THE CAPE CODDER

Serve In Highball Glass

The Cape Codder, or Cape Cod, is one of those popular highballs that are simply a shot of liquor over ice and topped with a mixer. In this case the ingredients are vodka and cranberry. This duo cocktail is the base for quite a few trios like the Sea Breeze, Bay Breeze and Madras, in which one other fruit juice is added to the mix. They all make great light, everyday drinks, especially on hot summer afternoons. Also, use Blavod, a black vodka, to turn a Cape Cod into a dark Black Widow.

• 3 oz cranberry juice
• 2 oz vodka
• lime wedge for garnish

Pour the ingredients into a highball glass with ice cubes. Stir well. Squeeze the lime juice into the drink. Drop the lime wedge into the glass.

WHITE RUSSIAN

Serve In A Old-Fashioned Glass

The White Russian is a drink everyone should know. It's a simple, creamy vodka mixed drink with a nice coffee flavor that makes a great after dinner sipper. If you skip the cream you'll have a Black Russian, give the White Russian a shake at the end and you have a Dirty Bird, add amaretto and you have a Roasted Toasted Almond. The related drink list to the White Russian is almost endless.

• 1 1/2 oz vodka
• 3/4 oz Kahlua
• 3/4 oz cream

Pour the vodka and Kahlua into an old-fashioned glass filled with ice. Stir. Gently top with the cream.

TOM COLLINS

Serve In A Collins Glass

The Tom Collins refreshing gin sour that is an excellent sipper for hot summer days. There are a two common ways to make this drink. The one below uses simple syrup and lemon while the other replaces those two ingredients with the convenience of sour mix.

• 1 1/2 oz gin
• 1 oz lemon juice
• 1/2 oz sugar syrup
• club soda
• maraschino cherry for garnish
• lemon slice for garnish

Pour the gin, lemon juice, and sugar syrup in a collins glass with ice cubes. Stir thoroughly. Top with club soda. Garnish with the cherry and orange slice.

ELECTRIC ICE TEA

Serve In A Collins Glass

The Electric Iced Tea is a simple variation of the Long Island Iced Tea. In this drink the triple sec is replaced with the "electrifying" hue of blue curacao – both orange liqueurs so only the color changes – and the cola falls aside to a lighter lemon-lime soda. This is a terrific drink that is a nice twist and is great for a party because most of us must admit there’s something special about a blue drink.

• 1/2 oz vodka
• 1/2 oz light rum
• 1/2 oz tequila
• 1/2 oz gin
• 1/2 oz blue curacao
• 1 oz sour mix
• splash of lemon-lime soda

Build the ingredients in a collins glass. Stir.

MIAMI ICE TEA

Serve In A Collins Glass

From the Long Island Iced Tea we travel down the coast for a Miami Iced Tea and it has a few more changes than some of the other "Iced Teas." In this fruitier version the tequila takes a hike and peach schnapps is brought in, cranberry juice is added (as in the Long Beach Tea) and cola’s out and lemon-lime soda is in. The Miami Iced Tea is a fantastic drink, especially for hot summer days.

• 1/2 oz vodka
• 1/2 oz light rum
• 1/2 oz gin
• 1/2 oz peach schnapps
• 1/2 oz triple sec
• 1 oz sour mix
• 1 oz cranberry juice
• splash of lemon-lime soda

Build the ingredients in a collins glass.