RASPBERRY VODKA TRUFFLES from The Russian Tea Room Cookbook for National Vodka Day!

I lament the demise of the magical Russian Tea Room in New York City. I've posted before about this fun spot and their wonderful cookbook, but I thought I would revisit it for National Vodka Day!

I grew up in Philadelphia, and one of our favorite family outings was to take the train to New York. We'd visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art or MOMA or take in a matinee. Whatever we did, The Russian Tea Room was a 'must stop.' My memory: two little girls in white gloves in their Spring 'toppers' dining in the elegant tea room. Even then it was a bit of a throwback. The Russian Tea Room had the most wonderful exotic food, well at least to me as an inexperienced diner at that time. And the celebrities! You could always spot a famous actor or writer.

If you follow my blog, you know I collect cookbooks, many of which are theme cookbooks, but also cookbooks of famous places and restaurants. So here's a chocolate recipe from The Russian Tea Room Cookbook (by Faith Stewart-Gordon with Starla Smith; illustrations by Paul Cox) for Raspberry Vodka Truffles. Since there's vodka in the recipe, a disclaimer -- my sister and I never had them at the Russian Tea Room. We were too young. We usually had blinis... my favorites! But, since this is a Chocolate Blog, I thought I'd share this recipe. I've made them, and they're really fabulous.. and easy!

 

NINE CHOCOLATE VODKA DRINK RECIPES: National Vodka Day!

1966 Retro Smirnoff Ad

October 4 is National Vodka Day. In honor of the holiday, I've put together Nine Chocolate Vodka Drink Recipes. There are several good quality chocolate vodkas out there. Try them all. Celebrate!

Chocolate Raspberry Martini 
(A Drink of the Week Original Cocktail)
1 1/2 ounce Stoli Raspberry Vodka
1/2  ounce  Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
Splash Soda

Combine Vodka and Liqueur in a shaker with ice. Shaken and strain into a cocktail glass. Top with a splash of soda. Garnish with a fresh raspberry.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Daiquiri
3 ounces chocolate Goldenbarr chocolate vodka
1 cup fresh strawberries

Combine ingredients in a blender, and blend well. Pour into chilled daiquiri/margarita glass, garnish with a chocolate covered strawberry, and serve.

Cherry Cordial Recipe
Chocolate Vodka
Cherry Liqueur

Pour in Shot Glass

Chocolate to Die For
6 ounce cream soda
1 1/2 ounce Chocolate Vodka

Pour the chocolate vodka over ice in an old-fashioned glass. Add cream soda and serve.

Fudge Slide
1 ounce Goldenbarr Chocolate Vodka
1 ounce  Kahlua coffee liqueur
1 ounce Bailey's Irish cream

Pour each ingredient into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes. Shake well, strain into a cocktail glass, and serve.

Chocolate Chocolate Martini
1 1/2 ounce Vincent Van Gogh Dutch Chocolate Vodka
1/2 ounce Creme de Cacao

Pour both ingredients into cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Shake well, strain into cocktail glass and serve. Garnish with grated chocolate. You can also rim the chilled glass with cocoa powder but pour slowly. Even better: Rim chilled glass with chocolate sauce and put in freezer until you're ready to serve the drink!

Desperate Housewife
1 1/2 ounce Players Extreme caramel-infused vodka
1 1/2 ounce white chocolate liqueur

Shake with ice. Strain into cocktail glass. Drizzle with chocolate sauce, and serve.

Starry Night Martini
1 1/2 ounce chocolate Vodka
1 1/2 ounce vanilla Vodka
1 ounce Bailey's Irish cream
1 ounce Kahlua coffee liqueur
1 splash cream

Fill shaker-strainer with ice. Pour chocolate and vanilla vodka into shaker simultaneously for three counts. Pour Bailey's and Kahlua into shaker for two counts. Add splash of cream. Cover shaker, shake, and strain into cocktail glass.

Tootsie Roll Shooter
 (recipe from Three Olives Chocolate Vodka)
2/3 ounce Three Olives Chocolate Vodka
1/3 ounce amaretto
Chocolate Syrup

Pour ingredients into cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Strain into shot glass.

Raise a glass to National Vodka Day!

THE RUSSIAN TEA ROOM RASPBERRY VODKA TRUFFLES: National Vodka Day

I lament the demise of the wonderful Russian Tea Room in New York City. I've posted before about this fun spot and their wonderful cookbook, but I thought I would revisit it for National Vodka Day!

I grew up in Philadelphia, and one of our favorite family outings was to take the train to New York. We'd visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art or MOMA or take in a matinee. Whatever we did, The Russian Tea Room was a 'must stop.' My memory: two little girls in white gloves in their Spring 'toppers' dining in the elegant tea room. Even then it was a bit of a throwback. The Russian Tea Room had the most wonderful exotic food, well to me as an inexperienced dinner at that time. And the celebrities! You could always spot a famous actor or writer.

If you follow my blog, you know I collect cookbooks, many of which are theme cookbooks, but also cookbooks of famous places and restaurants. So here's a chocolate recipe from The Russian Tea Room Cookbook (by Faith Stewart-Gordon with Starla Smith; illustrations by Paul Cox) for Raspberry Vodka Truffles. Since there's vodka in the recipe, a disclaimer -- my sister and I never had them at the Russian Tea Room. We were too young. We usually had blinis... my favorites! But, since this is a Chocolate Blog, I thought I'd share this recipe. I've made them, and they're really fabulous.. and easy!

 

Nine Chocolate Vodka Drink Recipes: National Vodka Day!

