Annie's Espresso Martini

Y’all, people in Dallas, TX love them a good espresso martini. I swear it’s the brandy ice of Texas. Like most things, I’ve jumped right on board. A late night at The Mansion for live music and an espresso martini is a recipe for a great night and a hangover - ha! However, here’s my caveat with espresso martinis, I can’t do caffeine. I can’t do caffeine in the morning - jitter sister, and I sure as heck can’t do caffeine around 10:00 o’clock at night.

So, enter Annie’s Espresso Martini! I use a decaf shot of espresso and the best coffee liqueur. Disclaimer, there is a little caffeine in the liqueur, but it’s fine, I’m fine. And now don’t at me for not garnishing with coffee beans, once you garnish with chocolate shavings you’ll never go back.

Annie’s Espresso Martini
yields 1 martini

Ingredients:
.75 ounce Tito’s Vodka
.75 ounce Patrón XO Cafe (coffee liqueur)*
1 decaf espresso shot, or 1 ounce of instant coffee*
1/8 tsp vanilla extract
coffee beans or chocolate shavings for garnish

Directions:
Run your martini glass under water and shake off any excess, then place in the freezer. This will help keep your martini extra cold. Pull your shot of espresso and let it cool while you prepare the other ingredients. Into your martini shaker add the vodka, coffee liqueur, and vanilla extract. Add in your cooled espresso shot and fill halfway up with ice. Shake until the shaker is freezing cold, about 12-15 seconds. Strain into a martini glass and top with 3 coffee beans or chocolate shavings. Cheers!

Bartenders notes:
*I prefer Patron’s coffee liqueur, it has a deep chocolate-like flavor that is crazy good. To avoid buying a huge bottle for one drink, you can often find them in mini airplane shot sizes at most big-box liquor stores. Kahlúa or any coffee liqueur will do.

*I prefer using decaf here because unless I’m drinking this martini at breakfast 😜I don’t need the caffeine. If you have an espresso machine at home great, if you don’t, you can order a single shot for cheap from Starbucks. Instant coffee also works great here since it’s typically very strong.

*.75 ounce is just shy of a small jigger if you have a double-sided jigger

Does anyone else follow the hilarious @espresso.martinis Instagram account? I give this a 10/10!

Annie

My Cocktail Shaker Kit (under $35)
My Martini Glasses (set of 4 under $15)

Guest Post: Mary Martini

I’m thrilled to introduce you to my friend Mary today. Mary is my Nancy Meyers obsessed, oldies music loving, eye for a perfectly curated Instagram - soul sister. Today she is giving Take A Bite readers a recipe for her signature cocktail with a themed playlist to match. Without further ado, cheers to Mary Martini!

What do Carrie Bradshaw and Betty Draper have in common? A signature cocktail. Read all about the quest for mine.

Somewhere between idolizing Carrie Bradshaw and binge-watching Mad Men, I realized it was imponent I choose a signature beverage (hold the cigarette). These women sophisticatedly bruted with social pizazz and class while sipping cocktails that were not for the faint of heart. I quickly attached to the idea of the martini because the glass was chic, the beverage was timeless, and most every restaurant can serve one. The issue: I hate olives. Half the fun of ordering a martini out is saying you want it “dirty”. It's the type of notion my mother would be just disappointed enough to hear me say that would make me want another. 

Right around the time of my search, Hudson House on Lovers Lane opened with a martini and oyster happy hour from 4-6pm. On my first visit, my husband ordered the Bleu and Gold (the beverage I wish I wanted to order) and I ordered the Cabo. It’s a “martini”, but with tequila and jalapeño. After one sip I knew, this is my drink. 

After many failed attempts, I believe I’ve mastered this as my Quarantini, my Monday martini, my usual. Maybe you aren’t headed anywhere beyond the living room, but grab a swanky coupe, turn on this playlist, and TAKE A BITE SIP! 

This is a 3-2-1-GO! Just like any martini, this drink is meant to be strong yet smooth so ingredients matter. The key to this beverage is using Peychaud’s Bitters which gives it the delicious flavor and crucial pink hue. 

