Ringing in 2014 with Moscow Mules

We’re having a New Year’s Eve Cocktail Party tonight and are spending the day on some last minute preparations. Instead of a fussy sit down menu, my sister opted for an hors d’oeuvres spread. Some of our small bites will include chimichurri steak crostinis, smoked salmon, kalua pig sliders, gougères, sugarcane shrimp and papas rellenas. Hopefully a little something for everyone to enjoy while we’re counting down to 2014.

There will be of course, cocktails…..lots and lots of cocktails. My Red Wine Sangria has been steeping for 2 days now and our brother said he’s been dreaming up some Champagne Cocktails that he’ll be whipping up tonight.

I will be serving up one of my favorite’s–Moscow Mules. Moscow Mules have been around since the late 1930’s – early 40’s but thanks to hipsters, there’s been quite the resurgence of them which I love…..the drink, not the hipsters 🙂

Mules are quite easy to whip up since they only have a few ingredients–vodka, lime juice, ginger beer and a few dashes of bitters. However, I highly suggest using ginger beer and not ginger ale as ginger beer often will have more “bite” to it and is less sweet.

And with that, dear Friends, I wish you all a very, VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR filled with lots of good laughter, love, and Foodventures!

Cheers!

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Moscow Mules
Serves 1

Ingredients:

ice
2 ounces quality vodka
1/2 ounce lime juice
5 ounces ginger beer
2-3 dashes Angostura Bitters
mint sprigs and lime slices for garnish

Fill a Mule mug (or glass of your choice) with ice. Pour the vodka and lime juice over the ice. Slowly pour the ginger beer into the mug and stir with a straw. Add the dashes of Angostura Bitters to the top and garnish with lime slices and mint sprigs. Cheers!