So I know what I said last week about the new contest starting on Monday, but I’ve been struggling with some weird technical glitches over the past couple of days. Most of you probably hadn’t noticed, but between last Thursday and today, there have been a number of technical enhancements on this site that improve the way it functions, as well as a few other slight upgrades in the overall experience.

The final piece of the puzzle is to add the subscription functionality, which needed to be done before announcing the contest. The reason for that will become pretty obvious later on today, when I announce the next giveaway. But I do promise - the next contest will be announced today (or tomorrow); I’m almost done fixing this wagon.

Part of the fun of knowing a lil’ somethin’ somethin’ about mixology is laughing at all of the goofy, contrived gimmicks people some up with related to alcohol. It’s even more entertaining when it’s a fancy gimmick, purported to be the next big high-end, gourmet dining experience.

Today, I present to you: the Edible Martini.

Speaking of gimmicks, new contest coming out on Monday!

Yesterday, I went outside. I was outside for about, oh, 8 hours or so.

My move? I didn’t wear a coat outside. Nature’s move? It snowed forever.

In honor of the hilarity that ensued yesterday, I give you the following recipe. It is called the Avalanche.

Avalanche - Recipe:

• 1 shot Crown Royal® Canadian whisky
• 1 shot Kahlua® coffee liqueur
• Balance (fill the rest of the glass) with cream

Mix ingredients in a mixer, shake well, and pour into a highball glass over ice.

I mentioned last week that many people expect a Daiquiri to be strawberry flavored by default. I wanted to post this recipe alongside the others, but I got a tad derailed, as I posted a couple more tequila-based concoctions.

Let it never be said that I don’t care about my readers.

Strawberry Daiquiri - Recipe:

• 1/2 oz strawberry schnapps
• 1 oz light rum
• 1 oz lime juice
• 1 tsp powdered sugar
• 1 oz frozen strawberries

Add ingredients with some of the frozen strawberries and some ice in your blender. Blend and then strain into a margarita glass. Garnish w/ frozen strawberries.

I honestly didn’t know that iguanas bit people. Considering the fact that I’ve only ever seen them eating vegetables and sitting on heat-rocks, I’m still pretty sure they don’t. This shooter is slammin’, though - so I’m going to add it in spite of the fact that its name besmirches the good name of iguanas everywhere. Don’t worry, iguanas: I still love ya; even if you do look like naked moon-chickens.

Bite of the Iguana - Recipe:

• 1/2 oz Vodka
• 1 oz Tequila
• 3/4 oz Triple Sec
• 1 oz Orange Juice
• 1 oz Sweet and Sour Mix
• splash of sprite, 7up, sierra mist, or whatever

Mix ingredients in a cocktail mixer and shake. Strain and pour into shot glasses. Enjoy.

Since I was challenged yesterday to come through with a few more tequila-based recipes — not that there aren’t some here already — I figured I’d go with one of the best named tequila cocktails around. Why? Because it makes for good blog headlines, mostly.

Tequila Mockingbird - Recipe:

• 1 1/2 ounces Tequila
• 1/2 ounce Triple Sec
• 1/2 ounce Blue Curaçao
• 2 ounces Orange Juice
• 1 ounce Cranberry Juice

This is one of those rare drinks where the “balance” ingredients (the juices) are also measured precisely. It’s also uncommon, in that it has juice ingredients, but you don’t mix this cocktail.

Fill your highball glass or tumbler with ice. Add tequila and triple sec, followed by orange juice and cranberry; then, lastly, the blue curaçao. Don’t shake or stir it; let it blend on its own. Garnish with a lemon wedge or a cherry, if desired.

I ordered some Girl Scout cookies today; I’m a sucker for samoas. So, it followed, logically, that I would post this drink. Although, to be fair, this drink tastes more like thin mints.

Dirty Girl Scout - Recipe:

• 1 oz vodka
• 1 oz Kahlua® coffee liqueur
• 1 oz Bailey’s® Irish cream
• 1 oz white creme de menthe

Mix the vodka, kahlua and bailey’s and pour over ice. Pour the creme de menthe down the center of the glass. Looks gross, but tastes delicious!

Most of the people I’ve served didn’t seem to know this, but Daiquiris don’t taste like strawberries by default. Also, they’re not made “frozen,” either.

The Daiquiri is a Cuban cocktail, invented a little over 100 years ago; and exactly 100 years ago, in 1909, the Daiquiri was introduced to the United States during a private party at the Army and Navy Club in Washington, D.C. It quickly became a favorite cocktail among many famous historical figures, including John F. Kennedy, Ernest Hemingway, who each have versions of the drink named after themselves.

Traditionally, Daiquiris are made by sprinkling powdered sugar over ice, then adding rum and fresh lime juice. Nowadays, in the chain restaurant era, they’re made with rum, lime juice cordial, schnapps and occassionally frozen fruit. Today, we’re doing a double-post: for those who want the original, as well as for those with more modern tastes.

Daiquiri - Recipe:

• 2 oz light rum
• 1 tsp powdered sugar
• fresh lime juice

Shake all ingredients with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and serve.

Frozen Daiquiri - Recipe:

• 1 1/2 oz light rum
• 1 tbsp triple sec
• 1 1/2 oz lime juice
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 cherry
• 1 cup crushed ice

Add all ingredients (except the cherry) into a blender and fire it up. After blending, pour contents into a margarita glass and garnish with a cherry.

There are a lot of cocktails out there that taste pretty good - until you find out what’s in them. The Kool Aid cocktail is a lot like that. Although, to be fair, I guess one could argue that if you knew precisely what was in the actual Kool-Aid mix, you’d probably be grossed out by that, too.

I’d like to say that this cocktail legitimately tastes like drinking Kool-Aid, but I haven’t had that stuff in a pretty long time. What I can say is that it tastes better than it sounds; if you like your drinks sweet, that is.

Kool Aid - Recipe:

• 1.5 oz Midori
• 1.5. oz Amaretto
• 1.5 oz Vodka
• Cranberry Juice

Fill a collins glass with ice. Add the Midori, Amaretto and Vodka, and fill the remainder of the glass with cranberry juice.