Mary Martini
yields 1 cocktail

3 oz high-quality tequila 
2 oz fresh lime juice
1 oz Cointreau
.5 oz jalapeño prepared Peychaud’s Bitters  (see note)
½ jalapeño

Notes/Prep:
Slice ½ jalapeño and place the slices into a shallow bowl. Pour half a bottle of bitters into the bowl. Let bitters and jalapeño soak for at least 4-6 hours ahead of cocktail hour.

Directions:
Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker half full of ice. Shake for 15 seconds. Pour the cocktail into a martini glass or coupe and serve immediately. Top with a jalapeño slice, extra style points if you pop the glass into the freezer ahead of time.

If you loved this post by Mary, I encourage you to check out her recent contribution to Over The Moon and past articles written for D Weddings (like her buzzworthy post, How to Get Your Marriage License in Dallas).

Annie + Mary

Martini Glasses

Grapefruit + Rosemary Tequila Spritz

Trigger warning!! I hate margaritas. It’s not something I’m proud of, but I just cannot. I have tried and tried, but there is something about margaritas I don’t like, and I truly can’t put my finger on it. However, now that I’m a Texas girl I have fully bought into the Ranch Water (or as my dad calls them, Texas Trash Water) craze. Which in hand introduced me to Casamigos tequila, and now it is all I drink.

I started making these Grapefruit + Rosemary Tequila Spritzes while quarantining with my parents. They are super simple and refreshing and honestly we couldn’t get enough of them. They aren’t a margarita, but the perfect drink to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with!

Grapefruit + Rosemary Tequila Spritz
yields 1 cocktail

Ingredients:
1 ounce Casamigos tequila
1 ounce lemon or lime juice (I buy this brand so I don’t have to squeeze it myself)
2 ounces freshly squeezed grapefruit juice (again, I let Whole Foods squeeze it for me)
Grapefruit-flavored sparkling water (La Croix, Pellegrino, Topo Chico, Waterloo etc.)
small sprig of fresh rosemary
ice

Directions:
Fill your glass with ice. Place your sprig of rosemary in the palm of one hand, and slap it with your other hand. Almost like you are clapping with the rosemary between your hands. This helps release more of the essence from the fresh herb without having to muddle it. Place the rosemary in the glass. Pour the tequila, lemon juice, and grapefruit juice into your glass. Fill to the top with sparkling water. Garnish with a lemon wheel and sprig of rosemary. Cheers!

Annie

Annie's Brandy Ice (Dairy Free)

This recipe is a long time coming and one I’ve wanted to develop for a while. If you know me or have been around the blog for a bit, you know my love of Brandy ices. I even wrote a post devoted to the best one in OKC! Brandy Ices are a steakhouse staple in Oklahoma that makes for the perfect “after-dinner drink.” The most well known, and thought by many as “the best” can be found at Juniors.

Outside of Oklahoma, I’ve come to find that brandy ices are near extinct. Brandy Alexanders can be found here and there and espresso martinis are on about every menu these days, but no brandy ices. They barely exist on google I came to find out when I was doing recipe research. Who here has never heard of a brandy ice? You poor things.

A brandy ice is essentially a spiked milkshake. Need I say more. When testing the recipe, I knew I wanted to dry it with dairy-free ice cream. I’ve had many o’ nights at Junior’s that led to a few too many brandy ices. That amount of dairy + alcohol isn’t good for anyone. Much to my surprise, the dairy-free ice cream held up great in the blender. However, use your favorite brand of vanilla ice cream and it will be just as great!

Annie’s Brandy Ice
yields ~6-8 drinks

Ingredients:
1/2 gallon of your favorite vanilla ice cream (for dairy-free I use Nada Moo)
1/2 cup dark creme de cocoa (light is fine too)
1/2 cup brandy
fresh nutmeg

Directions:
In a blender, blend ice cream, creme de cocoa, and brandy until combined. If you have a high-powered blender, blend on it’s lower speeds. If you happen to over-blend and it turns out too thin, pop the mixture back in the freezer for a few minutes to thicken to your desire.

Pour into brandy glasses or martini glasses and top with freshly grated nutmeg.

*If you are making in advance, you can simply blend everything together, pour the mixture back into the pint containers and pop in the freezer. The alcohol will prevent the mixture from fully freezing, so when it’s time to serve, simply pour into glasses.

