Casino Night Cocktail Party Black jack, roulette, and a whole lotta winning foods to help you keep your head in the game. All bets are on this elegant meal, served buffet style so you can move. Time for Casino Night! On March 27, 2021 The Palm City Chamber will be hosting Casino Night at The South Florida Shooting Club. Email Nikki at Nikki@palmcitychamber.com to get started. 'The casino is the ultimate entertainment destination,' says Jonathan Marcus, Vice President of Marketing at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa, Florida. And with the indoor entertaining season in full swing, you might find yourself trying to pull together a fun evening with family and friends—and a casino night just might be the perfect idea.
With Halloween on the table this month Poker Night plays out to be a great theme for a gangster style, casino or Monte Carlo Halloween party. Party planning could range from simple to extravagant depending upon the number of guests invited. With the purchase of poker chips and cards all you need is a good game to get the party started. Go Monte Carlo style with glitz, glamour and luxury making the night a black tie affair. Take the casino route with multiple table games available to guests. A gangster theme gives guests the opportunity to dress in the fashion of Al Capone, the characters of The Godfather or more modern versions such as The Sopranos. Once the style has been chosen a few drinks are in order. Serve up rounds of these great cocktails and you’re sure to have a ‘full house’.
Ante – Robert Hess
1-3/4 ounce Calvados or Apple Brandy
3/4 ounce Dubonnet Rouge
1/2 ounce Premium Orange Liqueur
1 dash Classic Bitters
Combine in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake. Strain into a cocktail glass.
Robert Hess created a lovely cocktail that touches upon classic style. Ante retains lush color and rich character. Dubonnet reaches out first in flavor, but then the brandy character caresses the palate with substantial strokes of layered personality. Ante is quite the cocktail. Though the cocktail didn’t last long enough in the glass to test my theory, I’m certain this one would be just as delicious if it sat warming to room temperature when the games begin. After all poker is all about bluffing and one can’t do that with a glass in one hand all the time!
Casino – Robert Hess
2 ounces Gin
1/8 ounce Lemon Juice
1/8 ounce Maraschino Liqueur
2 dashes Orange Bitters
Cherry Garnish
Combine in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with cherry.
Gin lovers will love this one, because Casino primarily tastes of gin with a little bitter zing and Maraschino liqueur flair just barely wafting off the back end. The great thing about that is Casino definitely won’t distract from the primary focus; poker. This drink recipe gives a minor variation to remotely flavored martini without all the sugary fuss. The cherry garnish possibly adds too much girlish charm for such a ‘manly’ game, so do away with it if it’s too much to deal with, but the small amount of flavor does add to the flavor layering. Besides, if you lose the round you can always make a side bet on how fast you can tie that cherry stem.
Another great cocktail to keep in mind while betting the house; Lady Luck found in the recent Twilight Zone recipe pairing post. Lady Luck combines Armagnac, pear liqueur and champagne. The Twilight Zone theme would also be a fantastic Halloween theme party this holiday season.
Monte Carlo – Robert Hess
2-1/4 ounces Rye Whiskey
3/4 ounce Benedictine
1 dash Classic Bitters
Place liquids in a mixing glass with ice. Stir to chill. Strain into a cocktail glass.
The Robert Hess Monte Carlo taste will vary in degrees depending on which Rye Whiskey you choose. I happened to try Sazerac Rye. The flavor of the cocktail turned out deep in spice and leaned heavily toward the sweet side, sticking in the back of the throat a little. However the color is terrific. It’s difficult to go wrong with spirits such as Rye Whiskey or Benedictine. The ratios of this mix just need a little fine tuning for my particular palate, but that is the sporting nature of cocktail creation. There is nothing sacred about a recipe where your particular taste is concerned. Tweak it to your own liking.
What’s poker, anteing up and betting the house without quoting from the Godfather: ‘In Sicily, women are more dangerous than shotguns.’ – Calo
Corleone – Ryan Magarian
5 White Grapes
Casino Night Cocktails Las Vegas
1-1/2 ounce Gin
1/2 ounce Grappa
1/2 ounce Lemon Juice
3/4 ounce Simple Syrup
1 dash Orange Bitters
White Grape Garnish
Muddle grapes in bottom of mixing glass. Add in remaining liquid ingredients. Add ice. Shake to blend and chill. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a sliced grape resting on rim of glass.
