''It wasn't until the age of 30 that I drank my first martini -- at the bar at the Four Seasons New York," reports Miami Herald features writer Madeleine Marr. ''Brought to me on a fancy tray by a server in white gloves, it was cold and dirty, loaded with Stoli, olive juice and a spritz of vermouth. There was no looking back. After moving to Miami in 2002, I set out to find the perfect mojito. It turns out most respectable places make a pretty good one, but I'm still on that quest, discovering other interesting tipples along the way.''
Write to her at mmarr@miamiherald.com.
Samurai means ''to serve'' and Sushi Samba on Lincoln Road is taking the word to another level by offering its refreshing Lemon Samurai cocktail to all willing and thirsty warriors. The summery signature drink mixes tangy Stolichnaya Citros vodka with fruit flavors. The result is a fruity drink with bite, proving not all ''fruit juice-based'' drinks are just out to play nice.
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It's hard to improve on a classic, but Nikki Beach is giving it a shot: Its Fresh Sugar Cane Mojito adds a sugar cane slice for nibbling -- so much tastier than a plastic swizzle.
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Cinco de Mayo is just a few days away, mis amigos. And while everyone loves a good, old-fashioned margarita, you can upgrade this year to a Viva Frida. It's from the makers of Frida Kahlo Tequila Blanco, named for Mexico's most famous female artist and double-distilled in antique copper stills.
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You've traded plastic for canvas, an SUV for a hybrid. Toast your earth-friendly efforts with a Global Warning cocktail, a sparkling, fruity concoction featuring VeeV, which claims to be the first ''all-natural'' alcoholic beverage. It's made from the acaí berry, prickly pear and acerola cherry, and the company says it donates $1 from every bottle sold to rain-forest preservation through the Sustainable Acaí Project.
NEW PRODUCT
The mojito, that seductive rum mint julep from Cuba, has taken over the cocktail scene (though technically, it's a highball, not a cocktail). So it was only a matter of time before those wily folk at Bacardi would come out with a pre-mixed version: the Bacardi Classic Cocktail Mojito.
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Saturday's Bacardi B-Live concert at Miami's Bayfront Park is sold out, but that doesn't mean you can't experience the Bacardi Avenue of Cocktails. Here are three do-it-yourself recipes from the rum company:
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Victoria's Secret wants you to wear the word across your bum. Now romantics can drink in the P.I.N.K., a caffeine- and guarana-infused vodka that Pamela Anderson and Eva Longoria have been seen sipping.
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Who says cocktail lovers can't have their spirits and antioxidants shaken and stirred in one glass? Those looking to keep themselves healthy and energetic just need to add a dash of Purple into their alcohol of choice. The beverage combines seven high-antioxidant fruits. And, according to researchers, adding alcohol to the fruits boosts their antioxidant count. These cocktails are making a splash at Miami spots such as DeVito's and the Essex House Hotel lounge in South Beach.
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In Key Biscayne, they're serving up an ace -- the Sapphire Ace, a bright orange cocktail created for tennis fans at this weekend's Sony Ericsson Open by the makers of Bombay Sapphire Gin.
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Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar's Sonoma Fog is a ''vinotini'' -- a martini made with grape-based vodka and white dessert wine and topped with a sweet froth.
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''The Troubles'' may be a thing of the past in Northern Ireland, but a liquid legacy of those tragic times is still a hit on college campuses and at Irish bars.
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At Andú Restaurant & Lounge, open about a month in Miami's Brickell neighborhood, they're forgoing the muddled mint found in countless cocktails for snappy cilantro.
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Think Chinese New Year has passed you by? You're in luck: The Year of the Rat began two weeks ago, but Thursday is the last day of the traditional celebration. At the Mandarin Oriental on Brickell Key, they're toasting with the Mandarin Gold, a golden-orange cocktail with a citrusy punch.
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Still figuring out your Valentine's Day prospects? Maybe a ''love potion'' is what you need -- like Love at First Pisco, a sweet pink cocktail made from grape-based pisco brandy, the national spirit of Peru.
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OK, so the Miami Dolphins didn't quite make it to the Super Bowl this year. We'll always have our memories of their perfect 1972 season.
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Miami keeps building up, so why not drink with a view? Check out the aptly named Brickelltini, a sweet-and-sour cocktail made with melon liquor, vodka and fresh lime juice, created by Josep Juncosa, manager of the Conrad Miami, for the Brickell Avenue hotel's refurbished Level 25 lounge.
