Welcome, everyone to Liquid Sexy. My name is Michael and I'll be your bartender twice a week. In this blog, we'll be sampling all there is to love and appreciate about drinks with spirit. There will be reviews of particular brands, recommendations, step-by-step instructions on how to build the perfect cocktail and more.

Tonight, I can't help but notice a nip in the air, which makes me want to take a nip of my favorite wintry drinks. If you'd care to join me, I can make a few suggestions.

Frangelico and Coffee

Frangelico, for those of you not fortunate enough to have tasted it, is hazelnut liqueur. It's sweet, has a lovely golden-brown hue and tastes exactly like what it's made from, which is more than we can say for other nut-based spirits. It is this superb nuttiness that makes Frangelico such a great fit for a variety of desserts and after-dinner drinks. Try it on top of a good Turkish almond pudding, it's worth running through traffic to get a spoonful. The recipe for a good Frangelico and Coffee is simple. Mix one ounce of liqueur for every six to eight ounces of hot coffee, add cream if you desire, drink, repeat.

As for why I've decided to promote the Frangelico and Coffee instead of the old standby, Irish Coffee, it's really just a matter of excellence. I like Irish Coffee, don't get me wrong. On the right night, it can be heaven. But the Frangelico and Coffee is superior because the flavors fit so well together. Coffee benefits from nutty tones, thanks to a mutual history of roasting. Also, the Irish Coffee runs the risk of bearing some over-complications like whipped cream and mint liqueur. Remember this rule of cocktails: If it seems unnecessary, it probably is.

Brandy Alexander

My appreciation for the Brandy Alexander comes from the same place as my love of old theaters. This is a cocktail right out of the book of classics, so much so that it uses ingredients rarely found in modern bars. Most people will only ever consume one cream drink in their entire lives, and that's the White Russian. That's fine, but I'd take a Brandy Alexander over a Caucasian any day, especially on one as cold as today. Take one and a half ounces of good (but not too good) brandy and one ounce of dark creme de cacao, stick them in a tin shaker with a handful of ice and introduce them to a good ounce of cream. Now, give the mixture eight to twelve good shakes, strain into your favorite glass and garnish with a dash of fresh nutmeg.

Real Hot Chocolate and Creme de Menthe

Let's talk about doing it right. Hot chocolate, real hot chocolate does not come dried in a little package. In fact, it doesn't take much longer to make the real stuff. Just an ounce and a half of bittersweet chocolate, chopped and thrown into a cup of simmering whole milk in a saucepan will get you something worlds better than the store-bought stuff, double that if you put a few drops of vanilla extract in the mix. Leave some room on top for a half ounce of creme de menthe and you have everything tasty about winter in a single mug.

Until next time, stay warm and tip generously.