Channel Ascension

Episode 74: Bare it All!

Check out this week's episode where we discuss dating naked, throwing prosthetic legs and what the term "bae" means according to TIME Magazine!

Drink of the Week

Stripped

1 ½ oz. White Tequila
¼ oz. Cointreau
2 oz. fresh-pressed watermelon juice (or 1 oz. of a good-quality bottled puree)
½ oz. fresh-squeezed lime juice
½ oz. ginger syrup*

Build Instructions: Build in a mixing glass, then shake & pour over fresh ice in a Collins glass. Garnish with a watermelon wedge, if desired.

*Ginger Syrup: In a medium saucepan, combine ½ pound fresh ginger and ½ liter Tres Agave Nectar over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a very light boil, stirring occasionally. Strain & allow the mixture to cool for 25 minutes.

Episode 73: You Scream for Ice Cream!

This week we talk LeBron, the Amazon book service, and being Married at First Sight.

Drink of the week

Good Humor

1/2  oz light rum
2 scoops vanilla ice cream
1/2 oz coconut rum
1/2 oz Kaluha
1/2 oz Bacardi 151

Directions
Put all ingredients in a blender on medium speed. Mix till ice cream is smooth and liquified. Pour into a high ball glass and enjoy!

Episode 72: It's an Emergency!

Tune in as we chat about Brasil getting crushed in the World cup, how 911 became the national call number, street harassment, and how to cheer up a lonely friend!

Drink of the Week

Get Happy

• Ice
• 3-Ounces White Tequila (Blanco) - Spicy, if Desired
• 1-Ounce Grand Marnier (or Other Orange-Flavored Liqueur)
• 2-Ounces Fresh Lime Juice
• For Garnish: Extra Lime Slices, Salt, Jalapeño Slices

Directions:

• If you want to spice your tequila, add a slice of jalapeño to a bottle or jar. The tequila will take on the flavor quickly, so you only need to let it marinate for an hour or two (if that), when using a small jar.
• Rim your glass with lime juice from the extra lime slices, and salt, if desired. Set aside.
• Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, tequila, Grand Marnier, and lime juice. Shake well. Strain into glass.
• Garnish!

Episode 71: Let the Freedom Rang

America's going through it. From losing against Belgium in the World Cup to Hobby Lobby, we're talking about it all. Also, what grinds our gears this week. Happy Fourth of July!

Drink of the Week:

Murica

cup finely crushed ice (to slush consistency)
1/4 fluid ounce blue curacao liqueur
2 fluid ounces lemon-flavored vodka, divided
1/4 fluid ounce raspberry flavored liqueur (such as Raspberry Sour Puss®)

1. Place half the ice into a bowl; divide the other half of the ice between 2 bowls (1/4 cup of ice in each). 

2. Place blue curacao liqueur and 1/2 fluid ounce of lemon vodka into a bowl containing 1/4 cup of ice. Mix well. 

3. Place raspberry liqueur and 1/2 fluid ounce of lemon vodka into the other 1/4 cup of ice and mix well. 

4. Mix the remaining 1 fluid ounce of lemon vodka into the bowl containing 1/2 cup of ice.

5. Layer the blue curacao-flavored ice into the bottom of a glass. 

6. Place the lemon vodka-flavored ice over the blue layer; top with the raspberry-flavored ice.

Episode 70: A 'Berry' Good Show

Basketball, burgers and berries? Normally these things don't all go together but they do when you're listening to Catnaps and Cognac! Tune in to hear us make sense of it all.

Drink of the Week

Summer Vacation
2 parts Bourbon
1-1/2 parts ginger beer
1-3/4 parts lemon juice
1 large strawberry (or 3 small)
4 basil leaves
1 dash Rhubarb Bitters

Muddle strawberries and basil well. Add rhubarb bitters, lemon juice and Bourbon. Add ice and shake. Strain over ice in a highball glass. Add ginger beer and stir lightly. Garnish with a slice of strawberry.

Episode 69: Must Find Money

In this episode we talk about finding money with Hidden Cash, how dark circles are formed and the Game of Thrones season finale. 