The Capone
3 ounces Templeton Rye Whiskey
1 ounces Grand Marnier
Splash of Champagne
Dash of Bitters
Combine Templeton Rye, bitters & Grand Marnier in shaker. Shake well, strain in martini glass. Float champagne & garnish with lemon twist.
Templeton Rye is fabulous served neat, but I made my getaway with The Capone. Who could resist Templeton Rye Whiskey, Grand Marnier and champagne? A combination such as this is downright dastardly and yet splendid! Templeton Rye is definitely “The Good Stuff.” Templeton Rye has succeeded in blending the history of this original American spirit into the whiskey itself. There is warmth, sentiment and flavor of the past within this particular spirit.
Nightwatch – Robert Hess, 2006
1 ounce Gin
1 ounce Coffee Liqueur
1/4 ounce Absinthe
Combine in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake. Strain into a cocktail glass.
Monte Carlo
Date Night Cocktails
1/2 measure Gin
1/4 measure Lemon Juice
Champagne
1/4 measure Crème de Menthe
Mint Leaf Garnish
Stir gin and lemon juice in mixing glass with ice. Strain into champagne flute. Top with champagne, leaving room for crème de menthe. Carefully drizzle crème de menthe over the top. Garnish with mint leaf.
The winner takes all in Monte Carlo. This green hued cocktail could double for holiday themed parties or St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, but the name lends itself well to poker night and betting the house. Crème de Menthe is subtle with a wee bit of tartness of the citrus settling the sweetness score. Gin does not carry through in the least as it is outshined by the other multi-layered flavors. Savor winning in style with a celebratory toast of champagne with this bubbly version Monte Carlo.
All content ©2014 Cheri Loughlin, The Intoxicologist. All Rights Reserved. Chat with Cheri @Intoxicologist on Twitter and facebook.com/Intoxicologist or str8upcocktails@gmail.com
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Casinos embody a variety of different aspects, and many of these come straight to mind when someone asks you to picture something memorable from a casino. Maybe it’s the flashing machines, catchy music, busy playing tables, and, of course, the bars. Bars make up an important part of the casino experience, and many that visit their local casino often frequent the bar. In fact, some casinos even offer their players free drinks if they participate in the games and tables that the casinos offer. Of all the drinks that casinos offer, however, one of the most popular is the cocktail.
A cocktail is a specially designed drink that uses parts of other alcohols and beverages to create something unique. Most cocktails have their own name and theme – think Martini with James Bond – and you have the general idea. If you are looking to throw a casino-themed bash and want some ideas for some cocktails to go along with the overall theme, here are some popular ideas.
The Dry Martini – 007 Style
We have to start with the most well known of the casino cocktails: the dry Martini. Having been 007’s favourite from the very first James Bond book, the dry Martini is an extremely popular choice for party throwers, and one that just can’t go wrong.
It starts with a fresh Martini glass, into which you add a mixture of three parts gin, a shot of vodka, and half a shot of Vermouth. Shaken with ice is a must, and adding a little fresh lemon finishes the drink off.
Not only is this great for a group event, but even for those days you want to laze around and enjoy some pokies online NZ games, the dry Martini is a go-to for both casino and 007 fans.
Casino Themed Cocktails
The Last Chance
A popular cocktail for finishing off an eventful night, the Last Chance is perfect for a bit of refreshment, especially if you’re feeling a little worn down from other drinks. It’s simple and tasty, and few drinks work quite as well to help you manage the evening buzz.
Starting with two shots of vodka, add some orange juice, a little liqueur of your choice (such as orange-flavoured), and away you go. The great thing about the Last Chance is its versatility, and how it can be altered to fit the mood. If you feel that you’ve already had too many strong drinks and want something a little bit on the light side, then holding back on the vodka and adding more orange juice can make the Last Chance incredibly refreshing.
The Poker Face
Lastly we have the most popular drink in any casino, and one that casinos all over the world will offer. Its origins can be found in some of the earlier Vegas casinos of the mid 1900s, and it was created to give players the chance to cool down with something refreshing, citrusy, and sweet.
Three shots of pineapple juice, two shots of vodka, some orange-liqueur, and a splash of lemon – voila: The Poker Face. Extremely simple, fun, and for that extra dash of casino flare, feel free to add a little fruit or a miniature umbrella into the glass.
There are a lot of different cocktails to experiment with, but these three serve as a good starting base, and will never fail you when you’re itching for a classic casino beverage.