News lately has been out of this world - no more astronauts, Juno to Jupiter, Perseids meteor showers, and all that extraterrestrial jazz. While enjoying the light of tonight’s full moon, think about sipping on some cosmically inspired cocktails. The UFO, Interplanetary Punch, Stratosphere, and Night Shade cocktail recipes here are delicious ideas but please do check out the link to Francine’s Blue Moon Cocktail recipe for the most delightfully written cocktail recipe I’ve ever seen!

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UFO

1 jigger / shot coffee liqueur
1 jigger / shot amaretto liqueur
3/4 cup vanilla ice cream
Splash of half-and-half cream

Ground cinnamon

Put about a half a cup of crushed ice in a blender then add all ingredients listed above (except the cinnamon garnish). Blend till smooth and divide between a couple of chilled cocktail glasses. Sprinkle with the cinnamon.

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Interplanetary Punch

1 .750-liter bottle light (clear) rum
1/2 cup dark rum
1-1/2 cup peppermint schnapps
1 quart mango nectar
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
1 quart orange juice

Leaves from 8 large sprigs of fresh mint
1 large mango, cubed or cut into small pieces*
1 orange, thinly sliced

Start this one well ahead of time because it’ll need to chill a while to blend flavors to their intergalactic best.

Pour all liquid ingredients into a large punch bowl or pitcher(s). Stir to blend flavors. Add mint laves, mango, and orange slices. Refrigerate until serving time.

Pour by the glass into ice-filled cocktail glasses, making sure each serving includes at least one mint, mango, and orange slice.

*Use canned mango as a substitute for the fresh mango. The flavor will be the same but canned mango pieces will sink to the bottom of the punch; fresh mango floats.

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Stratosphere

1 lemon wedge
1 jigger / shot light (clear) rum
1 pony / short shot brandy
1 teaspoon cherry liqueur
1 teaspoon sugar

Squeeze the juice from the lemon wedge into an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Add the remaining ingredients and shake until sugar is dissolved and the drink is thoroughly cold. Strain and pour into chilled cocktail glasses.

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What’s a jigger? What’s a pony? Shot glasses come in two sizes; some of them even have one size on each end. The larger one is a jigger; it holds 1-1/2 ounces of liquid. The smaller one, the pony, holds one fluid ounce.

Even though they come in all shapes and materials (glass, metal, ceramic, and the like, the capacity remains the same. All tools used to measure bar ingredients are regulated by the Weights and Measures Division of the US Department of Commerce. They’re the guys who make sure a cup is a cup, a foot is a foot, a pound is a pound, etc.

That said, there are those humongous novelty shot glasses available at souvenir shops all over the place. Use them at your own risk!

Don’t forget to check out Francine’s Blue Moon cocktail recipe via the link below. And please do tell us what you’d like to do on the moon.