YumSugar

Come Party With Me: Farmers Market Feast - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 12:50:38 -0700

Kick-start your farmers market feast with a potent, fresh-fruit cocktail in the form of a watermelon-rum mash. Cubes of melon are pureed and mixed with mint and rum. The final concoction is refreshing and conversation enhancing. When you sit down for dinner, pour a crisp, green white like a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc or Spanish Verdejo. Pair an effervescent dessert wine, such as this Moscato, with the strawberry ricotta shortbread. To look at the cocktail recipe, please read more.

Watermelon Rum Mash
From Self

Ingredients

6 fresh shiso (or mint) leaves, plus 8 additional sprigs for garnish
12 3/4 cups (2 3/4 quarts) cubed seedless watermelon, pureed and strained (makes 1 1/2 quarts juice)
1 2/3 cups white rum (or to taste)

Directions

Crush shiso in the bottom of a large pitcher, using a long wooden spoon.
Add watermelon juice and rum; stir. Serve over ice; garnish with shiso sprigs.

Serves 8.

Print recipe with images | without images

Come Party With Me: Cinco de Mayo - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 12:50:10 -0700

When one hears the words, Cinco de Mayo, Mexican beer, and classic margaritas come to mind. However, why not shake things up and surprise guests with a different cocktail?

The agave negro combines tequila, lime juice, and blackberries to create a cocktail that is as refreshing as it is beautiful. A splash of Chambord provides the blush color and club soda adds a touch of fizz. To check out the recipe, read more.

Agave Negro
From Food & Wine

Ingredients

2 blackberries, plus 1 blackberry and 1 lime wheel skewered on a pick
1 cup ice
1 1/2 ounces reposado tequila
3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
3/4 ounce Simple Syrup
1/2 ounce Chambord
1 ounce chilled club soda

Directions

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the 2 blackberries.
Add the ice, tequila, lime juice, Simple Syrup, and Chambord. Shake well and pour into a rocks glass.
Stir in the club soda and garnish with the skewered blackberry and lime wheel.

Makes 1 drink.

Print recipe with images | without images

Fast & Easy Dinner: Pineapple and Scallop Skewers

partysugar — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 06:50:59 -0700

Take an exotic escape to a tropical locale with this marvelous meal. Scallops - which are quick-cooking shellfish that are effortless to season - are tossed with a zesty lime cilantro marinade.

Spicy jalapenos add heat, juicy pineapple provides a sweetness, and chunks of avocado yield a creamy coolness. If you don't have an indoor grill pan, roast the skewers in the oven until scallops turn opaque.

This is a great dish to break out of a weeknight recipe rut, so get it now when you read more.

Pineapple and Scallop Skewers
From Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients

2 tsp. finely shredded lime peel
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup snipped fresh cilantro
2 small green and/or red jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/3 cup canola oil
16 sea scallops (about 1-1/2 lb.)
12 large fresh pineapple chunks
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut into 8 chunks

Directions

In a small bowl combine lime peel, lime juice, cilantro, jalapeno, sugar, salt, and pepper. Slowly whisk in oil until combined; set aside.
In a large bowl combine scallops, pineapple, and avocado. Toss with 2 tablespoons of the lime juice mixture. Let stand for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not marinate longer, or scallops will get tough.
Alternately thread 4 scallops, 3 pineapple chunks and 2 avocado chunks on each of 4 12- to 16-inch skewers.
Grill kabobs on a well-greased grill rack directly over medium-high heat for about 8 minutes or until scallops turn opaque, turning once halfway through grilling. Transfer kabobs to a serving platter and serve with remaining lime juice mixture.

Serves 4.

Print recipe with images | without images

Happy Hour: Sage Lady

partysugar — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 13:00:41 -0700

In terms of flavored vodkas, I've always enjoyed Absolut's more creative offerings. So naturally I was excited when I got my hands on a bottle of Absolut's newest flavor - Absolut Mango. The brand crafted several recipes to feature the spirit and I decided to experiment with this innovative cocktail that combines sage, cucumber, and lime juice.

