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Would You Rather Drink a Margarita or a Daiquiri?

YumSugar — Sun, 18 May 2008 01:30:28 -0700

When I saw this frozen strawberry margarita, I suddenly had a hankering for a fruity blended beverage. Usually when I want berries and booze, I'll go for a strawberry daiquiri, but I have to admit that I love margaritas even more. How about you?

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Happy Hour: Orange Mojo-ito

YumSugar — Mon, 05 May 2008 14:15:20 -0700

This Cinco de Mayo, you could serve your guests a pitcher of classic margaritas, the more adventurous michelada, or something a little bit different.

The Orange Mojo-ito is a nice twist on an old favorite, and while mojitos aren't Mexican, the new variation makes it worthy of your fiesta! To find out how to create this sublime mix of mandarin vodka, rum, and mint, please read more.

Orange Mojo-ito
From Absolut

Ingredients

3 parts orange-flavored vodka (recommended: Absolut Mandrin)
1 part light rum (recommended: Cruzan Estate Light Rum 2 Years)
2 parts lime juice
1 part orange liquor (recommended: Mandarines Liqueur)
1 part simple syrup
Soda water
Mint leaf

Directions

Fill a highball glass to the rim with crushed ice.
Pour vodka, rum, lime juice, orange liqueur, and simple syrup over the ice.
Top up with soda water.
Garnish with a mint leaf.

Depending on the quantities you use, this drink could serve 1-20 people.

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Happy Hour: Blarney Stone

YumSugar — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:13:31 -0800

I was browsing around looking for a fun drink when I noticed that Absolut's website lets you pick your drinks by color. Since St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner, I figured I'd hunt us down a nice green drink. Usually I just consume a lot of beer - green or Guinness - but this year I might mix it up by shaking up a few of these Blarney Stones. To get the recipe, which is minty fresh, yet tough, just read more.

Blarney Stone
From Absolut

Ingredients

1 part Green Chartreuse
1 part Green Mint Liqueur
2 parts Irish Whiskey

Directions

Chill a cocktail glass with ice or in the freezer.
Pour green chartreuse, green mint liqueur and Irish whiskey into a shaker.
Fill the shaker with ice cubes and shake it until the shaker is very cold.
Empty the cocktail glass from ice and water.
Strain the drink into the cocktail glass.

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Happy Hour: Champagne Cosmo

YumSugar — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 13:28:11 -0800

I was cleaning out my inbox when I came across this recipe for a Champagne Cosmo. The folks at TheBar.com sent it over as a great holiday cocktail, but unfortunately I didn't see it in time. Luckily for us, champagne is always in style, and the cosmo is here to stay. So if you're looking for a new twist on the average glass of bubbly, then check out this recipe. I plan on giving it a go this weekend; let me know if you end up doing the same! To get the recipe, read more.

Ciroc Champagne Cosmo
From TheBar.com

1 oz. Ciroc Vodka
1 dash Grand Marnier
1.5 oz. cranberry juice
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
1 twist orange
1 oz. champagne

Shake Ciroc Vodka, Grand Marnier, cranberry juice, and lime over ice.
Strain into chilled champagne flute.
Top with champagne.
Garnish with orange twist.

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CasaSugar's Flaming Tongs of Fire Punch

YumSugar — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 14:00:00 -0800

Every year CasaSugar and her sweetie throw a big, holiday party called a Feuerzangenbowle. The place is well decorated with homemade-snowflake chandeliers, but the highlight of the party is the actual Feuerzangenbowle - German for "tongs of fire punch" - which contains fruity and mulled wine and a flaming rum. A sugar cone is soaked in rum and placed above the punch. It is then lit and the flaming sugar drips into the holiday wine. It's definitely a festive and unique way to ring in the holidays!

This photo was taken before the cone was lit, but if you'd like to see photos of it aflame, as well as get the recipe and techniques on how to make the Tongs of Fire Punch at home, read more.

Recipe and story from our very own CasaSugar

On Saturday, my fiance and I hosted a Feuerzangenbowle holiday party. (It's pronounced, approximately, foy-etz-ong-ah-bowl-ah.) Feuerzangenbowle (German for "tongs of fire punch") is a traditional fruity and mulled wine finished with flaming rum. The Zuckerhut (sugar cone) is soaked in Barcardi 151, and then lit so that the flaming goodness drips into the heady and seasonal brew. The lighting of the punch serves as a particularly festive kickoff to a cozy little holiday gathering. During the party, four different Zuckerhuts were lit, and my fiance would chant a little incantation before each lighting (this actually is just lyrics to a Tool song he recites in German, but it sounds very old-worldly for those of us who don't speak German).

My fiance and I are foodies, and he is an amazing cook. He went all out for the party-on Friday night he was up until 3 a.m. grilling eggplant, peppers, portabella mushroom, and squash. He also made three pounds of gravlax, which is raw salmon that's cured in salt, brown sugar, and spices over many days. He also made an amazing pumpkin dip. We bought a bunch of cheeses, cold cuts, and German appetizers from the local European deli The Junket, and bought stinky goat cheeses and delicious breads from The Cheese Board. We also served Egyptian dukkah spices with olive oil and bread, quince paste with Manchego, and ridiculous Christmas cookies from Neldham's, Oakland's Scandinavian bakery. One friend brought homemade Pfeffernusse cookies, other friends brought cakes, savory dips, and more delicious offerings.

