Fat Tuesdays: Ciroc and Chicken Wings

Ask any of my drinking partners and they'll tell you I'm a Grey Goose lover through and through.

But being the cocktail connoisseur that I am, I always keep my eyes peeled for the next best drink.

Lately, all I've been hearing about is the coconut flavored Ciroc.

I tasted the original Ciroc at a house party once and was pleasently surprised at how smooth it went down.

I wanted to see what all the hype was about, so after work, I went straight to my favorite liquor store to pick some up.

Yes, I'm a club member. I gets it in!

They didn't have it.  Some talk about it being out of stock and not being able to get any.

See. That's what I get for being bourgeois and buying my liquor from a chain store in the suburbs.  I know better.

I hopped right into my car, and drove a few miles down the road to a Mom and Pop liquor store in the hood.

Not only did they have every flavor of Ciroc known to man on the shelf, but they had economy sizes too.

Perfect!  I didn't want to come home with a jug of the stuff and end up hating it.

I left out of the liquor store a happy camper and spotted a KFC across the street.

With three extra crispy chicken wings, a side of green beans and a biscuit in tow, I headed home.

Once I got to my kitchen, I pulled out the Ciroc and remembered a great recipe I saw in a magazine.

Ciroc Caribbean

1.5 oz. Ciroc Coconut

  5  oz. pineapple juice

.25 oz. fresh lime juice

Build in rocks glass over

ice. Top with soda and garnish

with lime.

There's my finished product.

These went down extra smoooooth. Very, very good. They definitely get my seal of approval. However, being the certified bartender that I am, I had to put a slight spin on it.

For starters, I used organic pineapple juice.

It's more expensive but it's worth the money. It's not syrupy sweet nor does it have that tin residue flavor that you often taste when you drink other brands that come in the can.

Yes, the recipe says top with soda but it's important to be specific. Be sure to use a lemon-line flavored soda like Sprite and not ginger ale. The ginger tastes doesn't mesh well with the coconut and lime flavors already a part of the cocktail.

And my last suggestion: stir it up.  Although the recipe suggests that you let the soda float on top, it tastes better with the fizz of the soda through out the drink. Simply take a spoon, stir it up a couple of times - and your done.

And there you have it: A refreshing, grown up Malibu Bay Breeze.  Only this time, instead of a coconut rum, you've got a five times distilled coconut vodka.

Once my drinks were ready (I had three), I grabbed my carton of wings, side of green beans and warm biscuit, kicked up my heels and enjoyed a lovely evening at home.

What do you think of this recipe?

Are you a fan of Ciroc?  It's no Grey Goose, but I will definitely keep it in stock from now on.

Do you prefer another type of vodka?

Talk to me.

I'd love to hear your thoughts.