My friends and family all know that my partner and I are pretty fond of Las Vegas. It's a great town, full of excitement and really great times. From the amazing shows to the fantastic food, we love Vegas.In recent months, I've become hooked on two podcasts that are all about Vegas. The first was The Strip Podcast, with Steve Friess and Miles Smith. It's a fantastic show, in no small part due to the incredible interviews that Steve gets through his work as a freelance journalist for some pretty major news publications. His blog and podcast have gotten attention because he has broken a few big scoops about various Las Vegas business and entertainment happenings. Miles is no slouch either: he's the producer on the nightly news at a Vegas television station.If you're at all interested in some of the behind-the-scenes things happening in Vegas, or just want really interesting insights into the happenings of the *real* city that never sleeps from the perspective of some locals whose jobs involve digging into what's really happening, check out The Strip Podcast.But the real reason for this blog post is that I have created my first new cocktail, inspired by a call from my other favorite Las Vegas-related podcast, Five Hundy by Midnight. Hosted by Tim and Michele Dressen from their home in Minnesota, "FHBM" comes from the perspective that most of us have: occasional visitors to Vegas who spend their time between visits... planning their next visit! :-)On their most recent show, Michele put out a request: they want a FHBM drink. I have attempted to rise to the challenge!Searching my vast memories of drinking... well, only half-vast anyway... I actually remembered a drink I'd had a few years ago called the "Five In the Morning." I also remembered reading it in a cocktail recipe book I got for Christmas a few years ago. As I recalled, the drink is a little bit like a Long Island Iced Tea, just smaller, with a few fewer ingredients, and with a slightly sweeter taste.To turn the Five In the Morning into something different, I was inspired to change some of the ingredients based upon a comment from Michele: "...maybe something with Captain Morgan's in it..." Having been a long time fan of Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum, and in particular their incredibly smooth "Private Stock," it wasn't hard for me to think up a way to make the Five In the Morning a little different. So, in the great tradition of cocktail invention -- namely taking an existing drink and changing a couple of things to make a new drink -- I have created...
The Five Hundy By Midnight CocktailIngredients:* Ice* 3/4 oz Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum (Private Stock if available)* 3/4 oz Tequila* 3/4 oz Gin* 3/4 oz Vodka* 3/4 oz Triple sec* 3 oz Orange juice* 1 oz Sour mixMixing instructions:Place ice in glass and pour in the five liquors, followed by the orange juice and the sour mix. Shake and garnish with a maraschino cherry.
I tried making one tonight and it was pretty good. I might tinker with some of the amounts of things over time, but there you have it! The Five Hundy By Midnight. I hope Michele and Tim enjoy it half as much as I've enjoyed their podcast.And if Steve and Miles want a cocktail, they just have to ask. :D