Finally, the snow has melted, the sun is shining brightly and our cabin fever has broken--it's time to drink outside.

To help you enjoy the fine weather and celebrate the long holiday weekend, here are five of our favorite easy-to-make summery cocktails. Let's raise a glass to the new season!

No matter if Maker's Mark, Woodford Reserve or Wild Turkey is your favorite bourbon, you need to visit Kentucky and see where the spirit is produced. It's a trip that all whiskey drinkers should make at least once in their lifetimes.

The summer is a great time to go, but the distilleries are open year-round and are all located in north-central Kentucky (within a 90-minute drive of both Louisville and Lexington). Most of the tours are free (or cost a nominal fee) and of course include healthy samples. Safe travels!

Sunday night we were invited to attend another Manhattan Cocktail Classic event - the Campari "Spirited Fête for the Senses Inspired by Padma Lakshmi" at The Box in the Lower East Side.

We should probably preface this post with three things. One, we are big fans of the cocktail. We are very big fans of the Negroni. Finally, we are obsessed with the color red. And as you can imagine, a Campari event at a burlesque club with its red hued lighting coupled with the seductively red and divinely delicious cocktails had us swooning all night.

There were three bars set up with master mixologists manning each. Tony Abou-Ganim of "The Modern Mixologist", Jim Meehan of PDT, Jacques Bezuidenhout, Francesco Lafranconi from Southern Wine & Spirits, and Chad Solomon & Christy Pope of Cuff & Buttons each had a specialty cocktail that was inspired by Padma Lakshmi's new cookbook "Tangy Tart Hot and Sweet". Each cocktail was extremely creative and interesting, ranging in flavours from bitter, sour, spicy, and sweet.

While all of the cocktails were delicious, our favorite was Lafraconi's Sweet cocktail - the Taj Milan: Campari, Plymouth Gin, Strega Liqueur (made with saffron, mint, and fennel), Indian Mango Curry, and Coconut Foam. A controversial choice we know, but it was sweet, spicy, and bitter at the same time and surprisingly savory and sophisticated.

Above the main bar burlesque dancers teased the accomplished bartenders - flipping, posing, dangling toes inches from them (how they kept their focus, we do not know).

Waitresses in red dresses delivered bites to the crowd as they settled in to find seats from for the show. When Ms. Lakshmi arrived - all the men in the room turned their heads and almost in unison howled, "Padma is SO sexy". Wearing an unforgiving Alaia in Campari red, she certainly makes an impression. (Seriously, who is her trainer? We want that number).

Everyone knows her as a host of Top Chef and bona fide hottie, but let's give her more credit than that. She has written two cookbooks, speaks five languages, has her own jewelry line, her own line of exotic spices, has had a successful modelling career, has been featured in numerous films, was the hostess of Italy's Domenica In, and she co-founded The Endometriosis Foundation of America. Not too shabby, we say.

Ms Lakshmi worked the crowd, and took a few minutes to answer some questions - her favorite cocktails, hangover cures, favorite recipes, what inspired her cookbooks, what a man should cook to impress a woman (a great steak, a great burger, a roast chicken, and a great dessert), cocktail party survival tricks (eat first), and finally, what was the most helpful thing in her career that has helped her get where she is today (thinking quick while hosting Domenica In, as well as learning the Italian sensibility and sensuality).

After Ms. Lakshmi's introduction, the show began. Although performances were deemed PG-13 by the MC, they were nonetheless exciting and very sexy. No photos due to The Box policy - many apologies. Instead, we give you those oh so sexy and glamorous Campari Ads:

In our humble opinion, Padma can sure bring on the glamour, and this event got us thinking; we would love to see Padma as the new face for Campari. Sure to be Tangy, Tart, Hot and Sweet!

High school and college graduations are fast approaching and local restaurants will be swarmed with well-meaning relatives.

Avoid the graduation weekend hubbub with a lovely lunch spread at home instead: 15 drinks, salads, nibbles -- and cake! Brought to you by the spirited home cooks' community at Food52.

