Get Your T-Day Booze On

It's Thanksgiving in a few days and if you're anything like me or any of the people I've come to know in my short time on this earth... you may need a little liquid help to quell some familial rage.

Smoky Watermelon Margarita

I was never a fan of margaritas (too sweet) until I moved to Philly and tried the Watermelon Margarita from Dos Segundos. It was love at first sip. I then dabbled in the margarita arts, never quite finding a fruit and tequila combination that brought me the same amount of joy until I had my first sip of Mezcal in Nashville. Smoky, strong, and splendid. This cocktail is sort of an all-star lineup of my favorite flavors: watermelon, mint, ginger, and smoke.

Red Wine and Cucumber Sangria

I really love cucumbers. A perfect Friday evening for me would involve Curb Your Enthusiasm, cucumbers and tahini, and red wine. I was never a fan of Sangria until some of my friends over at Kit and Ace made a dreamy white wine and peach sangria for First Friday a few weeks ago. I felt the earth move under my feet. (Okay, maybe not but it was still amazing.) I started looking for recipes with cucumbers and red wine and couldn't find any-- at all! So, of course, I decided to just make my own.

Apples + Bourbon

Some may try to tell you that pumpkin is the flavor of the season but I will vehemently disagree. Is there anything better than biting into a crisp and juicy apple? There are so many different kinds to choose from and you can do pretty much anything with them. Make them into pie, make them into juice, plus it's been said that an apple may even be a better choice than coffee in the morning. Who knew?

What you'll need:

  - Fresh apple cider-- if you're really domestic, you can make your own. We don't have that kind of time in this house so we just bought a gigantic jug from a local orchard.

  - Bourbon. Bulleit is my favorite at the moment.

  - Cream Soda

  - A sprig of Rosemary and some extra apples to garnish. (Optional.)

Fill a short glass halfway with ice and artistically place a sprig of Rosemary and some thin-cut apple slices. Fill the glass halfway with apple cider. Add a shot and a half of the bourbon and top it off with some cream soda.

Between the warmth of the bourbon, the snap of the cider and the soft sweetness of the cream soda, this drink is autumn in a glass. Drink responsibly. 

xo,

e.m.

Peach Green Tea Lemonade Cocktail (with Basil!)

My guilty pleasure this summer has been the Peach Green Tea Lemonade from Starbucks. It is simply delectable. I drink at least one a week. (One TRENTA a week.) I often think so myself, "the only thing that could make this even better would be alcohol. Or basil." Obviously, this was something that I had to act on. As soon as I had a free moment, I headed to the Wine & Spirits store to search for the perfect peach-flavored liquor to add. The obvious choice would be Schnapps but I wanted this to have a more rustic taste so I opted for some Peach Moonshine. (Yes I know it's not real moonshine. I know all of you Southern folks are rolling your eyes at me right now.)


What You'll Need
  - Peach Liquor: I loved the moonshine but if you want something a little closer to the original Starbucks beverage, Schnapps would be your best bet.
  - Unsweetened Green Tea
  - Lemonade (as fancy or as basic as you'd like it.)
  - Basil
  - Ice
  - Cocktail shaker

Muddle a basil leaf in the bottom of a shaker. Add ice (fill it about halfway) and one part each of the lemonade, Peach liquor, and green tea. Strain into a glass filled halfway with ice. Top with extra basil for garnish.

Basil and peach are a match made in heaven and so perfect for these next few weeks of "kinda-summer-but-not-really-but-also-not-quite-autumn." As always, enjoy responsibly!

xo,
e.m.



Pimm's Punch

Midsummer cookouts, picnics, and nighttime fire pit hangouts are the stuff dreams are made of. I like to think that any reason to get together is a good enough excuse to drink. Am I right or am I right?This recipe is great to make in a big 'ole pitcher for such occasions. It's a mix between a traditional Pimm's Cup and a sangria so what's not to like about it? Although Pimm's is kind of the big star, it could be replaced by a non-alcoholic beverage such as Chinotto and the drink would still be yummy and refreshing.

What you'll need:

 - Pimm's Liqueur 

 - Limeade

 - Ginger Ale

 - 1 cup of blackberries

 - Mint, 4 leaves to muddle and more to garnish

 - 1 lemon

 - 1 lime

 - Ice

Begin by muddling the blackberries and mint together in the bottom of the pitcher. Add ice and the thinly-sliced lemon and lime. Pour in two parts Pimm's*, one part Ginger Ale, and one part Limeade. Stir with a wooden spoon. If you want to be extra fancy, set aside some extra lemon and lime slices, blackberries, and mint aside to garnish individual glasses. 

*if you're making this drink with Chinotto, use one part.

YUM. As always, sip responsibly. 

xo,

e.m.

Grapefruit & Ginger Cocktail

Love me some grapefruit. It's such a wonderful flavor, especially on these ridiculously hot days. (For real guys, it's been over 100 degrees here. Disgusting.) I whipped up this little hooch in the midst of desperation for something refreshing. It's composed of three of my favorites: ginger, grapefruit, and basil. It may not be the most patriotic beverage for Independence Day tomorrow but it'll sure help you beat the heat and it'll be a crowd-pleaser for sure.

What you'll need:
 - Gin
 - Ginger Liqueur (Domaine de Canton is delicious and look at that fancy-shmancy bottle!)
 - Grapefruit Italian Soda
 - Basil Leaves

Muddle basil leaves in the bottom of your glass, or, if you're making this for a group, a pitcher. One or two leaves for a single serving, five or six for a pitcher. Add one part gin and one part ginger liqueur to two parts grapefruit. If you want a little extra zing, a splash of ginger beer will go spectacularly. Serve over ice and sip through a fancy straw-- preferably not before doing anything firework-related. (But you already knew that.)


Stay cool and drink responsibly! Have a great holiday weekend.

xo,
e.m.

Gin & Tonic with Rose

So, I haven't shared a cocktail recipe in a minute. This is partly due to the fact that cocktail features did poorly on my reader survey. Of course I want to make you guys happy so I haven't been posting them as much, however, they're a ton of fun so... call it selfishness, call it rebellion, I'm going to let one slip through the cracks every now and then. This one is great. If you're not much of a drinker, the gin could be substituted with lemonade and it would still be excellent. Because it's only three ingredients, this one would be good in a pitcher for spring evening soirees. 

What you'll need:

  - Gin 

  - Tonic

  - Rose Water (here's a good recipe)

So simple, right? Just mix equal parts gin, rose water, and tonic in a glass with ice. It's incredibly refreshing with a ton of great floral notes. 

Perfect for warm nights outside on the patio, deck, balcony, family room, kitchen, dining room, living room... bathroom? Wherever you want to sip, I don't judge-- just remember to drink responsibly!

xo,

e.m.