Crime and Time on the Rocks

Space. The final frontier. That's what we're talking about. Shelley talks about the much covered story of astronaut Lisa Nowak and her obsession gone wrong. Bekah gives a rundown of the Mercury 7 astronauts.

Drinking: The Astronaut

1 oz. Light rum

1 oz. vodka

1 oz. lemon juice

Dash of passion fruit juice

Lemon wedge

Add rum, vodka, lemon juice, and passion fruit juice into cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake and then strain into an old-fashioned glass filled with ice. Garnish with lemon wheel.

We whip up a tasty minty concoction and talk grasshoppers. Bekah, after a short interlude about grasshopper swarms, talks about the author of famed fable The Ant and the Grasshopper. Shelley tells the story of the theft of the famous Golden Grasshopper of Faneuil Hall in Boston.

Drinking: The Grasshopper

1.5 oz. heavy cream

1 oz. creme de menthe

1 oz. creme de cacao

Chocolate for garnish

In a cocktail shaker half full of ice, combine cream, creme de menthe, and creme de cacao. Shake until shaker is frosty. Strain into martini glass. Grate chocolate over one side of cocktail with fine grater. Optional, blend first three ingredients and garnish with grated chocolate.

Shelley talks about the Marco Polo Task force that was formed to bring down the Silk Road Founder, Ross Ulbricht (aka the "Dread Pirate Roberts"); and the two law enforcement officers that were brought down with him. Bekah talks about the original Silk Road, the trade route that opened Asia up to the Western World.

Drinking: The Silk Road Cocktail

2 oz. Gin

4 oz. Grapefruit Juice

1 tsp. ginger infused simple syrup

juice of half a lime

1/2 tsp. fresh grated ginger

2 star anise

rhubarb bitters

champagne or sparkling wine

Place all ingredients except for champagne into ice-filled shaker. Shake and double strain into cocktail glass. Top with champagne. Garnish with a star anise.

While drinking the Ohio Cocktail, Shelley recounts the tragic Kent State shootings while Bekah gives us a brief history of the Presidents of the United States that hailed from Ohio.

Drinking: The Ohio Cocktail

3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth

3/4 oz Canadian Whisky

Dash of Triple Sec

Dash of Angostura Bitters

3 to 5 oz Chilled Champagne

Pour all ingredients besides Champagne into a chilled champagne flute. Slowly top with Champagne.

While drinking the Bronx we talk New York. Shelley describes the tragic Happyland nightclub fire while Bekah discusses the origins of Batman and the man behind him.

Drinking: The Bronx

2 oz gin

1⁄4 oz dry vermouth

1⁄4 oz sweet vermouth

1 oz orange juice

2 dashes orange bitters

Orange slice

Pour all ingredients into shaker with ice. Shake and strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with orange slice.