Ah yes, the Manhattan Cocktail Classic Gala. An annual blow-out of extremes, excesses, and lots and lots of cocktails. 40,000 cocktails to be exact. With 3,000 guests celebrating and drinking - thats 13.3 cocktails per guest!

We, unfortunately did not have 13.3 cocktails - but we can tell you (from today's headache and the junk-food cravings) that we had our fair share. The Manhattan Cocktail Classic Gala is quite a production. Created by the talented Lesley Townsend, this was the second year of the annual event that was attended by over 130 liquor vendors - read - an amazing opportunity to taste those unknown brands in one place!

The festivities took over the entire New York Public Library - cocktail and food stations in almost every room and corner of the building, live bands, caricatures, oysters bars, burlesque dancers dancing in large bird cages, and those grand staircases and devastatingly beautiful reading rooms filled with young New Yorkers dressed for the occasion. Festive fascinators, top hats, canes, masks, floral head pieces, ties with mini martini glasses, and so many prom dresses.

It was really wonderful to spend an evening in the Library - the exquisite Beaux-Arts marble building by architects Carrère and Hastings was completed in 1911. Party-goers wrapped around the block to get into the event, and upon entry we knew it was bound to be an epic night. Each vendor had a station and a signature cocktail for the event. Renowned bartenders such as Tony Abou-Ganim and Brian van Flandern poured what seemed like an endless number of cocktails (we hope they are treating themselves to a vacation after this week).

We started the evening with one of Tony's legendary Campari Negronis, then onto the Tanqueray no. 10 Tom Nichol, Barritt's Ginger Beer Just Got Paid, Farmer's Gin Gimlet, a taste of Cayrum (so delicious), Hibiki Highball, and our two favorite cocktails of the evening: the Glenlivet Blood and Sand, and the Yamazaki cocktail.

There were some more mixed in there as well - ok maybe we got close to 13.3...

We were bummed that we were not able to hit every station and try one of each cocktail - but it's probably best we didn't.

Our next MCC event - the Campari Spritied Fête for the Senses Inspired by Padma Lakshmi at The Box!

Tickets for events are still available - check out the Manhattan Cocktail Classic website for more information.

Who says a good cocktail needs a dozen obscure ingredients? Some of the most enduring and popular recipes are actually some of the shortest and easiest to make.

While there are very simple drinks that are just alcohol and a mixer--the Rum & Coke and the Gin & Tonic come to mind--when you add just one more thing, you can often get greater complexity and depth.

Here are five of the best three-ingredient cocktails, whose recipes we suggest you commit to memory.

If you like to drink, you couldn't be living in a better time. Everything from a barrel-aged Negroni to a peanut butter-and-jelly sandwich in cocktail form is out there for the drinking, provided you've got the money and the inclination. The fever pitch to whip up new and unique cocktails has had a trickle-down effect as distillers, new and old, rush to create new and noteworthy spirits for inventive bartenders and amateur mixologists to experiment with. Sometimes what hits the shelves is just plain silly, but once you read about these five intoxicatingly delicious newcomers you'll be drunk... with anticipation.

The five new spirits mentioned here are just the tip of the iceberg; if you've got a new favorite of your own, don't be shy! Mention it in the "Comments" section. The distillers will no doubt be grateful for the publicity.

As the weather warms, we shed our jackets, open the windows, and we search for a new spring cocktail. This spring we've been craving something refreshing after a long winter of sipping on bourbon and that oh-so-black stout.

Recently our eyes turned to the Negroni. A longtime favorite of many, new to yours truly. With its seductive red hue, its citrus highlights, and that long bite of bitter delight - we were charmed at first sip.

Although there are many tales of the Negroni's conception - most agree that it was created by Count Camillo Negroni, who asked for a stronger variation to his favorite cocktail, the Americano (equal parts Campari and sweet vermouth with a dash of club soda, served over ice). The bartender added gin instead of soda water, and garnished the now legendary creation with an orange instead of a lemon.

What brilliance, we say.

