Celebrate America's Birthday with These 4th of July Cocktails

Bringing back an old picture for this one! :)

4th of July is my all time FAVORITE holiday. Anyone who knows me knows that I wait all year for this day. Something about the patriotism, the warm weather, the BBQs and that all around feel good feeling you get on Independence Day with all the festive activities just creates immaculate vibes. It’s unbeatable and always the highlight of the summer. Now that we have somewhat gotten over the pandemic hump, I’m hearing a bunch of people are making plans to celebrate (lots of people voted YES to needing some great July 4th cocktail recipes this weekend on my IG story!) and these recipes here will surely get you in the mood to party. Whether you’ll be at the beach or behind a BBQ, you’ll stay cool and refreshed with these easy-to-mix drinks full of bright summer flavors.

PINEAPPLE FIZZ COCKTAIL

also available as a cocktail kit, here

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz Belvedere Vodka

• .5 oz Fresh Lime Juice

• .2 oz Pineapple Juice

• Top with Hella Bitters & Soda

Method: Place all ingredients, except Hella Bitters and Soda, into shaker and shake with ice. Strain into collins glass and top with Bitters & Soda.

SUNSET ROSE COCKTAIL

also available as a cocktail kit, here

Ingredients:

• 3 oz Whispering Angel

• 1.5 oz Belvedere Vodka

• .5 oz Lime Juice

• .25 oz Honey Water

• 3 Blackberries

• Garnish with Mint Sprig

Method: Place Blackberries into shaker and muddle. Add remaining ingredients into shaker except the Rosé. Shake with ice and strain into rocks glass over fresh ice. Top with Rosé and garnish with Mint.

MEYER LEMON SPRITZ

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Bottle Betty Buzz Meyer Lemon Club Soda

• 1.5 oz Vodka

• Mint Leaves

• Lemon Wheel or Twist

Method: Bring it all together in a wine glass over ice. Stir gently and garnish.

Glenmorangie X Blackcurrant

Ingredients:

• 2 oz X by Glenmorangie

• 1 oz Lemon Juice

• ½ oz Blackcurrant Cordial

• ⅓ oz Agave Syrup

Preparation: Fill highball glass with crushed ice. Add X by Glenmorangie, lemon juice and agave syrup. Stir, then top with blackcurrant cordial. Garnish with a lemon wheel and a blackberry.

LA VALOMA

Ingredients:                                                                                                                                       

• 2 oz Volcan Blanco Tequila

• ¾ oz Fresh Lime Juice

• 1.5 oz Fresh Grapefruit Juice

• ¾ Oz Agave Syrup

• A pinch of salt

Method: Combine Volcan Blanco, fresh lime and grapefruit juice, salt and agave syrup in a shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously and strain over ice in a highball glass. Top with soda water and garnish with a grapefruit wedge.

Continue the Spooky Spirit with the Zesty Rambutan

Has Halloween really just graced us with its presence in 2020 already? How are we so far into the year? I can’t be the only one who feels like time is completely whizzing by but is so slow at the same time. Not to mention, since Halloween wasn’t really a true Halloween this year, I feel like we have to keep the spooky spirit going throughout this week. The holiday deserves more than just one day! One of my favorite things about Halloween each year is having fun with cocktails and putting different spins to make something truly “chilling.” I’m starting off the post-Halloween week with one tequila concoction I’m really excited about with Espanita Tequila. Recipe for the spicy, spooky libation is below!

The Zesty Rambutan

INGREDIENTS

2 oz Espanita Blanco Tequila

6-7 Rambutans

1-2 Jalapeño slices, seeds removed

0.25 oz Fresh ginger juice

1 oz Triple sec

1 Tbsp frozen concentrated Limeade

GARNISH

Lemon wheel

METHOD

Grate a piece of ginger and squeeze the juice out. Measure 0.25 oz in a jigger. Peel the skins from rambutans, remove the seeds and slice the fruit. Place sliced rambutan flesh and jalapeño slices in a Boston shaker and muddle. Add Espanita Blanco tequila, fresh ginger juice, triple sec, limeade and a handful of ice. Shake vigorously and strain through the fine mesh strainer into a cocktail glass filled with fresh ice.

