Archives For vodka

the perfect {holiday} punch.

December 13, 2011 — 3 Comments

The other day I came across an article on what your drink says about you.

You know vodka-cran made an appearance on the list. And what’d they have to say about it? “When in doubt, you stick to what you drank in college.” And it’s true – I definitely drank my share of vodka-cran in college. So much so, that the thought of it makes me cringe a just a bit. I’ll still have one if it’s completely necessary, but these days I’ll take it with soda water and just a splash of cran.

This is not the college variety of vodka-cran. This is the older, cooler sibling. It’s the adult version, and it’s a reason to appreciate getting older – because this cocktail totally kicks the other’s ass.

You’re essentially making your own cranberry juice by cooking down fresh cranberries with water and sugar. This is the key, because I’m really not a fan of the artificial flavoring of cranberry juice cocktail – which is really, like, a doctored-up apple juice. So fresh cranberries, right, in all their tangy glory…and then we pop in some beautifully woodsy rosemary sprigs for a little infusion. The combination of the two is strikingly perfect, and yes – the color combo makes this punch as holiday-festive as it gets.

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the perfect {spicy} bloody mary.

November 30, 2011 — 1 Comment

Today, we’re bringing sexy back.

C’mon…you know a bloody mary is totally hot. Hot as in spicy. Sexy = hot = spicy. Are we on the same page? Good.

Today, I’m bringing sexy back in the form of the perfect bloody mary. This is not a new recipe to these parts, but because I make these *so* often, I felt compelled to take a shiny new picture and share it with you and remind you how awesome they are.

So you can make them. Like, this weekend. Or today. I surely wouldn’t judge you for imbibing on this fine Wednesday morning.

I love a good bloody mary for so many reasons. Most importantly, it’s usually the sign of a great weekend. This goes for both the “hell yeah, the weekend is here!” bloody mary and the “I had too much fun this weekend” hair of the dog bloody mary. I equally love that it’s considered totally normal to enjoy one (who are we kidding – several) before noon. In fact, having a bloody mary at any other time of day just seems downright wrong.

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cotton candy martinis.

June 9, 2011 — 1 Comment

When I started planning the menu for my “Childhood, Reinvented” dinner party, I had one thought and one thought only when brainstorming on specialty cocktails.

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Cotton candy.

{I may or may not have planned my entire theme around this burning desire to serve cotton candy in cocktail form}

A cotton candy martini seemed brilliant enough. I looked at a few recipes online that combined different things in an effort to mimic the flavor of cotton candy, but I wasn’t really feeling it. And then, I heard there was such thing as cotton candy vodka.

COTTON.CANDY.VODKA. True story. And there’s also – wait for it – whipped cream vodka. I went to the website, and discovered that they also make cake-flavored vodka. This is kind of a big deal.

So, the recipe became super simple. A little cotton candy vodka, a little pink fruit juice for some color, and a hunk of cotton candy – which gives the drink that gorgeous two-tone effect.

Cheers – to cotton candy! And living forever young.

Cotton Candy Martinis

  • Cotton candy vodka
  • Pink-colored fruit juice {I used some strawberry-melon concoction that worked well}
  • Cotton candy

Pour desired amount of chilled cotton candy vodka into martini glasses. Top with pink-colored juice. Add a torn piece of cotton candy to each glass, and watch the two-toned magic begin.

Alternatively, you may use a martini shaker if you want to keep it traditional – just make sure to add the cotton candy after you’ve poured.

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lemon rosé bellini.

March 10, 2011 — 4 Comments

Is it spring yet?

Winter has, at the very least, ended in South Florida – that is, if it ever existed it all. We’re all basking in this gorgeous weather, holding onto these moments while we can, because soon enough the humidity will be back – and with a vengeance.

IMG_1518.JPGThis cocktail is, in my opinion, the greatest celebration of everything spring you could conjure up. Rosé champagne, to start, epitomizes spring for me, and the citrus vodka adds the perfect refreshing kick. It’s the lemon sorbet, however, that makes this drink. Depending on how many you’re serving, I’d be sure to pick up an extra pint or two; four of us went though one like it was nothing.

I love to use frozen raspberries for the garnish, as they also help to keep the drink cool – though you can certainly use fresh if you have them on hand. I also like frozen for those of you up north who may not have access to much else.

No matter where you are, or what the weather, this cocktail is sure to put some spring into that step.

{And imagine how fabulous these would be for a bridal or baby shower}

Cheers!

Lemon Rosé Bellini

Adapted from 101 Champagne Cocktails via Epicurious

  • 1 generous spoonful lemon sorbet
  • 1/2 – 1 ounce citrus vodka
  • 4 ounces rosé champagne
  • 2 to 3 raspberries, fresh or frozen, for garnish

Add sorbet to champagne flute. Pour vodka over sorbet, and add champagne. Garnish with floating raspberries.

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the french martini, and a birthday.

February 17, 2011 — 3 Comments

One year ago today…IMG_1299.JPG

Can you guess what happened?

If you’re as smart as I think you are, you’re right – 20something cupcakes was born!

I never could have imagined how much happiness this tiny blog would bring to my life. I am so appreciative of all of you who read this blog, whether it’s everyday or simply when you have a spare moment. When I receive messages from you telling me that I inspired you to make something delicious or try something new – and that you actually loved it! – I cannot even express to you how much that means to me.

