Drunken Watermelon Pops Recipe by - CHOW

Remember the old "watermelon full of vodka" trick? Someone would drill a hole in a watermelon and dump in a bottle of vodka or two, then throw it in the freezer? We've got some fond memories of drunkenly spitting out frozen watermelon seeds at a few parties, but we haven't had a good old drunk watermelon in a while. We've just found a recipe that could change that this summer - sounds pretty gourmet with the addition of some vanilla and chambord, and the idea of making individual pops classes up the whole proceeding considerably.

Get the recipe at Chow

Spicy Tequila Cocktails for Cinco de Mayo

It's Cinco de Mayo again, and for a lot of people, the holiday is just an excuse to crunch some tortilla chips and slurp down a margarita or two. There's nothing wrong with that, but if you're looking for some more inventive ways to use your tequila, Colleen at About.com has some zesty-sounding cocktails for you to try, including Habanero Martinis, variations on the Bloody Maria, and the heartburn-inducing Prairie Fire.

You're already adding salsa to you tacos, burritos and fajitas, a few (okay, maybe more than a few) chili peppers here and there, so why not spice up your cocktails? For this Cinco de Mayo (May 5th) pair the sweetness of Mexico's "spirit" tequila with some of that spice - it makes a fine match and some interesting libations.

at About.com Cocktails

Take a Bite Out of a Whiskeyburger Cocktail

There's something to be said about experimenting with new kinds of cocktails, but are you ready for one that tastes like a hamburger? In the grand tradition of the Bacon Martini, we offer you another slab of chewy goodness - the whiskeyburger. Yes, there's real meat involved. No, there's no bun, but it's made with rye. Yes, we want to try it too.

The Whiskeyburger

Stir well with cracked ice:

3 oz ground-chuck-infused whiskey*
2 tsp tomato syrup*
1/4 tsp mustard bitters*

Strain into small old-fashioned glass or cocktail glass. Top off with lettuce-onion foam* and garnish with a dill-pickle round.

Full recipe at Esquire

Real Dark 'n Real Stormy

There's something to be said for drinks that only contain two ingredients and an optional garnish. If you get the two ingredients in the right proportions, they can be just as satisfying, or moreso, than a cocktail that requires 14 tools, a spotter, and a half hour to make. We've always been fans of the Dark and Stormy, and Jeffrey Morganthaler has put together a nice little piece on them in anticipation of summer.

He even includes recommendations for what brands of ginger beer and rum to buy, and we get the impression if you try to use Schweppes or Canada Dry, he'll find out somehow, come to your house and call you out. We're pretty sure you wouldn't want that.

Find the Dark and Stormy recipe, along with the ginger beer recipe, at Jeffrey's site.

iBar: Turn Your iPod into a Bartender

If you're looking for a bartending advice and you don't have the time or inclination to like, actually read a book or something, look no further than your mp3 player. With iBar software for Mac and PC, you can transform your iPod into a mobile drink reference, complete with over 1,000 cocktail recipes plus "helpful tips, anecdotes, entertaining audio, toasts, and measurements." C'mon, you're only using the thing for music, photos, and Frisky Dingo episodes right now anyway...might as well make it useful too.

at iBar (PC & Mac)

Earth Day Cocktails

Tomorrow is Earth Day, kids, and you know what that means - overwhelming waves of guilt about your carbon footprint. This year, before you sit down to watch An Inconvenient Truth or weep bitterly about the electric car, we recommend you loosen up first with some green-friendly cocktails. We found a nice little roundup over at About.com - just remember to avoid disposable products while you're mixing, and maybe even use all organic products (yes, you can find organic liquor if you try) in the drinks themselves.

at About.com (Planetary Punch is pictured above)

Holy Taco's 11 Manliest Cocktails

We'd never heard of Holy Taco before we got an email with their list of 11 manly cocktails, and we can only say one thing to them - welcome to our daily diet. We've added them to our iGoogle, partially on the strength of the cocktail list, partially on the strength of their other stories, and mostly because of this interview. Well played, gentlemen. Well played.