While I've had a cocktail with basil and another with cilantro, I've never had any that uses sage. It adds a woodsy, earthiness to the drink - which is delectable and refreshing. The ingredients meld perfectly to make a cocktail that is slightly sweet, tart, and delightfully fruity. For the recipe, read more.

Sage Lady
From Absolut

Ingredients

3 fresh sage leaves
3 slices of cucumber
1 ounce simple syrup
1 1/2 ounces Absolut Mango Vodka
1/2 ounce Cointreau
3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
dash of peach bitters*

Directions

In a cocktail shaker, muddle cucumber, simple syrup, and sage.
Add the vodka, cointreau, lime juice, and bitters.
Fill with ice and shake.
Strain into a cocktail glass, garnish with a sage leaf, and enjoy!

Makes 1 drink.

*I couldn't find peach bitters, so I substituted angostora.

Print recipe with images | without images

View 8 Photos ›

Happy Hour: Patron Red Carpet

YumSugar — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 11:03:31 -0800

When you say "Red Carpet," most people probably think of fantastic frocks and celebrity smiles. Not the folks at Patron. For them the phrase "Red Carpet" has a completely different meaning. To them it means a lavish raspberry red tequila drink coated in edible gold. The specialty drink is called the Patron Red Carpet, and four thousand of them will be served at this year's Governors Ball. If you'd like to make that four thousand and one, get the recipe - including a video on how to make one at home - when you read more.

View 5 Photos ›

Note: This recipe includes a gold sugar rim. They are actually going to be using edible gold, but you can just color yours with a bit of food coloring paste.

Patron Red Carpet
From Patron

Makes 1 cocktail.

1/2 oz Patrón Silver Tequila
1/2 oz Patrón Citrónge Orange Liqueur
Fresh raspberry juice
Dash organic cranberry juice
Fresh lime juice
Gold sugar rim
Orange wedge dipped in gold sugar for garnish
Splash of grenadine

Wet the rim of a cocktail glass using an orange or lime wedge.
Rim with gold sugar, shake off excess sugar and set aside.
Pour the liquid ingredients - minus the grenadine - into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
Shake well.
Strain into the prepared cocktail glass.
Add a splash of grenadine.
Garnish with an orange wedge dipped in gold sugar.

Print recipe with images | without images

Happy Hour: French 75

YumSugar — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 13:13:38 -0700

A few weeks ago I attended the closing gala for San Francisco's Cocktail Week. The event was a casual happy hour spotted with lovely specialty drinks by the talented Absinthe Bar bartenders. The party served as closure to the week, as well as a release party for Art of the Bar, a cocktail book by the Absinthe bartenders. So naturally, they were showing off some of their specialty drinks.

I was lucky enough to experience several different selections, but the one I was gaga for was called French 75 - a champagne cocktail made with gin and citrus juice. If you've never had one, treat yourself tonight. It's simple, it's classy, it's tasty. Get the recipe, just read more

French 75
Adapted from Drinks Mixer

1 1/2 oz gin
2 tsp superfine sugar
1 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz lime juice
4 oz chilled Champagne
1 lemon peel twist
2 brandied cherries

In a shaker half-filled with ice cubes, combine the gin, sugar, lime juice and lemon juice. Shake well. Pour into tall glass (ie: pilsner). Top with champagne. Stir well and garnish with lemon peel and brandied cherries.

