Vodka and fresh grapefruit juice…made a little better with Cocktail Kick!

Try one at The Greene House – Kierland Commons, 15024 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 100, Scottsdale, AZ 85254.

Shishito Margarita

• 1 Shishito Pepper (crushed open)
• 2.5 oz. blanco tequila
• 3/4 oz. triple sec
• 1/2 oz. lime juice
• 1/8 oz. Cocktail Kick

Serve over ice in a glass rimmed with Cocktail Kick/salt mix. The pepper looks spicy, but it’s not: It has a refreshing, green pepper taste.

Edible Gold Leaf Flakes

I found the edible gold leaf flakes I was looking for at Kerekes Bakery Supply. They’re a bit pricey ($40) for the amount you get, as you can see from the photo. But good friends are worth it, and the square shaker bottle is pretty cool. I think the less expensive gold dust is still better for a classy rim, but the flakes will be nice for sprinkling directly into a drink.

Celebrity Chef Farah Quinn and Restaurant Consultant Carson Quinn flew all the way from Jakarta to attend the Third Annual Sour Ball

Everyone had a great time at last night’s Sour Ball, hosted by Christopher’s/Crush in Phoenix. We raised $2,175 for Childhelp and enjoyed delicious creations from Chef Christopher Gross. View pictures here. I’ll be posting drink recipes from the event in the days ahead.

43 Goody Bags with lots of fun stuff inside!

All the goody bags are packed up for the Third Annual Sour Ball, which will take place tomorrow at Christopher’s/Crush in Phoenix. There’s tons of cool stuff inside, like free haircuts at Rumors Salon, Industry Discount Cards from Crush, lots of tangy orange lollipops, and, of course, Cocktail Kick! The 43 attendees are in for a real treat.

A tribute to the ultimate showman, Michael Jackson

This is my first attempt at creating the ultimate tribute drink for the ultimate showman, the King of Pop Michael Jackson. It needs a little tinkering, but it was well-received by a group of friends last night! I especially like how the 24K gold dust adds sparkle to the rim, and then gets all over your mouth and clothes.

Here’s how to make it:

• 1 part vodka (or gin)
• 3/4 part cherry schnapps
• 2 parts sour mix
• 1/3 part Pepsi
• Small amounts of Maraschino syrup and simple syrup (too much and the drink will be too sweet)
• 1/4 teaspoon Cocktail Kick

Stir together and serve over ice. Add a cherry for garnish.

To make the rim, apply a thin coat of simple syrup around the top edge of the glass. Dip into a dish filled with 24K gold dust.