Warming Up

As a warm up to our official summer cocktail event I decided to add my daily refreshments.  Since last night was the St. Cloud YMCA wine & beer tasting evening (several new favorites discovered), I definitely need a cocktail today...something sip-able and mellow.  I decided to go with a Brandy Manhattan.

Ingredients:
Brandy (E&J VSOP)
Sweet Vermouth (Martini & Rossi)
Cherry Juice (from jar of cherries) or Grenadine

Chill a martini glass with ice.  Add 2 jiggers brandy, 1 jigger vermouth and 1/2 ounce of cherry juice to shaker.  Pour ice from the martini glass into the shaker.  Cover and shake for 15-20 seconds to give it a good chill.  Put 1 cherry in bottom of martini glass and strain the contents of the shaker over it.