Drink up: Help choose Naples’ signature cocktail - POLL

NAPLES — New York has the Manhattan, Key West has the Margarita, Kentucky has the Mint Julep, New Orleans has the Hurricane.

Now Naples will have its own signature drink.

Naples Originals, a group of locally owned, independent restaurants, is inviting customers to vote for one of six drinks at a cocktail party from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Jan. 12 at Stoney’s Steakhouse, 403 Bayfront Place, Naples. The cost is $10 and will be applied toward dinner if you dine at Stoney’s that evening.

David Ortiz, a mixologist, will be the guest emcee and will describe each of the cocktails as they are served in 15-minute intervals. Vote for your favorite and then enjoy the winner during the year at many area bars and restaurants. The cocktails are based on artisanal spirits from the American Still Life Collection. The Collection is a group of small, family-owned, independent distilleries, similar to the spirit of Naples Originals.

Here are the recipes for the contending cocktails:

BASIL LEMONADE IN NAPLES

Ingredients

1¾ ounce Boyd & Blair

¾ ounce fresh lemon juice, pressed

¾ ounce basil simple syrup, equal parts water and sugar with four basil leaves rested for a day

Splash of club soda

Lemon wedge

Directions

1 Mix the Boyd & Blair, lemon juice and simple syrup and shake.

2 Pour into a highball glass and top with a splash of club soda.

3 Garnish with a lemon wedge.

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HUMMINGBIRD IN WEST COAST FLORIDA

Ingredients

1 ounce Hum liquor

4 ounces Prosecco sparking wine (Stacole brand)

Mint sprig

Directions

1 Mix the liquor and Prosecco and serve in a flute

2 Garnish with the mint spring

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NAPLES PUNCH

Ingredients

1¾ ounces Cane & Abe Rum

¾ ounce Triple Sec

¾ ounce lime juice

¾ ounce orange juice

½ ounce cranberry juice

1 cherry

Directions

1 Pour all the ingredients except the cherry in a shaker and shake.

2 Pour into a highball glass and garnish with the cherry.

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AMERICANO SOUR IN NAPLES

Ingredients

1¾ ounces Balcones Baby Blue

1 ounce lime juice

1 ounce lemon juice

1 teaspoon sugar or 1 ounce simple syrup

1 splash of orange juice

Orange wheel

Directions

1 Mix all the ingredients together except the orange slice.

2 Pour into a stemmed glass with ice and garnish with the

orange slice.

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THE NAPLES COCONUT MOJITO

Ingredients

1 ounce Dancing Pine Oak Cask Rum

1 ounce coconut favored rum

¾ ounce Coco Lopez coconut cream

¾ ounce simple syrup

3 springs fresh mint, plus one for garnish

Splash of club soda

1 lime slice

Directions

1 Slightly muddle the mint.

2 Mix in all the other ingredients, except the mint for garnish and the lime slice.

3 Double strain and pour into a 6-ounce glass filled with ice.

4 Top with club soda.

5 Garnish with the mint and lime slice.

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WELCOME TO NAPLES

Ingredients

1¾ ounce Smooth Ambler Gin

¾ ounce cooked, butternut squash (any squash in season)

¾ ounce ginger simple syrup

¾ ounce fresh lime juice

2 dashes cinnamon

1 lime slice

Directions

1 Pour the all the ingredients, except the cinnamon and lime slice, into a shaker and shake hard.

2 Pour into a martini glass and garnish with cinnamon and lime slice.

Connect with Sheila Mesulam at www.naplesnews.com/staff/ sheila_mesulam