Dark & Stormy

38 Cocktails to Make & Color

Hannah Kingsley Illustrated by

Maria Francesca Melis Get Creative 6 NEW YORK

Get Creative 6

An imprint of Mixed Media Resources, LLC 19 W. 21st St., Suite 601, New York, NY 10010 mixedmediaresources.com Senior Editor PAM KINGSLEY Art Director JENNIFER MARKSON Editorial/Production Coordinator JEAN O’DEA Chief Executive Officer CAROLINE KILMER Chairman JAY STEIN Copyright © 2026 by Mixed Media Resources LLC All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means—graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or information storage-andretrieval systems—without permission of the publisher.

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ISBN: 978-1-68462-119-4 Manufactured in China 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 First Edition

Introduction

It’s the end of a long day. Maybe it was killer deadlines coming due or getting the kids everywhere they needed to go, or both, or more.

Finally, you have a moment to yourself, to take a breath, to let go of those very taut reins, to (oh my goodness) relax.

What to do?

You could engage in the bartender’s sacrament of mindfully making yourself a cocktail. Or, you could pull out your markers/pencils/crayons and just as mindfully lose yourself in coloring.

But why choose? With Dark and Stormy, you can do both!

Dark and Stormy contains 38 different classic cocktails.

Veteran bartender Hannah Kingsley takes you through their preparation step by step, as well as providing fun facts about their backstories and origins. Once you have your drink in hand, sit down to color artist Maria Francesca Melis’s delightful original rendering of the cocktail you are now enjoying.

Feel the stress fall away with every sip and every stroke.

Whether it’s a Sazerac, Cosmopolitan, Mai Tai, or Manhattan (or Dark ’n Stormy!), color yourself calm and contented!

Death in the Afternoon Named after his 1932 novel, this opalescent cocktail was invented by Ernest Hemingway. Despite the cocktail’s reputation for its high alcohol content, in the original recipe he recommends drinking “three to five of these slowly.” If you can’t find absinthe, try substituting Absente or Pernod to achieve the same anise flavor.

1 ½ oz. absinthe 4 oz. champagne 1. Pour the absinthe into a flute glass and top with the champagne.

Let me be mad, then, by all means!

Mad with the madness of Absinthe, the wildest, most luxurious madness in the world!

—Marie Corelli

Tequila Sunrise Inspired by a 1940s’ cocktail, the Tequila Sunrise as we know it today was invented in the 1970s. Named for the colorful layered effect of the red grenadine and orange juice, the cocktail skyrocketed into popularity almost immediately, due in part to its prominence in pop culture. Mick Jagger became infatuated with the drink during the Rolling Stones 1972 American tour, which he later informally dubbed the “cocaine and tequila sunrise tour.” The Eagles recorded the song “Tequila Sunrise” in 1973, and Mel Gibson starred in the film Tequila Sunrise in 1988. Fruity, sweet, and pretty to look at, the Tequila Sunrise continues to be a bar favorite.

2 oz. blanco tequila 3 oz. orange juice ¾ oz. grenadine Maraschino cherry, for garnish 1. Pour the tequila and then the orange juice into a collins glass over ice.

2. Pour the grenadine slowly over a barspoon angled against the far side of the glass. This should help the grenadine sink to the bottom and create a layered effect.

3. Garnish with the maraschino cherry.

One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor.

—George Carlin

Salty Dog The Salty Dog adds a salt rim to the classic Greyhound (gin and grapefruit juice) to balance out the bitterness of the grapefruit juice.

Although both the Greyhound and Salty Dog are traditionally made with gin, vodka is a popular substitute.

Lime wedge, for garnish Salt, for garnish 2 oz. gin or vodka 4 oz. grapefruit juice 1. Rub the lime wedge around the rim of a collins glass to wet it, then dip the rim in salt until it has evenly adhered.

2. Fill the salt-rimmed glass with ice and add the liquor and grapefruit juice.

Garnish with the lime wedge.

Things on the essential list: vodka, Nine Inch Nails, a steady supply of mortal men, and an all-purpose bitchy attitude.

