USA's 5 Favourite Cocktails And How To Make Them At Home : Top 5 : TravelersToday

Trust me, being able to make a cocktail is a very impressive skill and will always be a hit with a date or at a party. Since this winter seems endless, let's look forward to summer! Here are the ultimate top 5 cocktails and the recipes for making them.

The Aviation Cocktail

A gorgeous, delicate, flowery cocktail with a slight blue-violet tinge.

1 oz Gin

1/2 oz Marascino Liquer

1/2 oz Creme de Violette

1/2 oz Fresh Lemon Juice

Shake with ice and pour into a cocktail glass. There you go, an Aviation.For a dryer version, cut back on the Violette and Increase the Gin. If you don't like Gin, subsitute for Vodka.

Painkiller Cocktail

2 oz Dark Rum

1 oz Cream of Coconut

4 oz Pineapple Juice

1 oz Orange Juice

Pour the rum, orange juice, pineapple and coconut cream into the shaker. Shake vigorously. Strain the cocktail over ice into a glass. Sprinkle with a wee bit of nutmeg if you want.

Blue Hawaii Cocktail

Created in 1957 at the Hilton Hawaii using the then-new Blue Curacao liquer. This recipe's from a Hilton chef.

3/4 oz Light Rum

3/4 oz Vodka

1/2 oz Blue Curacao

3 oz Pineapple Juice

1 oz Sweet & Sour Mix (a blend of syrup and lemon juice - to make your own, try eight ounces of lemon juice and two tsps of sugar)

Combine the ingredients and mix. If using ice, combine in a blender at a low speed. Garnish with a pineapple slice.

Gin Sour

A little different, involving some Green Tea. Recipe by Michael Green (mixologist).

1 1/2 oz Gin2 oz Green Tea (brewed to full strength)

1 oz Ginger Syrup

1 oz Fresh Lime Juice

Candied Ginger

Fill a rocks glass with ice. Carefully build the drink by adding the Gin, Green Tea, Syrup and Lime Juice (in that order). Stir slowly with a spoon. Garnish the side with some Candied Ginger.