Anyway, check out their list of drinks - we agree with most of 'em, and when you click through check out the picture of Keith Richards. Does he or does he not look just like Pumpkinhead?

at Holy Taco

How Not to Make a Daiquiri

We haven't been to no fancy bartenderin' school, but we're pretty sure you're not supposed to do any of the following things while mixing a daiquiri:

• Use store bought sweet & sour mix instead of real lime juice
  
• Monkey paw the shaker so you can melt the ice as much as possible
  
• Pick your nose and wipe it on your mixing hand

So watch the video for what not to do, and if you're looking for rum advice beyond "it comes in many colors," you may have better luck with this.

Thanks, Jeffrey Morgenthaler, for the laugh.

Happy V-Day, Suckers

Valentine's Day is upon us once again, and once again, we're unprepared. Luckily, we've done a bit of research and we have the makings of a few great romantical cocktails around the house, so all we have to do is stop by the store and pick up some champagne. After all, what drink could have more romance in it than the bubbly?

For the great champagne cocktail recipes we found at About.com, check out their last minute valentine cocktails and champagne & wine cocktails, and you're on your way to cuddly town. Or, if you really want to fast track things, figure out how to turn a Death in the Afternoon pink.

Absinthe plus Champagne equals Shazam!

Drink Ingredients via Satellite

Don't be surprised if your text bills go sky high this month, with the introduction of Martini Groove's cocktail randomizer. You know, because some days you need a computer to tell you what to drink. Thank you, oh technology gods!

Text martinigroove to 41411. You'll get a response on your phone with a Random Drink and the ingredients in the drink.

Because of SMS limitations you won't get the directions for making the drink, but here are some things it will be useful for.

1. It beats telling the bartender "Surprise me" and the blank look you get in return.
2. If you're out and want something different to drink but don't know what, here you go.
3. Stump the bartender!
4. Play drinking games!
5. Two words: World peace!

Get the full poop at Martini Groove

Valentine's Day Cocktail: Cirrus Blossom

We're always on the lookout for a romantical (that's a word, right?) drink recipe to take the edge off Valentine's Day, and we've come across one that just might fit the bill. It was submitted to us by the folks who make Cirrus Vodka, a potato vodka we reviewed pretty darned favorably, and we like the drink they're recommending too. It's red, it's sweet, and it probably won't break your heart. What more can you ask?

Continue reading: "Valentine's Day Cocktail: Cirrus Blossom"

How to Make Caffeinated Jell-O Shots

We've given love to all kinds of Jell-O shots here, in our quest for the best-tasting Jell-O shots ever to have been created. Now, we've found some folks who have taken things to a whole new level by introducing caffeine powder to the mix, to give you that extra little boost. Sounds like a great idea, and we can't wait for the coming Jell-O shot escalation. Maybe, before too long, we'll be able to enjoy Jell-O shots containing other drugs, like crystal meth. Here's hoping!*

Learn how to make the caffeinated variety at Instructables

* Before you yell at us, we don't really want anyone to make them with crystal meth.

Super Bowl Tequila Punch

If you, our cherished readers, think the way we do, there are two things you think of when you think of Superbowl Sunday - tequila and hibiscus flowers. That's right, these things have finally come together in the form of Tequila Touchdown Punch, a recipe we just received from the fine folks at Don Julio tequila. OK, so maybe those three things don't really go together - at least not yet - but we did find out that the hibiscus grows well in Arizona, the location of Super Bowl XLII, so there's the connection.

The recipe sounds really tasty if you can get your hands on the flowers in time for the Bowl. If not, you'll have the fixings for an extreme garden party come spring. See the full recipe below.

Continue reading: "Super Bowl Tequila Punch"

50 Drink Recipes for Every Situation

Life is full of little events. First day of school. Season finale of Two and a Half Men. Release from prison. And sometimes, it's hard to know exactly which cocktail to mix (or order) for each of those. Luckily, we've found a great blog post that rounds up 50 drink recipes for all sorts of these occasions, from first date to girl's night out.

at Bootstrapper