And I was so busy socializing I forgot to eat!

We put out a lot of holiday decorations, many of which I made, and I'll post about these on Casa, and moved around the furniture to allow for the numerous guests who filtered through the house (and the multiple children who were found under tables, on tables, or behind tables depending on the time of the night).

All in all, it was a fun party, and I was happy to have some Sugar friends show up and enjoy the festivities! I definitely recommend the "Christmas in a cup" punch.

For the recipe for the punch, just .

Ingredients:
Bowle/Punch
3 bottles of red wine (2-3 liters total)
2 cinnamon sticks
cardamom
allspice
1-2 oranges
1-2 lemons
5 cloves

Zuckerhut
A German Zuckerhut (sugar cone)

Zuckerhut/Sugar Cone
1 German sugar cone/loaf*
1 bottle of rum

Directions:
1. In a large pot or kettle filled with red wine, add cinnamon sticks, cardamom, and allspice. Cut up the oranges and lemons (optional: make peel spirals), crush fruit to release the juice, and add to the punch along with the cloves. Warm to a steaming mixture. Do not boil!
2. Place a German sugar cone (Zuckerhut, sugar loaf)* on a metal rack/screen or clamped in metal tongs above the warm punch. (Substitute sugar cubes if you can't get a Zuckerhut.) Slowly pour high-proof rum over the Zuckerhut or sugar cubes and let soak for a minute. Carefully light the Zuckerhut or sugar cubes and let the flaming sugar carmelize and drip into the punch mix. Add rum as needed to keep the flame going until the Zuckerhut process is done. Serve the punch hot in mugs or hot-tea glasses. (Note: Traditionally, Feuerzangenbowle was prepared with the Zuckerhut sitting on crossed swords atop the pot.)

*ZUCKERHUT: A German sugar cone or sugar loaf (lit. "sugar hat") is made of compressed Raffinade (refined sugar) in a cone shape. A German description of Raffinade: "Ein Zucker von höchster Reinheit und bester Qualität. Die Raffinade wird aus sehr reinen Zuckerlösungen gewonnen und entspricht hohen Ansprüchen." (A sugar of highest purity and best quality. Raffinade is made from very pure sugar solutions and meets high standards.) If you can't get the real thing, substitute sugar cubes in the recipe above.

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Happy Hour: Baptist Punch

YumSugar — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 16:28:39 -0800

This past weekend I found myself standing by the punch bowl at a neighbor's party. I didn't know too many folks there, so I found comfort in the shimmering peach-colored liquid. I knew it was a spiked punch, but it didn't taste too strong, so I downed more than a few glasses. A little bit later, and just a tad lot tipsy, I finally asked what was in the punch. My neighbor told me that it was his version of "Baptist Punch" and that it contained cranberry, pineapple, and orange juice. Knowing that all of those ingredients were not the ones that got me tipsy, I asked what else was in it and he said: Everclear.

Everclear is a type of grain alcohol that contains around 95 percent alcohol - most liquors contain around 40 percent - although it is sold in a 75.5 percent blend as well . . . I should also mention that the 95 percent mix is illegal to purchase in many US states, including here in California. It's also worth noting that Everclear is difficult to detect as it's relatively flavorless and doesn't smell very strong. My neighbor, who had it specially imported from another state, made sure to mention that Everclear's nondetectable characteristics was the other reason the concoction was called "Baptist Punch." This way no one knows that you've been drinking.

To get the recipe for both a nonalcoholic and alcoholic version of Baptist Punch, read more

Baptist Punch
From YumSugar's Neighbor
1 part cranberry juice
2 part orange juice
1 part pineapple juice
* Everclear

He wouldn't give me his exact measurements, but said "not to go crazy" with the Everclear. Or "go crazy" after all, it is the holiday season.

I might add that several folks enjoyed the punch without any alcohol added. They also thought it was delicious. Just don't get the batches mixed up!

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Happy Hour: Jell-O Shots Three Ways

YumSugar — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 12:13:39 -0800

I seriously thought I'd make it out of my 20s without ever having made Jell-O shots. However, sometimes a party calls for a little extra fun.

Last week I was pulled aside and asked if I could make 60 Jell-O shots by the next day. Being YumSugar, I said sure thing, no problem; it wasn't until later that I went into panic mode. Jell-O shots? Seriously? How do I make them? What's the correct ratio? What do I serve them in? After a few minutes on Google, the panic went away, and soon I had several unpredictable flavors and a clever serving tip. So I bought my supplies, spent an hour in the kitchen, and the next day there were Jell-O shots in three flavors: margarita, classic cherry, and spiked tropical punch.