That’s what this is all about for me. Inspiring others, and in turn inspiring myself.

I’ve grown as a cook, and I’m now attempting to grow as a photographer – which is a daunting project, to say the least. I welcome the challenge. My passion for food, writing, and where they intersect grows each day more and more. You may already know my dream is to one day host my own private cooking classes, but I’ve also recently discovered that I want to go to culinary school. The idea of writing a cookbook one day makes my heart race with excitement. I’ve finally come to that seemingly elusive place where I know what I want to do with my life. I’m not sure how I’ll get there just yet, but I sure am glad I know where I’m going.

So, let’s celebrate.

And while some people make cakes for this sort of thing, I thought a cocktail would be more appropriate. You know by now it’s my favorite way to celebrate – it is where we started, after all – and I can’t think of a more fitting cocktail than the French martini. This is probably my favorite martini (other than an extra-dirty, but that’s a totally different category); the Chambord adds just enough color to turn it the most beautiful shade of pink, and the flavors of pineapple and raspberry are incredible together. It’s girlie, yet sophisticated – and strong enough without being overpowering, the way some martinis are. Adding champagne at the end is optional, and while it may not be traditional, I think it makes the drink.

We can’t celebrate without champagne, can we?

Thank you for being a part of this journey. I truly couldn’t do it without you. Cheers, dolls – to a life worth living!

French Martini

  • 1 1/2 ounces vodka
  • 1 ounce pineapple juice
  • 1/2 ounce Chambord (raspberry liqueur)
  • Ice
  • Champagne

Add vodka, pineapple juice, and Chambord to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled martini glass. Top with champagne.

Makes one serving.

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watermelon {vodka} lemonade.

August 15, 2010 — 6 Comments

When life hands you lemons, grab some vodka and make yourself some lemonade.

Add some puréed watermelon and it gets even better.

I can only partially take credit for this idea, because this recipe is the product of the second week of Project Pastry Queen. Which means we have not only Rebecca Rather of Pastry Queen fame to thank, but also Ashley of Delish for choosing this week’s recipe.

The reason I say I can take partial credit, is that I made some pretty substantial changes to the recipe. Read: I forgot to bring the one thing I needed when we left to spend this weekend with the fam. The cookbook.

It happens.

Like I said, you make lemonade. In this case, lemonade with puréed watermelon. And vodka.

The original recipe used a little more sugar, and much more water. I don’t like my drinks too sweet, so I may have done the same thing even if I had the recipe in front of me. Using less water made it extra tart, but I liked it this way because we were using vodka.

So basically, we replaced the extra water in the recipe with vodka. Do you see any harm in that? Me neither.

The other major change is that I puréed the watermelon, while the original recipe left the fruit diced in the pitcher. I loved the purée in the drink. I think that if I were to make it again, I’d add even more. I do love this drink because the diced fruit makes it almost like a fruity-vodka sangria. Tequila would be another great match for this.

If you’d like to see the recipe in its original form, be sure to check out Ashley’s post.

Watermelon Lemonade

Adapted from The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather

  • 2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice {for me, this was 8 lemons}
  • 1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice {7 limes}
  • 2 1/2 cups diced watermelon
  • Mixed diced fruit of your choice {I used one apple, one pear, and handfuls of sliced strawberries and blueberries}
  • 1 orange, preferably organic, sliced into rounds
  • 1 lemon, preferably organic, sliced into rounds
  • 1 lime, preferably organic, sliced into rounds
  • About 2 cups good vodka – or, to taste

For the sugar syrup:

  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar

Combine the water and sugar in a medium saucepan. Turn the heat to medium-high and boil until dissolved. Make sure to allow it to cool before making the rest of the drink.

Juice your lemons and limes. Add to blender with watermelon sugar syrup and purée. Place your citrus rounds and diced fruit into a glass pitcher. Pour puréed mixture from the blender into the pitcher over the fruit. Stir well and chill until icy cold.

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strawberry basil {vodka} lemonade.

July 22, 2010 — 6 Comments

Do I even need to say anything to convince you to make this summer cocktail of perfection, like, this weekend?

{Or, today. Today works, too}

The best part? You don’t even need a recipe. Just add ingredients to taste.

Strawberry Basil Vodka LemonadeDSC02792.JPG

Strawberries

Fresh basil leaves

Good vodka

Lemonade

Fresh lemon slices

Begin this party like you would any other – with a nice sugar rim. Rub a cut lemon slice around the edge of the glass, and then press the top of the glass into a small plate of sugar. Now, you can get to muddling. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to the empty glass, add a few basil leaves, grab a wooden spoon and get to work. Depending on how sweet your lemonade is, you could add a simple syrup or some extra sugar here. You’re really just trying to break the flavor up out of the leaves into the citrus. Next, get your strawberries and lemonade into a blender, along with a good pour of vodka. I used fresh strawberries because, duh, they’re in season, but you could always use frozen. Likewise, the lemonade is flexible. I recommend making a homemade version, like this, but something like Crystal Light would be a nice low-calorie substitute. Pureé the ingredients and voilà.

Serve over ice, and garnish with lemon and strawberry slices and a few more basil leaves if you’re feeling fancy. And you should, because fancy is fun.

Cheers!

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