This weekend marks one of the most exciting of the year - football season is here (can you hear the cheering fans?)! Whether you watch college games, the NFL or both, nothing says fall quite like FOOTBALL! And nothing says football quite like tailgating and cocktails. As you kick off the season, show your spirit by matching your drink to your team’s colors or create a signature cocktail inspired by your favorite play. Oh, and don’t forget to spike the wings!  GO TEAM!

Gogh Deep
1 ounce Van Gogh Acai-Blueberry Vodka
1 ounce Van Gogh Raspberry Vodka
Splash of Cranberry Juice
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for five seconds. Strain into shot glasses. (more…)

As we approach the “final” weekend of summer, consider including this unique treat in your Labor Day barbecue spread…

Van Gogh Vodka fan Robbie Carter and his girlfriend Alexa are proving that cocktail creativity can extend beyond the glass…way beyond! Every Wednesday this inventive couple soaks a seedless watermelon with their favorite Van Gogh Vodka flavor-of-the-week so it has ample time to absorb the spirit before their weekend trip to a nearby island off the coast of Tampa, FL.

“Your Pomegranate and other flavors have proven to be ‘the bomb’ when it comes to spiking our watermelons,” Carter says.

Drunken Watermelon (courtesy of Robbie & Alexa)
1 Seedless Watermelon
1 750 ml bottle Van Gogh flavored vodka

Carve hole into watermelon and pour in vodka. Allow to marinate in refrigerator 2 – 3 days. Best served COLD!

With tropical storm Fay still churning away in the Atlantic we, at Van Gogh Vodka headquarters in Orlando, are in the midst of our fourth consecutive day of constant wind and rain. With no end in immediate sight and countless storm/hurricane parties taking place across the state, we consulted our recipe book to find the perfect Fay-inspired cocktail - best enjoyed in the company of friends with the endless hours of TV storm coverage as your soundtrack.

Sending positive thoughts to our friends on the coast - stay safe and dry…Cheers!

Tropical Storm
1 ounce Van Gogh Pineapple Vodka
1 ounce Van Gogh Mango Vodka
1/2 ounce Van Gogh Coconut Vodka
1/2 ounce Pineapple Juice
1/2 ounce Orange Juice
Serve in a pint glass over ice!

With just 10 days to go until the closing ceremonies and a slew of action-packed events on the schedule, it seems fitting the Olympics provide the theme for my weekend’s festivities. Like every good athlete, I will begin my training regimen TV watching with a shot of coffee - in the form of Van Gogh Double Espresso Vodka of course!

Following a few minutes of stretching and meditation channel surfing and snack preparation, I will toast team USA as they secure more gold starting tonight with an exciting pool performance by history-maker and record-breaker Michael Phelps who will compete against his pal (and toughest competition) Ryan Lochte in the 200 individual medley. Phelps will close the Games’ swimming events this weekend with his final three races and an anticipated three additional gold medals. Another reason to cheer — the long-awaited track and field events begin Friday as do the individual gymnastics finals.

Sparkling Gold
1 ounce Van Gogh Pineapple Vodka
1/2 ounce Pineapple Juice
3 ounces Champagne (more…)

My friends are hosting a barbecue this weekend and I’ve been tasked with bringing a “sweet side dish.” A sweet side dish? I consulted my favorite cookbook and found a recipe for ambrosia - an interesting mixture of fruit, marshmallows and other miscellaneous ingredients (depending on who you ask). Apparently, southerners are fond of this little “salad” and we are in Florida, so I decided to whip up a batch, which is currently resting in my fridge. Of course, I couldn’t resist putting my own spin on the recipe and from what I’ve tasted so far, I think I made an excellent choice. Enjoy!

Spiked Ambrosia Salad
1/2 cup Van Gogh Coconut Vodka
1 1/2 cups grapefruit
1 1/2 cups pineapple or 1 (13 ounce) can of pineapple chunks, drained
1 (11 ounce) can of mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 cup shredded coconut
3/4 cup mini marshmallows
Peel and cut fruit into small pieces. Place fruit into a serving dish and add coconut, marshmallows and vodka. Stir well and chill overnight.

Elephant artists and cocktail sipping rhinos, oh my! Apparently, it’s just another day at the Denver Zoo. During the recent “2008 Do at the Zoo” fund raiser Van Gogh Vodka helped raise more than $440,000 for the Zoo’s new Asian Tropics exhibit - a 10-acre conservation center devoted to highly-endangered Asian species including elephants, Indian rhinos and Malayan tapirs. Artwork by elephants Molly and Dolly adorned the Van Gogh bar while more than 2,000 guests sampled cocktails and culinary treats from 49 of Denver’s finest restaurants.

It was a truly “wild” night for all involved! Congratulations to the Denver Zoo for a successful event. Cheers!

Van Gogh Vodka is proving to be delicious in any language! This week, celebrity Chef Jon Ashton and Host/Chef Maria Katalina Velez created three vodka-infused dishes for TV Dominicana’s Que Comemos Hoy cooking show, which is produced by Lebron’s Productions and airs Saturdays and Sundays at 11 a.m. Inspired by the Dominican format, Ashton designed cooking and cocktail recipes that feature Van Gogh’s unique flavors and a little Latin flair.

Salud! (more…)