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a cocktail shaker filled 1/3 full of ice. Shake well. Set aside. Swirl Hershey's Syrup inside of empty, chilled cocktail glass. Strain contents of cocktail shaker into chocolate swirled cocktail glass. Serve immediately.

Cocktails may not appeal to everyone. I tend to be drawn to bottles and labels. So, when I saw the Little Black Dress wine label I immediately picked it up. With its white lettering, red hanger and red high heeled pumps strewn in wanton abandon on the label, this wine begs to be swiped up, drunk without inhibition, come what may. It is the perfect mid priced wine for any budget. I chose the Merlot, but it also is marketed in Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio. This wine can be found at Whole Foods or online in the price range of $10 - $12.

For a little experimentation of your own, pick up a copy of The Martini Companion: A Connoisseur's Guide by Gary Regan and Mardee Haidin Regan. These are two of my favorite cocktail experts and they have not disappointed in this book. This copy was a Christmas gift and it is a gift that has kept on giving me a wealth of new ideas. What a pleasure! It will be a tremendous extension to your cocktail library as well with its timeless classics and trendiest cocktails from the most chic hotels, restaurants, and bars.

A relatively new product on the market is Jaguar Vodka. While most vodka is made from grain or potato, this one is made from sugar cane. Jaguar Vodka is distilled five times or more, which means it is a very clean tasting, pure vodka. In a taste test with Chopin (potato vodka), Ciroc (grape vodka), and Tall Blond (grain vodka); Jaguar Vodka stood up well. Chopin and Ciroc have a clean scent, meaning there is no scent at all. Tall Blond and Jaguar both have a denatured alcohol scent. All have a clean, full bodied taste worthy of a refreshing straight up martini. With the grape base of Ciroc and the sugar cane base of Jaguar, both make an incredible foundation for top of the line fruit cocktails. What makes Jaguar a little different is their marketing strategy. They set aside a portion of their proceeds to preserve the Jaguar habitat. For more information log on at www.jaguarvodka.com

Enjoy this year's Valentine's Day, but do not delay. Next Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Next year it gets scarier. Friday the thirteenth falls just before Valentine's Day on Saturday. Sounds like the perfect opportunity for scary movies and a Frankentini. The Intoxicologist will be in the lab concocting something special.

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