Winesicles

Bottlenotes suggests turning your favorite wine into an icy summer time treat in their Daily Sip. Cool off guests or enjoy after a nice summer meal, one thing's for sure, these winesicles are sure to be the perfect addition to any hot, summer day!


Ingredients:
Any wine of your choosing (4 oz.) - suggested: Sauvignon Blanc or Merlot
Orangina (4 oz.)
Pineapple juice (4 oz.)
Juice of one lime
Juice of one lemon
Kit for making 3 oz. popsicles (readily available at Bed Bath & Beyond or Target)

Instructions:
1. Pour the wine, Orangina and pineapple juice into a measuring cup.
2. Squeeze in lemon and lime juice to your taste. Mix well.
3. Pour the mixture into your popsicle molds. Place in the freezer until solid.

Summer Cocktails: Kiwi Mint Julep

photo from www.recipezaar.com

Mint Juleps are fine for the Kentucky Derby, and their tropical cousin the Mojito is fine for the beach, but where does one turn for a nice afternoon drink in the backyard? This Kiwi Mint Julep is exotic and fruity, but fresh enough to quench your lazy afternoon thirst.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 2 cups ice
• 3 kiwi fruits, peeled
• 2 tablespoons frozen limeade concentrate
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
• 3 ounces bourbon (optional)

Directions

1. Dissolve sugar in hot water in a 1-cup measure; let cool slightly.
2. Combine ice, kiwis, limeade, mint, the sugar mixture and bourbon, if using, in a blender.
3. Blend until smooth.
4. Serve immediately.

Summer Cocktails: Pineapple & Mango Daiquiri

photo from www.nygirleatsworld.com

This recipe seems simple, and it is. But because it uses fresh mangoes and fresh pineapple juice, it is so delicious and crisp. Use high-quality ingredients, including a top shelf golden rum, for best results. Go whip up a batch (it's ready in about five minutes) and sip them on the porch this afternoon!

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 small ripe mangoes, peeled and cubed
• 1/2 mango, cut into slices with skin for garnish
• 4 ounces best-quality golden rum
• 4 cups fresh pineapple juice (from a 4 1/2-pound pineapple)
• fresh tropical fruit, such as dragon fruit and star fruit, for garnish

Directions

1. Puree mangoes, rum, and 1/2 cup water in a blender. Pour 2 ounces puree into each of six 12-ounce glasses. Fill glasses with ice, and top off with pineapple juice. Garnish with tropical fruit. Serves 6.
   

Summer Cocktails: Peach & Orange Sangria

Though sweet, this white sangria recipe is potent and therefore should be sipped with caution! White wine gives a bit more sparkle and pairs nicely with the peach and oranges. Since this recipe requires sitting overnight, don't forget to pop it in the fridge the night before your next gathering.

Ingredients

1. 3 1/4 cups dry white wine


2. 1/3 cup sugar


3. 1/3 cup triple sec


4. 1/3 cup peach-flavoured brandy


5. 2 medium peaches, peeled and sliced


6. 2 medium oranges, sliced thin and crosswise


7. 1 cup sparkling orange soda


8. 1 cup ginger ale

Directions

1. In a large serving bowl, combine all the ingredients except the orange soda and ginger ale and mix well. Refrigerate overnight.


2. Immediately before serving, mix in the orange soda and ginger ale. Serve over Ice. Makes 6 servings.
   

Summer Fair Party Ideas

photo from www.goodlifeinthecity.com

You can celebrate the summer and add some state fair flair to your next cocktail party without going into fried-cheese-on-a-stick territory!

Start things off with a sweet cocktail - try this cotton candy recipe or this caramel candy appletini. Enjoy some funnel cakes, Rachael Ray style. And at the end of the day you can send your guests home with a goldfish in a bag that won't require any fish food - these fish are encased in clear glycerin soap and tied with a cute orange ribbon. Check them out at Spoon Sisters.

Cocktail Thursdays: Jalapeno Martinis

photo credit: www.cbsnews.com

Ah, the simple pleasure of the dirty martini. Crisp vodka combined with nippy olive juice makes a cocktail that is so refreshing amongst the sugary, syrupy cocktails that seem to be everywhere these days. Next time you feel like a martini, try this recipe for one infused with the spice of jalapenos. Making the jalapeno vodka takes a bit of prep work, but a bottle lasts for ages and the taste makes it well worth it!

3 ounces jalapeño vodka
1 teaspoon dry vermouth
crushed ice

1. Pour the vermouth into a chilled martini glass and swirl to coat the inside of the glass.
2. Dispose of excess vermouth.
3. In a shaker full of ice, gently swirl or stir the vodka before straining into glass.
4. Garnish with thin slices of fresh jalapenos.

Jalapeño Vodka:
1 750-ml bottle best quality vodka
2 fresh red jalapeno, slit in 1/2 lengthwise, stem left intact
2 fresh green jalapeno, slit in 1/2 lengthwise, stem left intact
2 cloves of garlic, peeled

To prepare vodka, pour out a little from the bottle to make room for the jalapenos. Drop peppers and garlic into the bottle. Put cap back on and store in freezer over night, but preferably for a week.

Classic Cocktail Comeback: The Sidecar

The Sidecar was created in Paris during World War I and enjoyed popularity for many years before seemingly falling off the map in the 70s. Any good bartender should know how to make this classic, but many mix it poorly (probably the reason for its decline in popularity). Recently, however, the Cognac Martini has been making a comeback at trendy bars in New York City. Try this recipe for yourself and see why it's fast becoming a hipster favorite!

• 1 1/2 oz bourbon, Cognac or Armagnac
• 3/4 oz Cointreau
• 1/4 oz lemon juice

1. Pour ingredients in a mixing tin with a scoop full of ice.
2. Shake well (6-8 times or until tin is frosted over).
3. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
4. Garnish with a lemon wedge (try pineapple or orange if you're feeling sassy!)