—Richelle Mead

El Diablo The El Diablo belongs to the shockingly small group of classic tequila cocktails and the even smaller group of tiki cocktails that use that spirit. Credited to Trader Vic’s, this cocktail is fruity, sweet, and effervescent.

1 ½ oz. blanco tequila ¾ oz. fresh lime juice ½ oz. crème de cassis 3 oz. ginger beer Lime wedge, for garnish 1. Combine the tequila, lime juice, and crème de cassis in a shaking tin. Add ice and shake.

2. Strain over ice into a rocks glass, then top with the ginger beer. Garnish with the lime wedge.

Drinking tequila is more about the journey than the destination.

—Rainbow Rowell

Sazerac The official cocktail of New Orleans, the Sazerac dates back to the nineteenth century, invented by Antoine Peychaud as a medical elixir.

It gets its name from the brandy it was originally made with: Sazerac de Forge & Fils. When cognac became more difficult to obtain, the Sazerac was adjusted to have a rye base and the recipe has remained as such for over a century. The cocktail is enhanced by aroma—the absinthe rinse and lemon twist provide pungent anise and citrus scents that blend well with the herbal bitters, creating a complex, boozy cocktail. ¼ oz. absinthe 1 demerara sugar cube 6 dashes Peychaud’s bitters 1 dash angostura bitters 2 oz. rye whiskey Lemon twist, for garnish 1. Rinse an empty rocks glass with the absinthe, then dump it out.

2. Place the sugar cube in a mixing glass and douse it in both bitters.

Muddle until the sugar is dissolved.

3. Add the rye and ice and stir. Strain into the absinthe-rinsed rocks glass.

Garnish with the lemon twist.

There is no such thing as bad whisky. Some whiskies just happen to be better than others.

—William Faulkner

Snakebite The Snakebite became popular as an affordable cocktail in the UK in the 1980s. Equal parts lager and cider, it is refreshing and easy to make. For a creamier mouthfeel, some people substitute Guinness for the lager, but I prefer the crispness of the lager.

8 oz. lager 8 oz. hard cider 1. Combine the lager and cider in a pint glass

Tip

If you want to try the Guinness variation, pour the cider in the glass before the Guinness for a layered effect.

I’m an occasional drinker, the kind of guy who goes out for a beer and ends up in Singapore with a full beard.

—Raymond Chandler

Scorpion Bowl The Scorpion is a traditional tiki drink designed for sharing.

Credited to Trader Vic’s, the original 1942 recipe involved gin and white wine, which was omitted in the 1972 revision. The Scorpion Bowl is traditionally served in a ceramic bowl decorated with tiki designs, but at home, any bowl that fits the ingredients is fine. This recipe is designed to serve five people, and can be multiplied to suit however many guests are at your gathering.

10 oz. light rum 2 oz. brandy 4 oz. orange juice 4 oz. fresh lemon juice 3 oz. orgeat 1. Combine all the ingredients in a blender and add 1 cup of crushed ice. Blend briefly and pour the mixture over ice into a bowl.

2. Garnish as you like—garnishes for Scorpion Bowls vary. Trader Vic’s 1972 recipe calls for gardenias, but cinnamon sticks and grapefruit slices are other popular choices.

Claret is the liquor for boys; port, for men; but he who aspires to be a hero ... must drink brandy.

—Samuel Johnson

About the Author Hannah Kingsley is a bartender who works and lives in Beacon, New York.

Her favorite cocktail is a Corpse Reviver #2.

About the Illustrator Maria Francesca Melis is an artist, designer, and illustrator who splits her time between Sardinia and New Zealand.

Her favorite libation is a Bloody Mary.

Cocktails & Coloring!

The Perfect Happy Hour Escape from the Daily Grind!

First, mix yourself one of 38 classic cocktails as you read fun facts about their origins and quotes celebrating the art of imbibing. Then, with drink in hand, sit down to color a delightful original rendering of the same cocktail.

Feel the stress fall away with every sip and every stroke. Whether it’s with a Paloma, Cosmo, or Dark ’n Stormy, color yourself calm and contented!

“Here’s to alcohol, the rose-colored glasses of life.”

—F. Scott Fitzgerald

GAMES & ACTIVITIES/COLORING BOOK $17.99 US

ISBN: 978-1-68462-119-4