Creole

This marks the last of the beef bouillon cocktails in the New York Bartender's guide. In my memory, it was not one of the best of these drinks, but then a lot must be said about the mood you are in. Rum is an interesting selection for a spirit when tequila or vodka might make more sense, but that wouldn't be Creole.

• 2 oz. light rum
• 3 oz. beef bouillon 
• Tabasco sauce to taste
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp. lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in an Old Fashioned glass with ice. Stir and serve. (Steak rub spiced rim optional.)

Steaming Bull

What do the Bloody Bull, the Bull Shot and the Steaming Bull have in common? Beef bouillon! This is a hot Bloody Mary drink that is prepared in two parts, one the tequila, and the other ingredients heated in a saucepan.

Tequila is a flavorful ingredient and perfect when done with hot juices and spices. I tried to capture the steam from the mug in the photo, but it was nearly impossible to see on camera, though I could see clouds billowing above the mug with my own eyes.

• 2 oz. silver tequila
• 1/2 oz. lime juice
• 3 oz. beef bouillion
• 3 oz. tomato juice
• 1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• Tabasco sauce to taste
• Celery salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients except tequila in a saucepan and warm until nearly boiling. Add tequila to a heat-resistant mug and pour the heated mixture into the glass. Stir and enjoy!

One Ireland

A lot of minty St. Patrick's Day drinks are a little gross because the creme de menthe is cheap and tastes bitter. I could see this being done with no sugar and some vermouth or green Chartreuse like in the Everybody's Irish. I can't cite that recipe enough as the worst example of a green drink for the sake of being green on St. Patrick's Day.

On the other hand, this one is actually pretty nifty. It's not my style: a mint ice cream flavor that I'm sure some women will like. And it isn't really a great drink to waste good whiskey in, because it would work equally well with vodka. The point is that it is green and really creamy and doesn't offend anyone.

Which is funny, because the name suggests a stridently political outcome. I'm not taking sides, but this strangely ameliorating cocktail probably got its name because no one can disparage this drink for not being Irish enough.

• 2 oz. Irish whiskey (Donegal Estates used)
• 1 oz. green creme de menthe
• small scoop of vanilla ice cream

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a chilled cocktail glass. 

(Irish) Whiskey Flip

While I'm drinking Donegal Irish whiskey, I thought I'd make a Whiskey Flip. I've said before that you can flip anything; meaning you can add an egg, cream and sugar to any spirit, wine, or even non-alcoholic drink like coffee or tea and shake it up into an eggnog.

Whiskey seems to be one of the main choices for a flip because it adds a little vanilla flavor from the barrel aging. Blended whiskey is specified because you don't want something with too much character sticking out and detracting from the dessert-like quality of the drink.

This is thick and and luxurious, the kind of drink you want in the winter: and it is still technically winter, though a warm one. Fresh nutmeg makes it even more of a treat.

• 2 oz. blended whiskey (Donegal Estates used)
• 1 oz. half-and-half
• 1 whole egg
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• grated nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a shaker and shake until foamy. Add ice and shake to chill. Strain into a sour glass and garnish with grated nutmeg to taste.

Boston Sour

Boston has a bunch of cocktails to its name. It is currently one of the world's cocktail hotspots, as well. I wonder if the Boston Sour has made a comeback in recent years. I hope so; it's a good drink for this time of year.

The Boston Sour is a very sweet and silky sour owing to the large portion of sugar and egg white. It isn't a standout among many sours that include egg white, however. To make it more regionally specific, I picked an Irish whiskey, Donegal Estates, which is a good blended whiskey for mixing. With all the Irish-American influence in Boston, it seems like a good choice.

• 2 oz. blended whiskey (Donegal Estates used)
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 1 egg white
• lemon wheel
• maraschino cherry (green for St. Patrick's Day used)

Combine sugar, whiskey, lemon juice and egg white in a shaker and shake well until foamy. Add ice and shake again to chill. Strain into a chilled sour glass and garnish with lemon and cherry.

Emerald Isle

What a stunning drink for St. Patrick's Day! I've said before that a drink isn't good just because it is green. You have to think about the flavors involved and whether or not they clash. That's why drinks like Everybody's Irish and the Irish Flag fall short. They somehow think that Irish whiskey, creme de menthe and Green Chartreuse will fit together well. They don't, but gin and green creme de menthe do, especially with a heavy dose of Angostura bitters.

So my verdict on this St. Patrick's Day cocktail is it is better than most. A little bracing, however. It's just strong on mint flavor and gin, the other Irish spirit.

I wanted to point out that the cherry in the photo is green. It took me a good while and many shops to find green maraschino cherries, but, unlike other drinks that call for them, I couldn't use anything but a green cherry for the Emerald Isle. I know that they are full of dye and nearly toxic, but so is the celebration of St. Patrick's Day in America.

• 2 1/2 oz. gin
• 2 tsp. green creme de menthe
• 3 dashes Angostura bitters
• green maraschino cherry

Combine liquid ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish only with a green maraschino cherry.

Bronx Cheer

Ever read the instructions on a Whoopee Cushion? It says, "emits a Bronx cheer." This is another word for a fart sound, also known as a raspberry. And raspberry is the key, or most conspicuous, ingredient here. This Bronx Cocktail series outlier, has no juice or gin, so it doesn't fit the family. But someone had to make use of such a funny name!

• 2 oz. apricot brandy
• raspberry soda
• fresh raspberries
• orange peel

 Build drink in a highball glass with ice by adding apricot brandy and topping with soda. Stir gently and garnish with berries and orange peel.