Cocktail Hour: Sweet Orange Sangria

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My sister shared this recipe with me a long time ago, and I’ve been thinking about it with the hot summer days we’ve had around here. I’m hoping to mix up a batch soon!

Hello again! It's Roni, your trusty cocktail making friend. Today's cocktail is all about sharing the citrus, and it would be perfect for your next social gathering (helloooooo Labor Day festivities!). This recipe was easy to prep and very invigorating to sip while relaxing with friends and family.

Sweet Orange Sangria

Ingredients

  • 6 Valencia oranges

  • 2 bottles (750 ml) of Pinot Grigio

  • 1 cup club soda

  • 1/2 cup brandy

  • 12 ounces of strawberries

  • 1 pint of raspberries

  • 1 apple

  • 1/2 cup sugar

  • Tools: juicer, pitcher, stir stick

Directions

  • Zest one orange and combine it with the sugar in a small bowl. Rub sugar and zest together with your fingers until fragrant.

  • Juice 4 of the oranges, making sure to remove any seeds or pith.

  • Slice the remaining two oranges, strawberries, and apple.

  • In a pitcher, combine wine, orange juice, club soda, brandy, apple, strawberries, raspberries, and sliced oranges. Stir well. Place the pitcher in the refrigerator for 1–3 hours to chill.

  • Put the orange-sugar mixture on a plate. Using a wine glass or short glass, run a piece of orange along the rim of each glass. Then, place each glass rim in sugar until fully coated.

  • Serve with ice and fruit.

Note: Make sure to chill the sangria in the refrigerator for 1–3 hours to give the liquor and juices a chance to fuse together. It's hard to believe, but this sangria will get even better as it sits longer...

Well there you have it. I hope you enjoy this drink for your next summer party or evening on the porch.

XO -  Roni

(Recipe via How Sweet It Is)



Rosé Cocktails to Sip this Summer

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Images via MyDomaine

Rosé continues to be a favorite wine varietal of choice, and I think for good reason. It is light and lively and a versatile option to pair with just about anything. I want to sip each and every one of these 7 rosé cocktails from MyDomaine. Go check them out and add the ingredients to your grocery list for happy hour!

P.S. If you are new to rosé, I wrote a whole post about it—So, Let's Talk Rosé.

Cocktail Hour: Mulled Wine

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A couple of years ago we had a Mulled Wine and Cheese Party to celebrate Valentine's Day. It was a great theme to use to set the table. My favorite part of the gathering, besides the people, was the mulled wine. Mulled wine is wine that has been slowly heated with spices. It is served warm and is usually very full of flavor. It is the perfect winter cocktail for a chilly night, and it is also a great cocktail for a party because you can make a big batch and leave it on low on the stove so that people can grab it as they please.

Mulled Wine

Ingredients

1 bottle of red wine

4 cups of apple cider

¼ cup light brown sugar

6 cinnamon sticks

1 orange, zested and juiced

1 orange, peeled for garnish

1 tbsp whole cloves

Directions

Combine the cider, wine, brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, orange zest, orange juice, and cloves in a saucepan.

Bring to a gentle simmer over low heat for 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. Do not let the mixture boil as this can cause the spices to turn bitter.

Pour into mugs; if desired, add an orange peel or cinnamon stick to each and serve.

{Recipe adapted from Unruly Things via Country Living}

Cocktail Hour: Caribbean Coffee

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Hello friends! Your favorite cocktail maker is back and ready for a slightly warmer drink for the month. Since Thanksgiving is coming up (where did this month go?), I decided to make a drink that can elevate the after dinner coffee.

I modified this recipe for smaller teacup-sized servings since I don't have the appropriate Irish Cup right now. But you can most certainly follow this recipe for regular coffee cup servings. Again, I found this recipe from the always trusted Bartender’s Bible book. 

The Caribbean Coffee

Ingredients

2 ounces dark rum

4 ounces hot coffee

2 ounces heavy cream (you can always use whip cream if you prefer something lighter)

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Tools needed: spoon, shot glass, Irish Coffee glass, coffee cup, or tea cup

Directions

Pour the coffee into an Irish Coffee glass, coffee cup, or tea cup.

Add the sugar and stir to dissolve it. Add the rum and stir.

Pour the cream carefully over the back of the teaspoon so that the cream floats on top of the drink.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Cocktail Hour: The Strawberry Colada

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Hey, everyone! Roni here. So I know most of you are ready for fall, but it is still so HOT here in New York. Summer lives on a little longer and with that, here's a summer tropical drink for this month's cocktail hour.

Isn't that gradient beautiful? I found this recipe in the book Bartender's Bible. It is very old fashioned but such a necessity for the home bar. I also added way more strawberries and coconut cream than the original recipe called for. This recipe would be perfect for a summer after-dinner drink or even a girls night in!

The Strawberry Colada

Ingredients

1 ounce white rum

1 ounce dark rum

4 ounces of pineapple juice

1 ounce coconut cream (I added more than an ounce)

5 ripe strawberries (I added closer to 15 strawberries)

crushed ice

Maraschino cherries for garnish

Pineapple slice for garnish

Tools needed: Blender, Shot Glass, Collins glass

Directions

In a blender, combine the dar rum, light rum, strawberries, pineapple juice, and the coconut cream with the crushed ice. Blend on high speed.

Pour into a collins glass and garnish with the cherry and the pineapple slice.

Have a great weekend!