Monday, December 10, 2012

Mangia Monday

Fabulous Holiday Cocktail Ideas

The holiday is in full swing and it's time to celebrate. If you are hosting a get-together with friends or family, it's always fun to have a festive cocktail. Here are three fabulous cocktails that are as beautiful as they are tasty.






LEFT Holiday Champagne Cocktail
Makes: 1 cocktail
For the Fresh Sour Mix:
 Make a syrup by stirring together 1 1/2 cups sugar with 1 cup hot water until sugar is completely dissolved. Add 1 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice and 1 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice and refrigerate. (Can be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Syrup may be substituted with 1 pint agave nectar.)

For one cocktail:
Fill a chilled champagne flute half way with ice to chill. Stir 1 ounce of Fresh Squeezed Sour Mix and 1 ounce of Hum Botanical Spirit with fresh ice.

Strain mixture into the flute to fill 1/2 way and top with Champagne.
Garnish with a single rose petal and serve
.

CENTER Red Currant and Grappa Cocktail
1/3 cup fresh red currant juice
2 oz good quality grappa
1 tsp Meyer lemon juice
Garnish with fresh currants

Place all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until well chilled and strain into glass. 

RIGHT Cherry Sour
Add to a cocktail shaker and muddle: 2 orange slices, 6 pitted cherries, 4 brandied cherries, and 1/2 ounce agave nectar or simple syrup

Add: 1 1/2 ounces bourbon, 1 ounce Campari, and 1/4 ounce lemon juice then fill halfway with ice

Shake well then strain into a chilled cocktail glass

Garnish with a few cherries and an orange slice