If you've always wanted to try Jell-O shots, get my recipes and tips on how to serve when you read more

First of all, if you can, find cups that are half the size of the ones pictured. Look for something like the little cups you get salsa in at taquerias or ketchup in at some fast food places. Most party supply places will have these in stock. Unfortunately, by the time I was able to get my supplies, none of these places were open. In a pinch Dixie Cups work very well. You may want to spray the insides with a quick coating of Pam or some other oil spray. This is so the shots will come out easily. I didn't like the way it sounded so I skipped that step; however, I think it would have helped.

If you'd rather serve your shots as orange slices, simply omit the cups and pour the Jell-O mixture into cleaned out orange halves. To prepare, slice orange in half horizontally, use a grapefruit spoon to remove the contents, and pour Jell-O mixture in as if it were a bowl. Slice with a sharp knife just prior to serving.

Spiked Punch Jell-O Shots

6 oz package of Tropical Fusion Jell-O
16 oz boiling water
8 oz rum
1 oz peach schnapps
7 oz cold water

Empty Jell-O packet into a large bowl or container.
Add boiling water to bowl. Whisk together until fully dissolved. About 3 minutes.
Add rum, peach schnapps, and cold water. Whisk together.
Spoon or pour into prepared cups.
Refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.

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Margarita Jell-O Shots

6 oz package of Lime Jell-O
Two cups (16 oz) boiling water
6 oz tequila
2 oz triple sec
1 oz lime juice
1 oz cold water

Empty Jell-O packet into a large bowl or container
Add boiling water to bowl. Whisk together until fully dissolved. About 3 minutes.
Add tequila, triple sec, lime juice and cold water. Whisk together.
Spoon or pour into prepared cups.
Refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.

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Classic Jell-O Shots
6 oz package of Jell-O (any flavor, although cranberry could then be called a "cosmo")
16 oz boiling water
8 oz cold water
8 oz vodka

Empty Jell-O packet into a large bowl or container.
Add boiling water to bowl. Whisk together until fully dissolved. About 3 minutes.
Add vodka and cold water. Whisk together. [Note: you can add more alcohol if desired; make sure the total is 16 oz (two cups) of liquid. The more alcohol you add, the harder it is for it to set. You may not want to exceed 12 oz vodka and 4 oz cold water.]
Spoon or pour into prepared cups.
Refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.

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TV Drinks: 30 Rock - Nancy Drew AKA Hardy Boy

YumSugar — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 15:28:31 -0800

A few weeks ago, there was a great moment on 30 Rock that made me laugh out loud. Alec Baldwin's character, Jack Donaghy, says to the bartender, "I'll have a white rum with diet ginger ale and a splash of lime." Fast forward a few seconds later and the bartender presents him with his drink, "The Nancy Drew." Naturally, a man as masculine as Jack cannot be seen ordering a Nancy Drew, and therefore corrects the bartender by saying, "For men, it's called a Hardy Boy."

Sadly, there isn't actually a drink called a Nancy Drew - or a Hardy Boy for that matter - however that doesn't mean we can't make one. After all dark rum and ginger beer is perfect in a Dark and Stormy, so a lightened up version featuring ginger ale and light rum must also be delicious! To get the recipe and see the hysterical clip for yourself, read more

Nancy Drew AKA Hardy Boy
Inspired by 30 Rock

1 1/2 oz. white rum
diet ginger ale
splash of lime

Pour rum into an old-fashioned glass over ice cubes.
Fill with diet ginger ale and a splash of lime.
Garnish with lime wedge.

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Happy Hour: The Big Apple

YumSugar — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 13:27:18 -0800

Last year, while flipping through Blueprint magazine, I came across a beautifully styled drink called The Big Apple. The recipe sounded fantastic - whiskey, apple cider, vermouth - but the reason to drink it was even better. According to Blueprint, it makes the perfect "transitional" sipper and I couldn't agree more. It's definitely too cold for margaritas, and I personally can't do eggnog until Thanksgiving. Over the next two weeks I plan on enjoying a few of these Big Apples. Want to join me? Get the recipe, just read more

The Big Apple
From Blueprint

1 lady apple (or other small apple), cut in half lengthwise, or 2 slices of a larger apple
3 ounces whiskey
1 ounce dry vermouth
2 dashes bitters
1 cup sparkling apple cider

Fill a large cocktail shaker halfway with ice.
Add apple cider, whiskey, vermouth, and bitters. Shake.
Strain into two glasses.
Garnish each with an apple half or slice.

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Happy Hour: Happy Hallowine!

YumSugar — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 09:13:38 -0700

If you're still looking for a fun wine to serve for tonight's Halloween bash, then be sure to check out this list of Halloween appropriate wines. From Armida Poizin to Hungary's Bull's Blood, there's something for every mood. If those two are too sinister for you, then check out Hocus Pocus or the Seven Deadly Zins. No matter what you select, you're bound to get a few comments when you serve one of these wines. To check out our full selection, scroll through below.

Armida Poizin Zinfandel	R Winery Evil
Vampire Merlot	Hocus Pocus Syrah 2005
Dracula Syrah	Seven Deadly Zins
Casillero Del Diablo	Zeller Schwarze Katz	Egri Bikaver