Skip to content

Top Navigation

Cooking Light Cooking Light
  • Recipes
  • Cooking 101
  • Eating Smart
  • Healthy Living
  • News

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Email Preferences

Manage Your Subscription

  • All Access Subscribers
  • Magazine Subscribers
  • Cooking Light Diet Subscribers
Login
Logout
SUBSCRIBE
Pin FB

Explore Cooking Light

Cooking Light Cooking Light
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 31-Day Healthy Meal Plan

      Our 31-day calendar of meals and tips shows you how to cook more and love it with fun, family-friendly meals that come together quickly and deliciously. Read More
    • Dinner Tonight: Quick and Healthy Menus in 45 Minutes (or Less)

      Hundreds of delicious recipes, paired with simple sides, that can be on your table in 45 minutes or less. Read More
    • Our Favorite Healthy Air Fryer Recipes

      Who ever said that chicken wings, doughnuts, and pizza couldn't be healthy? Read More
  • Recipes

    Recipes

    See All Recipes
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Drinks
    • Recipe Makeovers
    • Quick & Healthy
    • Diabetic
    • Gluten-Free
    • Vegetarian
    • Cooking Light Live
  • Cooking 101

    Cooking 101

    See All Cooking 101
    • Essential Ingredients
    • Cooking Techniques
    • Meet the Chef
    • Cooking Resources
    • Budget Friendly
    • Smart Choices
  • Eating Smart
  • Healthy Living

    Healthy Living

    See All Healthy Living
    • Weight-Loss
    • Health
    • Fitness
    • Home
    • Travel
    • Nutrition 101
  • News

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Email Preferences

Manage Your Subscription

  • All Access Subscribers
  • Magazine Subscribers
  • Cooking Light Diet Subscribers
Login
Logout
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Home
  2. Health News
  3. Regional Favorites: Classic Cocktails

Regional Favorites: Classic Cocktails

September 03, 2013
Skip gallery slides
Pin
Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
Have a really happy hour at home with these low-cal boozy beverages. 
Start Slideshow

1 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Lovely Libations

Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
Each region of the country has its own favorite to reach for when 5 o'clock rolls around. If you want to sidestep the extra calories that come with mixing cocktails, use fresh fruit juices and calorie-free beverages rather than mixes, which are loaded with sugar.

The Old Fashioned is a big hit in the Northeast.

Place 1 brown sugar cube on a cocktail napkin. Sprinkle 2 to 3 drops orange bitters and 2 to 3 drops Angostura bitters over sugar cube. (Napkin will soak up excess bitters.) Transfer cube to a 10-ounce old-fashioned glass. Add 1 orange slice and a few drops bourbon to glass. Mash sugar cube and orange slice, using a muddler, until sugar is almost dissolved. (Avoid mashing the rind; doing so will release a bitter flavor.) Add 3 tablespoons bourbon, and fill glass with ice cubes. Stir until well chilled.

SERVES 1 (serving size: 1 cocktail)

CALORIES 110; FAT 0g (sat 0g); SODIUM 1mg

 

 

 

 

 

1 of 8

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

East: Long Island Iced Tea

Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
Fill cocktail shaker with crushed ice. Add 4 tablespoons sweet-and-sour mix, 2 tablespoons vodka, 2 tablespoons gin, 2 tablespoons orange liqueur, 2 tablespoons light rum, and 2 tablespoons tequila. Cover with lid, and shake until thoroughly chilled. Strain into 4 chilled small martini glasses. Pour 2 tablespoons sugar-free cola into each glass. Garnish with lemon slices, if desired.

SERVES 4 (serving size: 1 cocktail)

CALORIES 105; FAT 0g (sat 0g); SODIUM 9mg

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 of 8

3 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Southeast: Mojito

Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
Combine 1 cup fresh mint leaves, 3/4 cup white rum, 1/3 cup agave nectar, and 1 cup ice cubes in pitcher. Mash mint leaves, rum, and agave together; stir in 1 cup fresh lime juice (about 10 limes) and 1 cup sparkling water. Pour into 4 glasses.

SERVES 4 (serving size: 1 cocktail)

CALORIES 190; FAT 0g (sat 0g); SODIUM 5mg

 

 

 

 

 

3 of 8

Advertisement

4 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

South: Sazerac

Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
Fill cocktail shaker with 1 cup ice. Add 3 tablespoons rye whiskey, 1 teaspoon simple syrup, and 2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters; cover with lid, and shake until thoroughly chilled. Coat inside of a chilled 3 1/2-ounce glass with 1/4 teaspoon anise liqueur; pour out excess. Rub lemon rind strip over rim, and place in glass. Strain whiskey mixture into prepared glass.

SERVES 1 (serving size: 1 cocktail)

CALORIES 106; FAT 0g (sat 0g); SODIUM 0mg

 

4 of 8

5 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Midwest: Chicago Attack

Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
Rub rim of an old-fashioned glass with a lemon slice, and dip in powdered sugar. Add cracked ice to glass. Stir in 2 ounces brandy, a dash of Angostura bitters, and 1/4 teaspoon curaçao or triple sec over cracked ice. Garnish with lemon wedge, if desired.

SERVES 1 (serving size: 1 cocktail)

CALORIES 70; FAT 0g (sat 0g); SODIUM 0mg

 

5 of 8

6 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Southwest: Margarita

Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
Rub rim of a chilled small margarita glass with lime wedge, and dip rim in margarita salt to coat, if desired. Fill cocktail shaker with 3/4 cup ice. Add 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon orange liqueur, and 2 tablespoons premium tequila; cover with lid, and shake until thoroughly chilled. Strain into prepared glass. Garnish with a lime wedge, if desired, and serve immediately.

SERVES 1 (serving size: 1 cocktail)

CALORIES 120; FAT 0g (sat 0g); SODIUM 1mg

 

 

6 of 8

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

West: Mai Tai

Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
Fill a 4-ounce glass with ice. Pour in 1 tablespoon light rum, 1 tablespoon orange curaçao, 2 tablespoons orange juice, 1/2 tablespoon fresh lime juice, 1 dash orgeat, and 1 dash simple syrup. Drizzle 1/2 tablespoon dark rum on top. Garnish with mint, pineapple slice, and paper umbrella, if desired.

SERVES 1 (serving size: 1 cocktail)

CALORIES 114; FAT 0g (sat 0g); SODIUM 3mg

 

 

 

7 of 8

8 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Northwest: Montana Sky

Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
Combine 1 ounce bourbon, 1/2 ounce tawny port, and 1 dash Angostura bitters over ice in a small glass. Stir to combine, and garnish with brandied cherries, if desired.

SERVES 1 (serving size: 1 cocktail)

CALORIES 89; FAT 0g (sat 0g); SODIUM 2mg

 

 

 

 

8 of 8

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 8 Lovely Libations
    2 of 8 East: Long Island Iced Tea
    3 of 8 Southeast: Mojito
    4 of 8 South: Sazerac
    5 of 8 Midwest: Chicago Attack
    6 of 8 Southwest: Margarita
    7 of 8 West: Mai Tai
    8 of 8 Northwest: Montana Sky

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    Cooking Light

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • Customer Service this link opens in a new tab
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    MeredithCooking Light is part of the Allrecipes Food Group. © Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Cooking Light may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Cooking Light. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.cookinglight.com

    View image

    Regional Favorites: Classic Cocktails
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.