Drink of the week:

The Weekender

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 cup water + 2 cups water

• 3 cups fresh strawberries, hulls removed

• 3/4 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice (from 6-8 large lemons)

• 3/4 cup vodka

• 1/3 cup Cointreau liqueur

• Additional strawberries and lemon slices for garnish, if desired

DIRECTIONS:

1. Add sugar and 1 cup water to a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and add remaining 2 cups water. Add to the pitcher of a blender along with strawberries, lemon juice, vodka, and Cointreau. Puree until completely smooth.

1. Pour into a large freezer-safe container and seal with lid or plastic wrap. Carefully transfer to freezer. Freeze until solid, 4-6 hours.

1. Remove from freezer. Scrape with a fork to loosen ice; stir with a spoon to mix ice and the rest of the ingredients back together if necessary. Spoon into glasses, decorate the glass with a strawberry and a lemon slice if desired, and serve with a straw and a spoon.

Episode 68: Return of the Cats

On this week's episode we keep you up to date with current events, share fun facts, and more importantly during tv time we talk about Orange is the New Black!

Drink of the Week

Orange is the New Drink

ice

2 ounces blood orange juice

1.5 ounces tequila
juice from 1 wedge of lime

3 ounces strong ginger beer

In a cocktail shaker, combine 1 cup of ice with 2 ounces blood orange juice, 1.5 ounces tequila, and the juice from a lime wedge. Shake vigorously. Pour into the prepared glass and top off with desired amount of ginger beer

Episode 67: Elevator Music

It's fall TV (trailer viewing) time! We also talk about Solange vs. Jay Z, where the phrase "to the nines," and what happens when a bounce house goes up into the air -- with kids still in it!

Drink of the week
Rumble in the Elevator
1 oz. peach schnapps
1 oz. souther comfort
lemonade 
Fill a high ball glass with ice. Pour in the peach schnapps and the SoCo, fill to the rim with lemonade. Mix with straw and enjoy.

Episode 66: Your Awesome is Showing

In this episode, we talk about Willow Smith's controversial picture, where the term brownie points originated, new show on Fox -- Gang Related, and we share a funny vid of Al Sharpton during out LOL segment.

Awesome Blossom

Ingredients

For the fruit purees:

• 2 ripe mangoes, pitted and flesh scooped out
• 2 teaspoons sugar (optional)
• 1 heaping cup halved strawberries

For the drink:

• 4 ounces magno puree
• 2 ounces silver tequila
• ¾ ounces strawberry puree
• Strawberry and mango slices for garnish

Instructions

To make the fruit purees:

1. Place the mango and 2 teaspoons of sugar (only if the mango tastes a bit tart) in your blender. Puree until smooth – pour into a small pitcher and set aside.
2. Place the strawberries in the blender and puree until smooth. Pour into a small pitch and set aside.
3. Chill both purees – can be made ahead.

To make the cocktail (serves 1)

1. In a cocktail shaker combine 4 ounces mango puree with 2 ounces silver tequila, stir until combined.
2. Pour into a martini glass.
3. Pour the ¾ ounces of strawberry puree on the side of the glass – if you want the more traditional look of a tequila sunrise, pour the strawberry puree first and then the mango on top.
4. Garnish with a strawberry and mango slices

Episode 65: I'd Go Over the Moon

In this episode, we chat about Donald Sterling, our love for crab legs, how the ferris wheel got its name, and the resurgence of Sailor Moon.

Drink of the week

Sailor Saturn

1 to 2 bar spoons raw sugar (adjusted based on the sweetness of the peach and how sweet you like your drinks)
2 pieces of lemon peel
½ organic peach, pit removed
1 inch piece of vanilla bean, slit down the middle
¼ oz. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1-1/2 oz. bourbon (I used Four Roses small batch)
1-1/2 oz. cold black tea, unsweetened
Lemon peel for garnish

Directions

Note: Make the tea a few hours before the cocktail so it has time to chill in the fridge.
1. Add raw sugar and lemon peel to a cocktail shaker and muddle a few times to work the sugar into the peel to release the essential oils.
2. Add peach, vanilla bean and lemon juice and muddle again until the peach is well mashed.
3. Add bourbon and fill the cocktail shaker with ice.
4. Shake and strain into a rocks glass.
5. Top with cold black tea and stir.
6. Add 1 large ice cube to the glass and garnish with a lemon peel (before adding peel to the glass, twist the peel over the glass to express the essential oils and rub the peel around the rim of the glass).