Madelyn Miller loved cocktails as a child. Her mother made Shirley Temples and Madelyn insisted on ordering one whenever they went out to dinner.

It wasn’t really the alcoholic she wanted—it was the cherry on top.

When she met her ex-husband, she was smitten because he always gave her the cherries. Maybe that is a good basis for a drinking buddy, but not for a marriage.

Now Miller’s favorite cocktails contain chocolate, cranberry juice, and coconut—but not all in one drink. She isn’t too fussy about the alcohol content, as long as the drink tastes fruity. And she gives extra points for garnishes like flowers, paper umbrellas or plastic animals.

The first and only time Miller was ever drunk was at a fraternity party at college. Apparently each frat boy brought a bottle of cheap alcohol and poured it into the bathtub. When the girls arrived, they put in some Kool Aid. Miller thought it was the best Koolaid she ever drank. And since the clever boys had turned the heat up in the frat house and served salty snacks, Miller drank more than her share.

She didn’t know she was drunk, even though she fell down on her way home, until she asked her roommate for an aspirin for her headache. Her wise roommate asked what she had at the party and then explained the word HANGOVER and all the cures to Miller.

Miller thinks cocktails are much more interesting than wine because there are more flavors, more colors and much prettier glasses. And no one laughs if you want yours served frozen.

When not drinking cocktails, Madelyn travels the world for www.travellady.com drives new cars for www.carladynews.com and eats chocolate for www.chocolateatlas.com.

Madelyn@CocktailAtlas.com