Grapefruit and Rosemary Champagne Punch

It's been forever since I've posted a recipe, mostly because I've been doing a ton more sewing that I ever have and nothing really interesting in the kitchen. But I thought that as we approach the glorious holiday weekend ahead, a time of barbecues, parties and drunken encounters with recreational explosives, what better time to share this champagne punch recipe with you?

There is nothing patriotic about this punch. In it you will find no red, no white, no blue. But it is so good that you just might drink the entire dispensers worth [with help, of course...or not?] and then make a mid-party run to the liquor store across the street just so you can mix up another batch.

And maybe it could help fuel your oonapalooza sewing??

I originally made this for my pal Christine Haynes' latest book party, and it was quite a hit. It is so refreshing and delicious and bubbly and has that best/worst quality of a good punch where you feel like you're not drinking but oh you are drinking. I made it right before but it would probably be extra good if you mixed everything but the champagne and let it steep overnight in the fridge. If you're serving it outside, you could freeze the grapefruit slices before adding them to keep it cool. Adjust the gin amount to make it more or less boozy.

So mix up a batch, set up your lawn chairs, and have a safe and fun holiday weekend!

Grapefruit and Rosemary Champagne Punch

1/2 1L bottle tanqueray [about 2 cups] or gin of choice

1 bottle Simply Grapefruit juice, chilled

2 bottles champagne of choice, chilled

1 batch rosemary simple syrup [recipe follows]

1 cut up grapefruit and rosemary sprigs for garnish

Mix gin, juice, cooled simple syrup, sliced grapefruit and rosemary in a large punch bowl or drink dispenser. Pour in champagne and mix gently. Enjoy!

Rosemary Simple Syrup

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

handful rosemary sprigs [3-4 large sprigs]

Mix water and sugar in a saucepan and bring just to boiling. Remove from heat and add rosemary. Let steep until cool. Remove rosemary and refrigerate until use.

Nutella White Russian

I have a confession to make. There was a time in my life when I did not like Nutella.

To me, the chocolate and hazelnut spread that drives everyone into frenzied exuberance just tasted like frosting that someone ruined by adding nuts to it.

But then on a whim, I mixed it with peanut butter on my morning toast. And I saw the light. I will now admit to having eaten Nutella straight from the jar with a spoon. I am not ashamed.

This drink is like chocolate milk for grownups. There isn't any actual Nutella in it [I thought that would turn into a chunky sludgy mess] but all the flavors are there. The hazelnut Frangelico, chocolate sauce and half & half form a most deliciously creamy Nutella flavored libation.

I cut my half & half with milk because I wasn't into the idea of just sitting down and drinking a glass of half & half. But feel free to go with a higher half & half to milk ratio if that's your style. It would also be easy to make dairy free with soymilk or - I bet even yummier - almond milk!

Nutella White Russian

Ingredients:

1.5 shots Frangelico

.5 shot vodka

.5 shot chocolate syrup

1 shot half & half

ice

milk

hazelnut pirouette cookies [optional]

1. Mix the Frangelico, vodka, chocolate syrup and half & half in a tumbler. Add a few ice cubes and top off with milk. Stir thoroughly and garnish with a cookie.

Candy Corn Vodka Tonic

Remember how I posted about my potentially disgusting idea a little while ago?

Well, it has been executed. I have made candy corn vodka. I mixed them together in a jar, let it sit for a week, then strained out all these little weird stringy pieces left behind.

The results are not earth shattering. My life has not been changed. But it did turn out better than I expected. [Though I did expect to instantly upchuck the moment I tried this stuff, so the bar was pretty low.]

Despite its intense, eye-melting neon orange color [thank you, cheap candy dye], the flavor of the candy corn is very subtle. It mostly tastes like plain old vodka, with a vague corn syrup and imitation butter finish.

I will honestly probably never make this again. BUT, I was very excited by the fact that when I made a vodka tonic with it, the layers of liquid and ice separated and looked JUST like the stripes on a candy corn. That might be the best part of this whole experiment.

So if you don't want the taste of candy corn but want a drink that looks like it, you could put food coloring in regular vodka. You could also swap out candy corn for orange skittles so that at least it tastes like something definitive [because let's be honest, this is not a high brow drink]. Or you could use a liquor that's already bright orange colored, though none are coming to mind for me at the moment. Anybody?

UPDATE: Veronica from PlantedLA suggested using orangecello as the liqueur instead of the vodka if you're not too into the taste of candy corn. I think that's a great idea. The orangecello would still create the candy corn striated look when you pour the tonic on top of it. Thanks Veronica! :]

Candy Corn Vodka Tonic

1 oz candy corn vodka [recipe follows]

splash orange juice

tonic water

ice

candy corn [for garnish]

1. Mix the vodka and orange juice. Pour it over ice.
2. Gently and slowly pour the tonic water on top. Do not stir.
3. Press a candy corn onto the brim of the glass and serve.

