Viva Vodka: Colorful Cocktails with a Kick

By W. Park Kerr and Leigh Beisch

From the author of Viva Margarita, a collection of fifty vodka-based recipes for cocktails, shooters, and shots, plus infusions, rims, and syrups.

A cocktail lover’s dream, vodka goes with almost anything, from lemons to raspberries to mint to tomato juice. So, dive into one of these refreshing and potent recipes for vodka-based drinks, down-and-dirty shooters, frosty patio coolers, frozen and creamy indulgences. You’ll find dazzling new flavor combinations—sure, the recipe for a classic martini is in here, but why stop there? Sit back and enjoy a Caipirovska, the Russian equivalent of Brazil’s famous Caipirinha. Or take a sip of the Arrivederci Capri, a sunny little drink with citrusy limoncello. And to get really hardcore, turn to the In-a-Vodka-Da-Vida section filled with knockout recipes for shooters and shots. Add to that tips and advice on stocking a stellar vodka bar, making vodka infusions (vanilla vodka, watermelon vodka, yes, yes, yes!), and creating swanky sugar and salt rims. Viva Vodka—there’s a whole lotta shakin’ goin’ on.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Jul 30, 2013
• ISBN: 9781452133058

Book preview

Vodka 101

Vodka means little water in Russian, and the name fittingly captures the characteristics of this clean, clear spirit, which was traditionally made to have as little discernible flavor or aroma as possible. The origins of the first vodkas can be traced back to the twelfth century, in northeastern Europe. These early distillations were harsh and oily, and were in fact initially used as a cleaning astringent for the skin. But the product soon evolved into a drinkable spirit that many of that time period used as a balm with which to escape the woes of a bleak and hard