Without further ado, the Classic Negroni, from cocktail guru Tony Abou-Ganim, "The Modern Mixologist":

The Classic Negroni
1 oz Campari
1 oz Gin
1 oz sweet vermouth

Add ingredients into a mixing glass with ice and stir.
Strain into a rocks glass with new ice.
Garnish with an orange rind.

Have we got you craving a drink yet? We sure are...

Well you are in luck - tomorrow night is the Manhattan Cocktail Classic Gala at the New York Public Library and we've been told that this year will be "The Year of the Negroni" (hallelujah, we say!) Sure to be an opulent and excessive night of cocktails and revelry, an event we cannot and will not miss.

Mr Abou-Ganim will be there as well - pouring his Classic Negroni for the masses.

Manhattan Cocktail Classic Gala
The New York Public Library, Main Floor
Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street
Buy your tickets here

Friday, May 13, 2011
9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.

Other events this weekend that may interest lovers of the Negroni:

"Aperitivo: The Italian Happy Hour" on Saturday, May 14 at 6:15 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.

This seminar delves into Italy's very civilized contribution to drinking culture centered on tasty nibbles and drinks like the Negroni, which classically is comprised of equal parts Campari, gin and sweet vermouth. It will be led by restaurateur and tipple expert, Joe Campanale, in The Gallery at Astor Center. Joe is beverage director and owner of three of New York's hottest restaurants, dell'anima, L'Artusi and Anfora, located in the West Village.

"Hands On with Tony Abou-Ganim" on Saturday, May 14 at 12:15 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.

This seminar features Tony Abou-Ganim, "The Master Mixologist," using classic drinks like the Negroni to demonstrate the secrets of making great drinks at home, from stirring to shaking, muddling to mixing. Tony is one of the nation's top bartenders, as well as a cocktail educator, author and winner of Iron Chef America's Battle Mango episode where he was pitted against Chef Mario Batali.

"The bitters are excellent for your liver, the gin is bad for you. They balance each other."
-Orson Welles

Saturday marks the 137th Run for the Roses, and whether or not you're a horse-racing fan, it's a day for wearing frivolous hats and drinking bourbon.

The sweet, rich, all-American spirit has long been associated with the Kentucky Derby. Not a coincidence, given Louisville's proximity to bourbon country.

So put on your seersucker suit or floral dress and fix some of these classic and modern bourbon cocktails. That way no matter which horse comes in first, you'll be a winner.

The Kentucky Derby signifies three things to me. First, that Kentuckians and horse racing enthusiasts will soon commence another year of getting ready for an event that's over in about two minutes. Second, ladies wearing funny hats. And third, bourbon -- Kentucky's gift to the world.

I don't know much about horses or funny hats, but my liver and I do know a thing or two about bourbon. For those who don't know or who never thought to ask, here's a quick primer.

Bourbon is a whiskey that's distilled primarily from corn -- to be called bourbon, it must use at least 51% corn in its mash. The un-aged corn whiskey is made using methods that you don't really need to read about here (if you're curious, go here for all the details). It then has to be aged in white oak barrels for at least two years. Almost all bourbons are made in Kentucky, but contrary to what some may think, there's no legal requirement that it be made there. It just kind of worked out that way. The finished product, if made right, is proof -- along with baseball, jazz and Kathy Kohner -- that America is the greatest country on the planet.

There are hundreds of bourbons out there, each with a distinctive flavor profile, so what follows is by no means a comprehensive list of all your options. If it were, I'd probably be writing this from a hospital bed. Rather, it's merely a sampler of bourbons that have made it onto my radar, and why (or whether) they're worth trying. If you have any favorites that I've missed, don't be shy. That's what the "Participate" button above is for -- if you want to add your pick to the slideshow.

As the late great comedian Joe E. Lewis would say -- not to mention the track announcer at Churchill Downs -- "It is now post time." It's time to get in the saddle and watch one of Kentucky's great traditions... while drinking another.

Happy Cinco de Mayo! While today may not actually be Mexico's true Independence Day (that's technically September 16), nobody can deny the holiday's popularity.

