Wednesday is Simchat Torah, which generally means dancing around with the Torah, watching little kids wave some flags they made in Sunday school, and lots of drinking. Simchat Torah is second only to Purim in its association with alcohol I don’t think there’s any halakhic obligation to drink this week, the way there is on Purim, but if you walk into any synagogue on Tuesday night, you’re likely to see a bottle of schnapps or two (or six). 
Now I like Schnapps, but I also enjoy mixed drinks, and thought I’d share some nice Jewish cocktail and shot recipes to help enliven your Simchat Torah celebrations.
Chag Sameach!
The Ashkenazi
–the old classic
Fill a glass with ice.
Float:
1 part vanilla milk
1 part coffee liquer
1 part vodka
Enjoy!
The Sephardi
–an Ashkenazi with a little chocolate mixed in
Fill glass with ice
Float:
1 part chocolate liqueur
1 part vodka
1 part coffee liqueur
2 – 3 parts vanilla Al ha-Boker milk (regular milk will probably do in a pinch)
Pour carefully to get that layered effect going, because not only does it have to be girly, it has to be pretty. Then stir it up a little and drink it.
The Bloody Waters of Ancient Babylon
My former roommate’s bartender boyfriend invented this drink.
1/4 oz Southern Comfort
1/4 oz vodka (absolut)
1/4 oz Amaretto
1/4 oz slow gin
Fill a shaker with ice, add the above.
Add some pineapple juice, and a splash of sweet and sour. Shake it. Strain into a martini glass and then swirl grenadine on top.
Manischewitz Sangria Martini
1 part raspberry Stoli vodka
1/2 part triple sec
1/2 part pear schnapps
2 parts Manischewitz Concord-grape wine
1 part fresh sour mix
1 part Sprite
Lemon twists, to garnish
Shake the vodka, triple sec, schnapps, Manischewitz and fresh sour in a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour into a martini glass.
Top with Sprite and garnish with a lemon twist.
Manischevetini
2 Oz of Vodka
1/2 Oz Orange Juice
1/2 Oz Manischewitz
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, shake well; serve. Garnish with an orange twist if desired.
The Kiddish Club
1 part whiskey
1 part lashon hara
Also of note: Bangitout’s Top 10 Jewish Mixed Drinks.
(Cross-posted on The Jew & The Carrot)
Ashkenazi
Pronounced: AHSH-ken-AH-zee, Origin: Hebrew, Jews of Central and Eastern European origin.
Torah
Pronunced: TORE-uh, Origin: Hebrew, the Five Books of Moses.