1966 Retro Smirnoff Ad

October 4 is National Vodka Day. In honor of the holiday, I put together Nine Chocolate Vodka Drink Recipes. There are several good quality chocolate vodkas out there. Try them all.

Chocolate Raspberry Martini 
(A Drink of the Week Original Cocktail)
1 1/2 ounce Stoli Raspberry Vodka
1/2  ounce  Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
Splash Soda

Combine Vodka and Liqueur in a shaker with ice. Shaken and strain into a cocktail glass. Top with a splash of soda. Garnish with a fresh raspberry.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Daiquiri
3 ounces chocolate Goldenbarr chocolate vodka
1 cup fresh strawberries

Combine ingredients in a blender, and blend well. Pour into chilled daiquiri/margarita glass, garnish with a chocolate covered strawberry, and serve.

Cherry Cordial Recipe
Chocolate Vodka
Cherry Liqueur

Pour in Shot Glass

Chocolate to Die For
6 ounce cream soda
1 1/2 ounce Chocolate Vodka

Pour the chocolate vodka over ice in an old-fashioned glass. Add cream soda and serve.

Fudge Slide
1 ounce Goldenbarr Chocolate Vodka
1 ounce  Kahlua coffee liqueur
1 ounce Bailey's Irish cream

Pour each ingredient into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes. Shake well, strain into a cocktail glass, and serve.

Chocolate Chocolate Martini
1 1/2 ounce Vincent Van Gogh Dutch Chocolate Vodka
1/2 ounce Creme de Cacao

Pour both ingredients into cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Shake well, strain into cocktail glass and serve. Garnish with grated chocolate. You can also rim the chilled glass with cocoa powder but pour slowly. Even better: Rim chilled glass with chocolate sauce and put in freezer until you're ready to serve the drink!

Desperate Housewife
1 1/2 ounce Players Extreme caramel-infused vodka
1 1/2 ounce white chocolate liqueur

Shake with ice. Strain into cocktail glass. Drizzle with chocolate sauce, and serve.

Starry Night Martini
1 1/2 ounce chocolate Vodka
1 1/2 ounce vanilla Vodka
1 ounce Bailey's Irish cream
1 ounce Kahlua coffee liqueur
1 splash cream

Fill shaker-strainer with ice. Pour chocolate and vanilla vodka into shaker simultaneously for three counts. Pour Bailey's and Kahlua into shaker for two counts. Add splash of cream. Cover shaker, shake, and strain into cocktail glass.

Tootsie Roll Shooter
 (recipe from Three Olives Chocolate Vodka)
2/3 ounce Three Olives Chocolate Vodka
1/3 ounce amaretto
Chocolate Syrup

Pour ingredients into cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Strain into shot glass.

Raise a glass to National Vodka Day!

9 Chocolate Vodka Drinks: National Vodka Day

1966 Retro Smirnoff Ad

October 4 is National Vodka Day. In honor of the holiday, I put together 9 Chocolate Vodka Drink Recipes. There are several good quality chocolate vodkas out there. Try them all.

Chocolate Raspberry Martini 
(A Drink of the Week Original Cocktail)
1 1/2 ounce Stoli Raspberry Vodka
1/2  ounce  Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
Splash Soda

Combine Vodka and Liqueur in a shaker with ice. Shaken and strain into a cocktail glass. Top with a splash of soda. Garnish with a fresh raspberry.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Daiquiri
3 ounces chocolate Goldenbarr chocolate vodka
1 cup fresh strawberries

Combine ingredients in a blender, and blend well. Pour into chilled daiquiri/margarita glass, garnish with a chocolate covered strawberry, and serve.

Cherry Cordial Recipe
Chocolate Vodka
Cherry Liqueur

Pour in Shot Glass

Chocolate to Die For
6 ounce cream soda
1 1/2 ounce Chocolate Vodka

Pour the chocolate vodka over ice in an old-fashioned glass. Add cream soda and serve.

Fudge Slide
1 ounce Goldenbarr Chocolate Vodka
1 ounce  Kahlua coffee liqueur
1 ounce Bailey's Irish cream

Pour each ingredient into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes. Shake well, strain into a cocktail glass, and serve.

Chocolate Chocolate Martini
1 1/2 ounce Vincent Van Gogh Dutch chocolate Vodka
1/2 ounce Creme de Cacao

Pour both ingredients into cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Shake well, strain into cocktail glass and serve. Garnish with grated chocolate.. You can also rim the chilled glass with cocoa powder but pour slowly. Even better: Rim chilled glass with chocolate sauce and put in freezer until you're ready to serve the drink!

Desperate Housewife
1 1/2 ounce Players Extreme caramel-infused vodka
1 1/2 ounce white chocolate liqueur

Shake with ice. Strain into cocktail glass. Drizzle with chocolate sauce, and serve.

Starry Night Martini
1 1/2 ounce chocolate Vodka
1 1/2 ounce vanilla Vodka
1 ounce Bailey's Irish cream
1 ounce Kahlua coffee liqueur
1 splash cream

Fill shaker-strainer with ice. Pour chocolate and vanilla vodka into shaker simultaneously for three counts. Pour Bailey's and Kahlua into shaker for two counts. Add splash of cream. Cover shaker, shake, and strain into cocktail glass.

Tootsie Roll Shooter
 (recipe from Three Olives Chocolate Vodka)
2/3 ounce Three Olives Chocolate Vodka
1/3 ounce amaretto
Chocolate Syrup

Pour ingredients into cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Strain into shot glass.

Raise a glass to National Vodka Day!