocktail recipes and going-ons from around the web. I haven’t done a link/roundup post in quite awhile, so here’s my effort to bring it back as a weekly feature. Know of a site that I should check out or a post that you think should have been featured here? Leave a message in the comments and I’ll make sure to check it out, update the post, or review it for the following week.

Cocktail Blog Roundup: Cocktail Recipes

• EverydayDrinks.tv: Cherry Tootsie Pop and the Toblerone Cocktail
• YumSugar: The Whiskey Sour
• The Intoxicologist and The Examiner: 10 Candy Bar Cocktails
• Cocktails.About.com: Pink cocktails and October Breast Cancer Awareness
• Luxist: The History of Girly Drinks at Raffles Hotels
• Bloomacious: The Halloween (chocolate) Martini
• Guardian: Chocolate Brabmble cocktail recipe

Conferences and Events

• Nothing new coming up that I know of – I could use some help for this section So for now, check out Tales of the Cocktail (Summer 2010) or the recent New York Food and Wine Fest, which occurred last week.

TV Shows

• Bartender Wars debuts on The Fine Living Network. Recipes from this week’s episode include a Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake, Fairy Godfather, and Banana Berry.
• Last week’s Top Chef episode featured pairings of Pigs and Pinots, with the Chefs working with Charlie Palmer and Aureole restaurant at Mandalay Bay to cook up plates for a Pigs and Pinot event in Las Vegas, NV.
• Did you notice any cocktails featured on your favorite TV show?

Contests

• Twitter Cocktail Contest from @tntdiner and The News Tribune. Send @tntdiner a 140 character tweet about cocktails (your favorite cocktail, reviews of bars, etc.) – best tweet wins a cocktail recipe book and cookbook. contest runs until October 26th, 2009.
• Via The Intoxicologist: Martini Contest for Female Mixologists. To enter, send a link to video, 2 to 3 minutes in length, of yourself preparing a James Bond Martitni and explaining why your martini is one that Bond Girls like Honey Rider, Solitaire, Octopussy, Vesper Lind and Melina Havelock would imbibe. Contest runs until November 8th, 2009.
• Three Olives Vodka Bubble Car Sweepstakes: Visit Three Olives Vodka to register to win a brand new Bubble Car. Ends October 31, 2009
• Foodie Fly Away from Top Chef and Bravo: Enter the Top Chef Foodies Flyaway Sweepstakes by entering your name and email on the Bravo/Top Chef web site. The grand prize winner will receive a round trip air ticker for two to the Food and Wine Classic in Aspen, CO, plus 3 days/2 nights hotel accommodations in Aspen and 2 tickets to the Food and Wine Classic. Ends November 18th, 2009.

What’s New

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  Belvedere Silver

  Bethenny Frankel’s “Skinny Girl Margarita” is now available in stores

• Belvedere Vodka introduces “Silver” for the Holiday Season.
• Twitter launches a wine label
• Check out the new Fine Living Network “Cocktail of the Day” widget located on the sidebar of Girly-Drinks.com!

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Girly Drinks Link Love is a post from: Girly Drinks. Check out more ice wine and martini recipes.

• Drink Planner: How to buy a Women a Drink. Enough Said.
• The Sun: RECESSIONISTAS say: ‘Staying in over Christmas is the new going out.’ Perfect. Check out recipes from The Sun for “Credit Crunch Xmas Cocktails,” including The Ginger Grouse Cocktail and The Famous Festive Cobbler Cocktail. 
• AJC.com: How To Tell Which Cocktails are Fattening. Possibly a good guide for the holiday season, but I could have done without knowing the my beloved Chocolate Martini belongs in the 400+ club. Ah, shoot.
• Forbes: In honor of the 75th anniversary of Prohibition’s Repeal, Forbe’s has put together a list of 10 Cocktails that are easy to make at home…

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Girly Drinks Link Love: Spirits Magazines Edition is a post from: Girly Drinks. Check out more ice wine and martini recipes.

• Wine & Spirits Magazine: Do you fancy yourself a wine connoisseur? Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone about the two buck chuck from Trader Joe’s that you tried to pass off as a rare find to your friend that doesn’t know what Trader Joe’s is (ha, I’ve tried it. Who could’ve guessed that she worked for Trader Joe’s in college…). Either way, Wine & Spirits Magazine has their list of Wine Value Brands of 2008, with everything from the Top 5 Chilean Value Brand Wines to the Top 3 Greek Wines. Sweet….
• Talking Drinks: If you’ve ever thought to yourself “Man, I wish I could quit this job to become a Senior Brand Manager for Absolut,” then you are kind of in luck! While I’ve been commenting on blogs hoping that some CEO from a spirit company will notice my awesome-ness and swoop me off my feet to become part of the luxurious world of spirits marketing, Talking Drinks has been posting and fulfilling those wonderful dream jobs. Also check out their feature on the Green Wine Summit, the first annual summit forum dedicated to green wine processes, being held in Santa Rosa, CA December 1st through 2nd.
• Food & Wine: Check out Food & Wine’s Slideshow featuring 10 Holiday  Drinks. You’ll start with a recipe for the Sticky Toffee Pudding Eggnog and end with the Rosemary Gin Fizz.
• Cocktail Times: Not looking forward to dodging questions from your Aunt Mary this Thanksgiving regarding your single status? Liquor her up with a “Cosmopolitan Turkey Panini” and drink the remaining vodka yourself. Happy Holidays!
• Bev Info Group: Stop by the Bev Info Group online magazine for a glimpse into the latest and greatest in spirits, products and trends…

*Girly Drinks Christmas Cocktails Photo Courtesy of Flickr

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