Candy Corn Vodka

2 c vodka

3/4 c candy corn

1. Mix both ingredients in a glass jar. Seal tightly and let rest in a cool dark cupboard for 5 days.
2. Give the jar a shake and strain through a paper towel. Store in the jar in the freezer.

A Potentially Disgusting Idea

When I thought of this recipe, I hesitated at first. It could go wrong. Horribly, horribly wrong.

But I had to try it. I just had to.

It won't be ready for another few days, but here's a clue. It involves these...

...and this.

Stay tuned for the results.

Spiked Lavender Lemonade

It's been a while since I posted a drink recipe.

Allow me to fix that.

This drink is the perfect concoction for a summer winding down. It's the fresh tart juiciness of just-squeezed lemonade and the soothing herbal goodness of lavender. The sourness of the lemon juice keeps the floral taste of the lavender well in check so that it doesn't taste like you're drinking perfume. [I once had lavender ice cream that tasted like frozen soap. This is NOT like that at all, it's very balanced.]

Make sure that you use food grade lavender from the grocery store, not dried lavender from a craft store meant for potpourri. Most major grocery store chains should carry it in the spice section. If you can't find it you can definitely try using fresh lavender, though you might not need as much and it might have a 'greener' flavor.

It's been nice, summer. See ya next year.

Spiked Lavender Lemonade

Ingredients:

1 oz ice cold vodka

1 oz lavender simple syrup [recipe follows]

1 oz cold water

juice of 1 lemon [about 1 oz]

Directions:
1. Mix everything together in a glass. Add ice cubes until glass is full. Garnish with a lemon wedge and serve.

Lavender Simple Syrup

Ingredients:

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1 tbsp dried lavender buds

Directions:
1. Mix together sugar and water in a saucepan. Bring to just simmering over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, put lavender in a coffee filter and tie closed with string.
3. Remove saucepan from heat. Add lavender sachet, making sure it is fully submerged. Steep for 15 minutes.
4. Remove lavender bag.

Bourbon Spiked Apple Cider Recipe

My stint in Georgia is [rather regrettably] over, and I now find myself in Ohio. After flying back to LA for a day and hammering out a baby quilt that someone had custom ordered long ago, I got back on a plane and flew east to Toledo, Ohio, my hometown.

I'm here right at that perfect autumn time, when the nights are cold and crisp and the trees are brilliant, almost unnatural shades of red and gold, but the afternoon temperatures climb into the balmy 60's. Upon my usual exploration of the kitchen [which always happens almost immediately after I arrive], I was happy to discover a jug of MacQueen's Apple Cider in my parents' fridge. MacQueen's is a local apple orchard just down the street from my house, and they make good stuff. Good, good stuff. To me, the taste of their apple cider is the taste of fall.

So I thought I'd break my blogging silence with a little autumn cocktail recipe using that delicious cider.

Bourbon Apple Cider

makes 1 drink

1.5 oz bourbon

3 oz apple cider

2 oz cranberry juice

cinnamon sugar (I used Domino's premixed blend)

lemon wedge

ice

1. Rub the rim and insides of a martini glass with the lemon wedge. Pour some cinnamon sugar on a small plate and dip the rim of the glass in it.

2. Mix the bourbon, cider and cranberry juice in a drink shaker with the ice and shake. Or, if you're like me and you don't have a shaker, mix it with some ice in a measuring cup and use a strainer to catch the ice when you pour.

3. Pour the drink into the martini glass and enjoy.

P.S. That scary assassin-cat in the background of the picture is Peanut. Don't mind him.

Georgia Sweet Tea

I finally tracked down that sweet tea recipe I was gushing about in my last post.

Well, sort of. 'Recipe' is being a little generous. As I expected, after showering dear southern Mel with compliments and asking what her sweet tea recipe was, she waved her hand at me and said, "Oh, honey. That was nothing. It's just tea."

But I was relentless. I continued interrogating her about specifically how she made it, and she finally buckled. She was right, there really wasn't that much to it, but I just wanted to be able to copy her method as closely as I could [most important: lots of sugar]. I'm sure I'll never quite achieve the level of deliciousness that she did, because I'm guessing southern hospitality is a key ingredient. But I'll definitely try.

So brew up a glass pitcher of this sweet concoction, pour it over some ice, and sip it in the rocker on your porch.

Mel's Georgia Sweet Tea

Ingredients

3 family sized black tea bags

[Mel just used "the cheap stuff, decaf"]

1.5 cups sugar

12 cups water

1. Boil the water on the stove. Turn off the heat and add the tea bags. Steep it for about a half an hour.
3. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Pour into a 3 quart pitcher.
4. Pour over ice and enjoy.