13 Cocktail Recipes For World Cocktail Day

You're in luck — this fine Friday the 13th shares the little box on the calendar with World Cocktail Day, which celebrates one of the very first mentions of the word cocktail in relation to mixed drinks in the The Balance and Columbian Repository on May 13, 1806. These 13 World Cocktail Day recipes should have you feeling very lucky, almost lucky enough to bet on a horse race on Friday the 13th.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the original meaning of the word "cocktail" was a reference to the upward pointing tails of mixed-breed race horses in contrast to the straight tails of thoroughbreds — hence the association with mixed drinks, in that they are not, shall we say, thoroughbred liquor. Since 1806, the creation of cocktails has become nothing short of an art and a science. Bartenders that specialize in making these creative blends even have their own, if somewhat overwrought, name — mixologists.

Cocktails have even made their way into iconic cinematic moments. From Casablanca to The Shining and even James Bond's shaken vodka martini, we like our movies stiff like our happy hour drinks. So bust out your shakers and super-long stirring spoons, because we're about to celebrate World Cocktail Day. I mean, it is Friday, and a delicious cocktail is the perfect way to sip away any superstitious anxiety you may be experiencing.

1. Pomegranate Cosmopolitan

POM Wonderful and vodka with some citrus for good measure make up this yummy pink beverage which is, coincidentally, shaken, not stirred. Find the recipe at Comfort of Cooking.

2. Kumquat Lemongrass Rum Cocktail

If you know where to get the perfect kumquats, I'm pretty sure you're required to make this summertime sipper from Kitchen Confidante.

3. Cinnamon Maple Whiskey Sour

Doesn't this sweet, spicy, and sour number make you wish you were already off the clock?! Check out the recipe at Cookie + Kate and you'll be counting the hours until the weekend starts, if you weren't already.

4. Two-Ingredient Piña Colada

Drink this super simple piña colada blended or over ice, close your eyes, and you'll almost hear the ocean. Find out which two ingredients you'll need to make this dream come true at The Kitchn.

5. Blood Orange Rosemary Cocktail

Tori Avey brings you this vodka cocktail with gorgeous red blood orange juice as its main event. You'll just need to whip up some rosemary-infused simple syrup, and you'll be well on your way.

6. Watermelon White Sangria

Can you tell that I'm a little obsessed with pink cocktails? This watermelon sangria from Cookie + Kate uses Sauvignon Blanc as its wine base, which is the perfect complement to the sweet watermelon.

7. Grapefruit Cucumber Cocktails

This recipe hilariously omits measurements in exchange for "as much gin as you want," divided between two glasses. Head over to Joy The Baker to get the details on how to make this easy, ridiculously good drink.

8. Blood Orange Patron Margaritas

Pretty in pink... again, and I'm not sorry about it, because these blood orange margaritas from The Little Epicurean, made with Patron and a splash of Grand Marnier, are at the top of my list for recipes to whip up on World Cocktail Day.

9. Tipsy Lemonade & Peach Iced Tea Cocktails

A spiked Arnold Palmer made with peach iced tea sounds like home sweet home. Find out how to whip up this Southern masterpiece at The Comfort of Cooking.

10. Lemon Verbena & Orange Blossom Fizz

We're well into May, so you should probably go ahead and whip yourself up a nice cup full of springtime. This deliciously translucent drink from The Kitchn is a subtle and simple one for the gin lovers in the house.

11. Strawberry Mint Julep Fruit Salad

Wow, yeah, um. Bye, everybody. I've gotta go visit How Sweet It Is to get one of these fruity, minty, bourbon-packed pieces of art (topped with marshmallow creme, no less).

12. Bacon Bourbon Old Fashioned

Bacon bourbon, you say? This old fashioned is actually made with bourbon that's been infused with bacon grease, which makes it, well, next-level intriguing. You can thank A Farmgirl's Dabbles for this eye-and-ear-catching beverage.

13. Cantaloupe Tequila Cocktail

It's a wonderfully blended almost-margarita made with a chilled cantaloupe melon, Hornitos tequila, lime juice, and agave. If melon is your flavor of summer, blend up this chilly gem from Cookie + Kate.

Images: The Little Epicurean; The Comfort of Cooking (2); Kitchen Confidante; Cookie + Kate (3); The Kitchn (2); Tori Avey; Joy The Baker; How Sweet It Is; A Farmgirl's Dabbles