It's also, of course, one of the year's biggest drinking celebrations. And no party would be complete without a round of tasty Margaritas. The classic cocktail is a simple but ingenious balance of sweet, citrus and tequila.

From the traditional to the exotic, here are five of our favorite recipes for the festive drink. ¡Salud!

(And if you're looking for even more tequila cocktails, check out our other gallery.)

Let's face it: There's just something about a salt-rimmed margarita on the rocks that makes people weak in the knees. The cheerful pale yellow-green hue, the tang of the fresh (please, fresh - no sour mix) lime juice, the underlying sweetness and yes, even the beads of condensation dripping down the glass. Everything comes together to make one satisfying warm weather drink. Plus, nothing quite says party like a margarita!

But not everyone is a tequila fan. I know college was a critical time that left many people with deep, irreparable tequila scars; but let this Cinco de Mayo be different. It's time to come out of your comfort zone and give it another go.

"Our goal is to erase customers' bad tequila memories and we can suggest the best sipping tequila or cocktail that fits your preference," Benjamin Carrier tells The Spirit. Benjamin is the head bartender at Los Feliz, a popular taqueria and tequileria in New York City.

"I've found that customers appreciate the kick in our signature Jalapeno-Cilantro Margarita. We infuse the tequila in-house and use agave as the sweetener, so it's a great a great balance of flavors. The jalapeno-infused tequila has been such a hit, that we created a Jalapeno-Pineapple Margarita that is a bit sweeter, but still as pungent. Two of the most popular sipping tequilas are the Siete Leguas Anejo and Milagro Silver."

The resident tequila expert, who only uses local, organic ingredients for his cocktails, is happy to share his knowledge - and believes there's a tequila out there for everyone. "Ask me about the best tequila/food pairings or which tequila to order if your typical spirit is a Bourbon."

If you're unable to visit Los Feliz for Cinco de Mayo festivities (complete with killer happy hour deals) this year, there's plenty of time to test drive Benjamin's take on the classic margarita, as well as some heat-inflected riffs, at home before the guests come knocking on your door. Try them all and tell us your favorites!

"Freshest" Margarita
2 oz. Milagro Silver Tequila
4 oz. Fresh lime juice
1/2 or 1 oz. of Raw Organic Agave (depending on desired sweetness)

Shake. Strain over ice. Should be sharp, crisp and tart.

Jalapeno-Cilantro Margarita
2 oz. Organic Jalapeno infused Silver Tequila
2 oz. Fresh Organic Lime Juice
1 oz. Organic Cilantro Water*
1 Tbsp. Organic Agave Nectar

Shake and strain over fresh ice in margarita glass. Half rim glass with organic agave nectar and sea salt. Garnish with organic lime wheel.

*Infuse tequila at least 12 hours.
*Blend organic cilantro and mineral water.
**Excess organic cilantro water can be used in salad dressings or when cooking rice.

Cointreau MargaDita
1.5 oz. Cointreau
1.5 oz. Silver Tequila
1 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
1/2 oz. Monin Rose Syrup
1 pinch Chipotle Spice

Mix all ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously and pour into a chilled coup glass. Garnish with floating organic yellow rose petals. For an added kick, add a chipotle and salt rim.

What drinks will you be including in your Cinco de Mayo feast? Classic margaritas, exotic cocktails, Mexican beers, all of the above? Share your plans with us below!

11 fiesta-worthy tacos, cocktails and (of course) plenty of spicy chocolate for Cinco de Mayo.

Fish Salpicon by merrill

Michelada (aka Bloody Beer) by TheFlyingFoodie

My Favorite Pina Colada by merrill

Oaxacan Cinnamon Chocolate Macaroons by robinbeth

Fish Tacos on the Grill by merrill

Mint Limeade by vvvanessa

Ancho Chili-Cinnamon Chocolate Bark by wanderash

El Chupacabra by janeymax

Slow-Cooked Pork Tacos by merrill

Hanukkah Churros by Cordelia

Looking to celebrate the 5th of May with more than a Margarita? Here are 5 cocktails honoring two of Mexico's most delicious native spirits.

For more of the best liquid culture, click here.