My Cider Skull Sangria with Campo Viejo for Dia De Los Muertos

Happy Dia De Los Muertos! In celebration of the colorful holiday, I created a specialty cocktail to sip on today - what I like to call the Cider Skull Sangria using my favorite Campo Viejo Tempranillo wine. Because Campo Viejo encourages everyone to live more colorfully and vibrantly, I thought it was the perfect fit.

Check out my recipe for this tantalizing festive concoction!

The Cider Skull Sangria

INGREDIENTS

· 1 bottle Campo Viejo Tempranillo
· 1 ½ cups apple cider
· 3 oz. brandy
· 2 honey crisp apple, sliced, plus more for garnish (optional)
· 2 cinnamon sticks, plus more for garnish (optional)
· 1 star anise, plus more for garnish (optional)

FOR THE CINNAMON SUGAR RIM

· 2 Tablespoons cane sugar
· 1/2 Tablespoon cinnamon
· pinch of salt


METHOD

For the cinnamon sugar rim, stir together cinnamon, sugar, and salt on a dish.
Wet the rim of the glasses by running a slice of lemon around each one.
Dip the rims into the mixture and then fill glasses with sangria.

Add all ingredients to a large pitcher and stir to combine. Cover pitcher and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight. Fill glasses with ice then pour sangria over top. Garnish with cinnamon sticks, star anise, and apple slices, if desired, and serve.

Photography by: Grace & Light Photo

Making National Tequila Day Spicy with La Adelita Tequila

National Tequila Day has to be one of my favorite days of the year. I am a tequila girl through and through. Any excuse to celebrate I'm totally on board for! Each year in spirit of the holiday, I make it my mission to discover a new tequila to try. This year? La Adelita Tequila!

La Adelita (80 proof/ 40% ABV)  is a portfolio of five truly exquisite expressions of tequilas, made by a collaboration of generational distillers and cult wine & spirit artisans - is now available in the United States, nationwide. Named in honor of Adelita, the fearless woman who led the female fighters in the Mexican Revolution, La Adelita is harvested and distilled from single estates located in the heart of the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico.

A fierce tequila with an incredible backstory and packaged in a stunning bottle is my kind of tequila! The only way to celebrate a day like today is with a classic, foolproof recipe whether you’re concocting a nightcap for yourself or you’re sipping with a friend for an at-home happy hour. Put your at-home bartering skills to the test with this classic recipe…

Spicy Jalapeño Margarita 

Serve: old-fashioned glass

Garnish: 

Slice chilli pepper

Salt rim 

How to make:

Muddle chills and coriander/cilantro in a shaker, add other ingredients, shake with ice and fine strain into an ice filled glass. 

1 slice - red jalapeno or chili pepper

3 sprig (inches) - cilantro leaves

2 fl oz - La Adelita Reposado tequila 

1/2 fl oz - syrup (agave) 

1 fl oz - lemon juice 

Palomas | The Cure for Cinco De Mayo in Quarantine

Vibe check…. still in quarantine. Almost (?) done we think. As another holiday graces us with its presence, I am dedicated to finding ways to continue celebrating! Cinco De Mayo is one of my favorite holidays because it marks the start of warmer weather, and it’s the perfect occasion to make tequila drinks - my liquor of choice every time! The perfect cocktail for some Cinco celebrating? The Paloma of course. It’s one of the easiest drinks you could make, being that there’s so few ingredients and you probably already have them in your home! To make it even easier, I love using Q Mixers to further cut the time in half and add that little bit of fizziness. Make it spicy or not, your choice - but the Paloma is a foolproof classic that will be sure to get you in the Cinco spirit.

Paloma

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz Premium Tequila

• 5 oz Q Grapefruit

• Two lime wedges

Preparation Instructions:

1. Fill a highball glass with ice.

2. Pour in the tequila and squeeze in a lime.

3. Then pour in the Q Grapefruit.

4. Gently stir and garnish with a lime.

Variation:

To create a spicy salt rim, mix salt and jalapeno and spread out on a plate. Run a lime along the rim of a highball, then dip the rim into the salt mixture . Try with mezcal rather than tequila for a smokier drink. A tiny splash of agave is a fun way to add some sweetness if preferred.