You know that magic that happens when something just comes together so perfectly you can’t imagine a time when it wasn’t a thing that existed in the universe? Like kindred flavors that seemingly compliment one another in a bewitching way – like coffee & chocolate, for instance (relevant to this post). Or kindred spirits that make everything around them better just by the mere fact they’ve found one another…like food blogging duo, #relationshipgoals, and life partners giving me life, The Husbands That Cook (also relevant).

This post is brought to you by all of that – a marriage of complementary flavors and humans. Adam and Ryan, the lovely gents behind the delightful food blog, Husbands That Cook, have been KILLING it this year. They have a large following on Instagram, a devoted and receptive fan base, and were finalists in this year’s Saveur Magazine Blog Awards for Best How-To Food Blog. Amazingly, they agreed to partner with me for a sexy Valentine’s Day post!

Both of the cocktails featured here came out of me playing around with a homemade coffee liqueur. They’re both very different from one another but, real talk, I’m EQUALLY OBSESSED with them. The first one is an equal parts cocktail, a la Negroni or Boulevardier and sounds, on paper, like an odd combo of flavors – bourbon, Aperol and coffee liqueur . But I promise, it totally works! And I don’t want to make any rash proclamations or anything but this just may be a new instant classic! You may just fall in love…

Amore Mio “My Love”
1 oz bourbon
1 oz coffee liqueur
1 oz Aperol

Fill a mixing glass with ice and all ingredients. Stir mixture until well chilled. Strain into chilled coupe glass. Garnish by floating espresso beans on top.

This second cocktail was another sort of happy accident when I decided to cross a White Russian with a chocolate Egg Cream soda. I know I’ve said this before but ZOMG SO GOOD. Seriously, why has this never existed before? I’ve looked on the internet! This recipe does not exist! If you could trademark cocktail recipes, this is the one that would make me rich and famous, I just know it. Right now, it’s just making me drunk and happy and I cannot stop.

The Fabergé
2 oz Vodka
1 oz Coffee Liqueur
1/2 oz Half & Half
1/2 oz Chocolate Syrup
Club Soda

In an ice-filled shaker, add vodka, coffee liqueur, half & half and chocolate soda. Shake until well chilled. Strain into an ice-filled collins glass, top with soda and stir.

Adam and Ryan decided to complement these buzzy drinks, and continued the coffee/chocolate relationship, by making oozy gooey, Chocolate Mocha Lava Cakes.

CHOCOLATE ERUPTING MINI CAKES. If that doesn’t scream V-Day, I don’t know what to tell you. You might be dead inside. Head over to Husbands That Cook to see this in action and get the full recipe. And then make all of these treats and spoil your lover so hard. And when I write “lover” that could totally mean yourself. Self love is v. important during times like these, foxy friends. Make it a double!

Homemade Coffee Liqueur
1/4 cup fine ground espresso
2 1/4 cup water (divided)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 tbsp bourbon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups light rum

Make a cold brew of the coffee by combining the espresso grounds and 1 1/4 cups of the water into a sealable glass jar, shaking it, then refrigerating the mixture for 12 hours. Strain through a coffee filter into another sealable glass jar. Combine the sugar and 1 cup of water in a pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let this syrup cool to room temperature. Combine the cooled syrup and cold brew coffee, add rum and vanilla extract. Let that mixture steep for 3 days. Enjoy!

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