Banana split board with cherry limeade

If I could have one Oklahoman business open a branch in California, it would be the Braum's Ice Cream and Dairy Store. They set the standard for my tastebuds when it comes to ice cream sundaes and cherry limeades.

For an upcoming gathering, guests are tasked with providing a themed board. I, of course, am probably overdoing the assignment but I love a fun challenge. The following is what it takes to create a banana split board with cherry limeades. In some instances, I elevated the ingredient, such as roasted strawberry-buttermilk sherbet and double Dutch dark chocolate ice cream instead of their basic blends. Going for extra wow factor by making my own maraschino cherries, then using the juice as the "cherry" in the limeades.

Banana splits:

• Bananas
• Randy Mill Farms homemade ice cream
• Roasted strawberry-buttermilk sherbet
• Double Dutch dark chocolate ice cream
• Hot fudge sauce
• Strawberry sauce
• Pineapple sauce (bonus!)
• Marshmallow sauce
• Caramel sauce (another bonus!)
• Toasted almonds
• Whipped cream
• Maraschino cherries

Cherry limeades served with an assortment of vodkas.

Preparation order:

• Maraschino cherries: store up to 3 months
• Marshmallow sauce: store up to 2 months
• Caramel sauce: store up to 3 weeks
• Strawberry sauce: store up to 3 weeks
• Hot fudge sauce: store up to 2 weeks
• Pineapple sauce: store up to 2 weeks
• Randy Mill Farms homemade ice cream: store up to 3 days
• Roasted strawberry-buttermilk sherbet: store up to 3 days
• Double Dutch dark chocolate ice cream: store up to 3 days

Note: This is a progression of my previous Building a better banana split post.

Braum's cherry limeade

Active: 5 minutes; Total: 5 minutes; Yield: 1 drink/2 gallons

	Single serving	2-gallon batch
Lime, rinsed, rolled on counter, cut in half	1 + Garnish slice	30
Sweet cherry juice concentrate or maraschino cherry juice	2 tablespoons	24 ounces
Simple syrup	2 tablespoons	24 ounces
Ice
Club soda	½ cup	4 liters
Maraschino cherry	Garnish

1. Squeeze the lime halves into a glass, and drop in the limes. 
2. Add simple syrup and cherry juice; shake to combine. 
3. Add ice, and top with soda. 
4. Garnish with cherry and lime slice.

Note: For larger batches using the beverage dispenser, wash and freeze limes and cherries use as ice cubes.

Blackberry-sage margarita

Active: 5 minutes; Total: 5 minutes; Serves: 1

Lime	½
Blackberries	6
Sage	2 leaves
Tequila	2 ounces
Triple sec	1 ounce
Simple syrup	½ ounce

1. Add 6 blackberries and 2 sage leaves to a cocktail shaker, and muddle. 
2. Squeeze in the lime juice, then add the tequila, triple sec, and simple syrup. 
3. Add ice, cover the shaker, and shake for 15 seconds. 
4. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. 
5. Garnish with sage and blackberries. 

Recipe from tastingtable.com.

Martinis & variations

Martini

Gin, frozen, (Hendricks or Venus)	4 ounces
Vermouth, sweet	Splash
Olives or lemon rind	Garnish

1. Swirl the vermouth in a frozen martini glass, tossing any that doesn’t freeze to the glass. 
2. Pour in the gin.
3. Garnish with olives or lemon.

Appletini

Vodka, Skky	1 ½ ounces
Vodka, apple flavored	1 ½ ounces
Green apple syrup	¼ ounce
Lemon  juice, fresh	¼ ounce
Apple slice	Garnish

1. Shake all ingredients (excluding the garnish) with ice.
2. Pour into a chilled glass.
3. Garnish with apple slice, if you’re feeling fancy.

Chocolatini

Bailey’s Irish Creme	2 ounces
Creme de Cacao	1 ounce
Vodka, Skky	1 ounce
Cocoa powder	1 tablespoon
Sugar, brown	1 tablespoon

1. Combine the cocoa powder and sugar on a plate. 
2. Shake all liquid ingredients with ice. 
3. Wet the rim of a chilled glass with Bailey’s, and coat the glass’s rim with the cocoa-sugar mixture. 
4. Pour the chocolatini into the glass, and serve.