*This recipe doubles easily for a crowd by

Annie

Bites About Town: Best Brandy Ice in OKC

I feel a little too confident that I am the perfect person to deliver today’s post. If there is one thing I’ve learned in my twenty-something years, it is that I love fruity beverages, girly cocktails, and dessert drinks. I’m not afraid to admit my fondness for drinks that often leave you with a hangover. Piña Colada? I’ll take five. Club special? More please! Brandy Ice? Never just one.

Enter today’s “Bites About Town” post, featuring none other than, the brandy ice. A brandy ice seems to be fairly regional and oddly popular in Oklahoma. So today’s post also seems fitting as I’m on my outs of OKC before moving to Dallas next week. If you google brandy ices, only descriptions for brandy alexanders come up. They are basically the same thing, but a brandy alexander is made with cream and a brandy ice is made with ice cream.

You can read my past “Bites About Town” where I talked about the best salad and matcha lattes in the city. I’m not sure I’ve ever been more on brand. Salads, matcha, and brandy ices. Yup, that sounds about right. *Please note my scoring is set 1 to 5, with 5 being the best. Ok, without further ado.

Junior’s Supper Club
Things to note: The OG. Junior’s has been around for 46 years and is a staple in OKC. Known for their red walls and brandy ices, they come in small or large. They are thick as can be and and are all-around perfection from the texture to the flavor. A brandy ice at Junior’s is my favorite way to end the night. You may go for the BI, but find yourself staying for the live jazz music and Chex mix.
Verdict: 5

The Drake
Things to note: The Drake’s brandy ice is not your typical brandy ice. There are little flakes of ice in it lending it more toward a slushy than a milkshake. Not my cup of tea.
Verdict: 3

Cheever’s
Things to note: This is a hidden gem! People often finish their meal with a Pecan Ice Cream Ball when dining at Cheever’s, but don’t sleep on their brandy ice. I had Cheever’s for the first time a couple months ago and it was, well, delicious. It’s well balanced and has a great texture. A win all around.
Verdict: 5

photo courtesy of Facebook

Mahogany Prime Steakhouse
Things to note: Mahogany makes a great brandy ice. Nothing to write home about, but not glaringly bad. However, I will order anytime I go!
Verdict: 4

photo courtesy of Instagram

The Ranch
Things to note: This brandy ice is big. As you can see in the picture above with two straws, this brandy ice is best to be shared. However…I’m known to take one down on my own. I love the chocolate drizzle, but the martini glass bothers me. A classic brandy ice should be served in a brandy snifter or tulip-shaped glass.
Verdict: 4

I apologize for this blurry attempt at portrait mode.

Broadway 10 | Bar & Chophouse
Things to note: I love this brandy ice. It has a unique vanilla bean flavor and is topped off with chocolate shavings, instead of the classic grated nutmeg. I highly recommend sitting at the bar at Broadway 10 to order a brandy ice and snack on the complimentary bacon.
Verdict: 4

Michael’s Grill
Things to note: So cold they have to serve them with a plastic spoon because a metal one will freeze! Michael’s brandy ice lends more toward the texture of frozen yogurt. Nothing wrong with that!
Verdict: 4

Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club
Things to note: I want to love this brandy ice. Visually it looks perfect, but the flavor resembles that of lead paint. Harsh I know, but it’s the truth. I wish I could say this stopped me from ordering them… The brandy in this particular BI could be lightened up juuuuusst a bit.
Verdict: 2

New addition as of 12/20/20

The Metro Wine Bar & BIstro
Things to note: I was unaware The Metro had a brandy ice until I was there for dinner and saw one go by. I about stopped dead in my tracks and ordered one before our meal came. This brandy ice is exactly how I want a brandy ice to taste. Thick but not too thick, super creamy, not overly strong, but still well balanced, and lots of fresh nutmeg on top. This brandy ice is on the bigger side so I’d suggest sharing. From one of my girlfriends, “Passes the test with the flying colors. I don’t even like brandy ices and liked this one.”
Verdict: 5

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Updated December 20th, 2020

And the winner goes to… TIED between Cheever’s, The Metro, and Junior’s. You can’t mess with a classic like Junior’s, but Cheever’s did and they succeeded. And once I tried The Metro, there is nothing not to love. It may seem like a cop-out to choose three winners, but that really just gives you more options to end the night with my favorite drink!

Annie