Garnishes: lime wedges, fresh mint sprigs and Maraschino cherries on fun picks
Combine 16 cherries and 8 mint sprigs in a large pitcher and, with a bar muddler or the end of a wooden spoon, press the cherries and mint till they are broken up and have released their flavor.
Add the rum and limeade concentrate to the pitcher. Cover and let sit for 1 hour (or up to 8 hours refrigerated) for the flavors to come out. Right before serving add the soda water.
Fill large glasses full with ice. Pour drink over ice. Garnish and serve immediately.
Soak Maraschino cherries with stems in Bacardi 151 Rum for two days. Drain well. Melt semisweet chocolate chips in a microwave oven. Dip cherries in melted chocolate; let dry on waxed paper. This garnish is particularly good with coffee drinks.
Ingredients
¾ ounce premium brandy
¾ ounce crème de cacao
½ ounce cherry brandy or cherry juice
6 Maraschino cherries with stems
Splash half-and-half
Ice
Put brandy, crème de cacao, cherry brandy or juice, Maraschino cherries and half-and-half in blender. Add ice. Blend well. Serve in a brandy snifter, garnished with shaved chocolate or chocolate curls and a Maraschino Cherry with stem.
Contributor: Alberto Meza, Seattle, WA
Serving: 1 drink
Ingredients
Bacardi Silver Rum
1¼ ounce
Cointreau
½ ounce
Maraschino cherries, remove stems
5
Vanilla ice cream
2 scoops
Ice
Put rum, Cointreau, cherries, ice cream and a little ice in blender. Mix until smooth. Serve in a margarita glass or martini glass. Garnish with slice of lime with Maraschino Cherry in center; place on top of drink to create a flower.
Contributor: Michele Gray, Bixby, OK
Serving: 1 drink
Ingredients
Maraschino Cherry, remove stem 1
Splash of grenadine
Maraschino Cherry juice
Kahlúa
Bailey’s Irish Cream
Grand Marnier
Put 1 stemless Maraschino Cherry in the bottom of a shot glass. Add a splash of grenadine. Add the following in equal parts in order: Maraschino Cherry juice, Kahlúa, Bailey’s Irish Cream and Grand Marnier. The cherry will float in the middle of the alcohol layers.
Contributor: Will Femla, New York City, NY
Serving: 1 drink
Ingredients
Citron-flavored vodka
2 ounces
Cointreau
1 ounce
Splash of lime juice
Splash of Maraschino Cherry juice
Shake vodka, Cointreau, lime juice and Maraschino Cherry juice with ice; strain into chilled martini glass. Garnish with “Ruby Earrings.”
Ruby Earrings: Take 2 Maraschino cherries with stems and slide stems into each end of sip straw. Set straw, with cherries dangling like earrings, across the top of a martini glass and serve.