Doctor Funk

Active: 5 minutes; Serves: 1

Rum, dark (Pusser’s preferred)	2 ½ ounces
Absinthe (La Fée Parisienne preferred)	1/6 ounce
Lemon juice, fresh	½ ounce
Lime juice, fresh	¼ ounce
Simple syrup	¼ ounce
Grenadine (Giffard preferred)	¼ ounce
Lime wedge	Garnish

1. Shake all ingredients with ice. 
2. Strain into a glass filled with crushed ice. 
3. Garnish with lime wedge.

Painkiller

Active: 5 minutes; Serves: 1

Rum, dark (Pusser’s preferred)	2 ounces
Pineapple juice, fresh	4 ounces
Orange juice, fresh	1 ounce
Cream of coconut	1 ounce
Nutmeg, freshly grated	Garnish

1. Shake all ingredients (excluding the garnish) with ice. 
2. Pour into a glass filled with ice. 
3. Garnish with nutmeg, and a pineapple wedge, if you’re feeling fancy.

Devil's ginger

Active: 5 minutes; Serves: 1

Vodka (Hanger One, per the restaurant, but I’m using Skyy)	2 ounces
St. Germaine	¾ ounce
Ginger, grated with microplane	1 tablespoon
Lime juice, fresh	½ ounce
Simple syrup	¼ ounce
Cayenne	Dusting
Ginger, candied	Garnish

1. Muddle fresh ginger in a cocktail mixer, and add ice. 
2. Add vodka, St. Germaine, juice, and simple syrup; shake for a minute to combine and chill. 
3. Strain into a chilled glass, lightly dust with cayenne, and garnish with a chunk of candied ginger on the rim. 

Based on a favorite cocktail served at Cafe Cruz in Capitola, CA.

Gingerbread cookies

Active: 10 minutes; Total: 2 hours 10 minutes; Drinks: 10 to 11

Honey	255 grams
Maple syrup	2 tablespoons
Water	¼ cup
Ginger, peeled, chopped	3-inch piece
Scotch, blended	1 ½ ounces
Lemon juice, fresh	¾ ounce
Ice

1. Combine the honey, maple syrup, water, and ginger in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until almost boiling. 
2. Remove the pan from heat, and let the flavors infuse for 2 hours. 
3. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the solids; makes 1 cup. 
4. Combine the scotch, ¾-ounce gingerbread syrup, lemon juice in a shaker filled with ice. 
5. Shake vigorously, and strain into a coupe or stemmed cocktail glass. 

Recipe mildly adapted from Shape magazine.

Frozen peach lemonade

Active: 5 minutes; Serves: 2 to 4

Gin, Venus #2, chilled	4 ounces
Lemon juice, freshly squeezed, chilled	3 ounces
Honey	1 ½ ounce
Water	1 ½ ounce
Peaches, frozen	1 cup
Ice	1 to 2 cups
Mint sprigs	Garnish
Peach slices	Garnish

1. Combine the honey and water over low heat. 
2. Combine the gin, juice, honey syrup, peaches, and ice in a blender. 
3. Pour into chilled glasses and garnish.

Recipe adapted from Food52.com.

Bananas foster milkshake

Active: 15 minutes; Chill: 30; Serves: 2

Sugar, dark brown	½ cup
Butter, unsalted	2 tablespoons
Cinnamon, ground	¼ teaspoon
Rum, dark	3 tablespoons
Cream, heavy	2 tablespoons
Salt	¼ teaspoon
Bananas, ripe, cut into ½-inch pieces	3 medium
Ice cream, vanilla	1 ½ heaping scoops + 1 ½ heaping scoops
Milk	1/8 cup + 1/8 cup

1. Combine the sugar, butter, and cinnamon in a skillet over medium-high heat; cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves. 
2. Stir in the rum, cream, salt, and bananas; cook, stirring occasionally, until the bananas are browned and soft, about 3 minutes. 
3. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl; refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes. (Chef’s note: Great time to place your glasses in the freezer.) 
4. Working in two batches, combine half the banana mixture with 1 ½-heaping scoops ice cream and 1/8-cup milk in a blender, and purée until smooth. 
5. Transfer to a chilled glass and enjoy! 

Recipe by Drew Curren and posted at Saveur.

Peanut butter bourbon milkshake

Active: 10 minutes; Serves: 1

Bourbon	2 ounces
Maple syrup	½ ounce
Peanut butter, crunchy	¼ cup
Ice cream, vanilla	1 cup
Ice cubes	1 cup

1. Combine all the ingredients in a blender, and blend until fully incorporated and frothy. 
2. Pour into a chilled glass and enjoy! 

Recipe by Todd Coleman and posted at Saveur.

Faux pastis

Moscow mule

Copper mugs, chilled
Vodka, chilled	1 ½ ounces
Lime juice, fresh, chilled	½ ounce
Ice
Ginger beer, cold	½ cup
Lime wedge	1

1. Pour the vodka and juice into a mug. 
2. Add the ice cubes and ginger beer; stir to combine. 
3. Garnish with the lime wedge.