Print recipe with images | without images

Happy Hour: Lime Rickey

partysugar — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 13:11:57 -0700

This weekend my dad was helping me make a lime tart for Easter dinner's dessert. We were working in my brother's kitchen, which is beautifully remodeled, yet lacking in the essential kitchen tools. The lime tart was my best option because it required no hand mixer or food processor. I bought a whole bunch of limes and my dad agreed to juice them with his hands and a fork. He cut all 15 limes and we only needed juice from about half of that. What did I do with all of the extra lime juice? Why I made a cocktail of course! A lime rickey is a refreshing cocktail that's like an adult version of limeade. Gin (or vodka, if you prefer) is stirred into a mixture of sugar simple syrup, lime juice, and soda water. Garnish with the extra limes and enjoy. To check out this must-make-the-next-time-you-have-too-much-fresh- squeezed-lime-juice recipe, read more

Lime Rickey
From Sunset magazine

1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups gin
3/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 1/2 quarts chilled soda water
Thin slices of lime

In a 1-quart pan, mix sugar with 1/2 cup water and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Let cool or chill.
In a 3-quart pitcher, combine gin, lime juice, and the cooled syrup. Cover and freeze until ready to serve.
To serve, add soda water. Pour into ice-filled glasses and garnish with lime.

Serves 6 to 8.

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 182(0.0% from fat); FAT 0.0g (sat 0.0g); PROTEIN 0.1g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; SODIUM 0.9mg; FIBER 0.0g; CARBOHYDRATE 17g

Print recipe with images | without images

Simple Tip: Juice Citrus The Right Way

partysugar — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 10:23:16 -0700

I had an embarrassing moment the other day when bartender Aaron Smith of 15 Romolo was teaching me how to make The Last Word. Apparently, the reason my citrus juicer is really hard to close has nothing to do with the juicer being faulty and everything to do with me using it incorrectly! All this time, I've been inserting lemons and limes upside down.

To properly use a handheld juicer and extract the most juice, you should always insert the citrus cut side down. As you squeeze the gadget closed, the citrus will turn inside out.

Now that you know the right way to use a juicer, tell me: anyone else make this mistake?

View 9 Photos ›

Happy Hour: Cranberry Margarita

partysugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:00:46 -0800

While I'm a fan of the classic margarita, during November, I like to enjoy its Thanksgiving-themed cousin, the cranberry margarita. It's surprising how much the addition of cranberry juice changes the flavor of the tequila, orange liqueur, and lime juice cocktail. It's festive and familiar, but potent with a rich autumnal hue. Instead of craving tortilla chips and guacamole, I found myself wanting something elegant and savory. Thus, I paired the cran marg with a warm crab dip. Shake and serve straight up, or pour over ice, like I did. To check out the recipe, which is perfect for a party, read more.

Cranberry Margarita
From Bobby Flay

Ingredients

2 cups tequila
1 1/3 cups cranberry juice
1 cup orange-flavored liqueur (triple sec of Cointreau)
2/3 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice

Directions

Combine the tequila, cranberry juice, orange liqueur, and lime juice in a large pitcher. Shake over ice.
Strain into margarita glasses or low cocktail flutes. Alternately, strain into low tumblers filled with ice.

Serves 10.

Print recipe with images | without images

Do you have an amazing Thanksgiving recipe? Please participate in our Thanksgiving recipe challenge. All you have to do is upload your recipe, an image, and a brief description to the Kitchen Goddess group. If you're lucky, we might just feature your recipe here on YumSugar!

Come Party With Me: Bold Flavorful Thanksgiving - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:00:49 -0800

Jump-start your Thanksgiving with a bold, flavorful cocktail like this appropriately named pear and rum concoction, spice. It's a mixture of dark spiced rum and pear and lime juices. Freshly grated nutmeg is a special garnish that makes it particularly festive.

For the rest of the meal, stock up on sparkling wine, dry rosé, and a light, fruity red like Pinot Noir. Don't forget to set pitchers of water on table as well. Flavor them with orange slices, mint, or cucumber.

To look at the cocktail recipe, read more.

Spice
From Food & Wine

Ingredients

Ice
2 large mint sprigs, torn and bruised
1 1/2 ounces spiced rum
1 ounce pear nectar or juice
3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
3/4 ounce Simple Syrup
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 thin slice of pear

Directions

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add all of the ingredients except the pear slice and shake well.
Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with the pear slice.

Makes 1 drink.

Print recipe with images | without images