Yes, folks we survived another week.  Welcome to Friday!

I don’t know about you but this is one of those weeks that inspired me to drink.  To that end, and in honor of National Peanut Butter Lover’s Month, my drink of choice is a Peanut Butter and Jelly cocktail.

Once again, I’m lifting the recipe for this tasty treat from our favorite mixologist here in the lounge, Colleen Graham.

So, here we go.  Gather these:

• A cocktail shaker
• Frangelico liqueur
• Chambord liqueur
• Ice
• A shot glass

Do this:

1. Add equal parts Frangelico and Chambord – start with ¾ ounce of each and see where that takes you – to the shaker with some ice.
2. Shake.
3. Pour in the shot glass.
4. Drink.
5. Repeat.

What, you’re going to complain that this PB&J has no bread?  Have I explained our get-over-it policy here in the Lounge?  Let me know if you need a refresher on that one.

Why do we have cocktail recipes at the lounge, you may ask. Because we hope that our readers are enjoying a drink here in the lounge and if you decide to pass up the beer fridge and the wine rack on your way to the liquor cabinet, we want to make sure that you are enjoying your drinks right.

Why the White Russian tonight? Because we covered the Lebowski Fest last time and it only seems right. If you don’t understand that go rent The Big Lebowski and watch it again. And this time take notes.

So, to make a White Russian gather:
• Old Fashioned glass
• Ice (Cubed, not cracked, crushed or shaved. The White Russian is an indulgent drink and you don’t want to water that down.)
• Vodka
• Kahlua
• Cream

Now do this:
Put four or five ice cubes in the glass. Pour in 1 ½ oz. of vodka and ¾ oz Kahlua and stir. Top with up to ¾ oz. of cream, no more but a little less would be OK. Drink. Repeat.

We love our cocktails here in the Lounge, especially the classics. And there’s no more classic a cocktail than the original – the Old Fashioned. Here’s how to make it.

Gather:
• Old fashioned glass (Its one of those standard, squat glasses that look perfect with four cubes of ice and four ounces of whiskey.)
• Sugar cube
• Bitters (Type/style is up to you but our favorite maven of the cocktail, Colleen Graham, suggests that Angostura bitters are best.)
• Orange slices
• Muddler
• Ice cubes
• Whiskey (again, up to you but Bourbon is the classic choice.)
• Maraschino cherry

Do this:
• Drop the sugar cube in the glass.
• Dash it two or three times with the bitters until it is saturated.
• Add one orange slice.
• Muddle.
• Fill the glass with ice.
• Pour in about 3 ounces of whiskey.
• Stir.
• Garnish with another orange slice and the cherry.
• Drink.
• Repeat.

Father’s Day isn’t fair. Mother’s day is the real holiday – it’s in the spring when the weather is nice and the flowers are blooming. Dad gets stuck with some Sunday in June when the miserable summer heat has just started to really kick in. And, since it’s summer, he’s generally expect to go outside and grill something. He’s got to work on his day? Wrong! (Okay, okay, most Dad’s secretly love to grill but let’s leave that inconvenient fact out of this.)

You know what Dad wants? A drink. It’s true; a Dad with a drink is a happy Dad. Now, here in the Lounge our hands-down favorite drink is, what else, the classic martini. We have to say classic these days ’cause the fruity vodka crowd have almost succeeded in ruining this pinnacle of cocktail goodness. No mango key lime vodka martinis are served in the Lounge. Don’t bother asking.

So why don’t you whip up a martini for Dad today? No doubt it will be the highlight of his Father’s Day. Here’s a nice recipe for this exceedingly simple yet elegant (read cool) drink. Oh, and don’t you dare shake it, spy-movie fans. That just chips the ice and waters down the drink!

Gather:
- 2 1/2 oz gin
- 1/2 oz dry vermouth
- 1 green olive

Do this:
1. Fill a mixing glass with ice cubes.
2. Add the gin and vermouth.
4. Stir for about half a minute.
5. Strain into a chilled martini glass
6. Drop the olive in.
7. Place in Dad’s hand.