Golden Frog

I love the combination of Galliano and Strega. Both are Italian herb liqueurs. Strega is very minty and citrus forward, while Galliano tastes like vanilla and anise and so much more. They are strong, rich, and very golden.

So I was looking forward to enjoying this cocktail very dry with vodka. Instead, the recipe calls for blending with ice. So it is a slushy drink that uses the liqueurs to add the fruity essences. And it's not bad for all that. For one thing, it tames the really potent flavors and alcohols of the two liqueurs. So it may just be appealing to ordinary drinkers, and not those accustomed to Italian liqueurs.

The name? Well it certainly is a golden drink, but I think the addition of Strega--or the witch, in Italian--is an indication of the thinking of this cocktail. It's a bumpy, slushy golden thing like some kind of witchy magic.

• 1 oz. vodka
• 1 oz. Galliano
• 1 oz. Strega
• 1 oz. lemon juice

Combine all ingredients with ice in a blender. Blend until smooth and pour into a chilled cocktail glass.