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Happy Hour: Sparkling Pomegranate Elderflower Cocktail

partysugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:00:07 -0800

There's no better way to get in the spirit of the season than by pouring a fizzy and festive cocktail like this sparkling pomegranate-elderflower concoction. It's blushing color is reminiscent of Fall sunsets and falling leaves, while the effervescent texture screams holiday.

The elderflower adds a hint of syrupy sweetness that's not cloying or overly floral. This cocktail may be girlie, but it's elegant and smoothly sippable. Although a bottle of St. Germain is a bit of a splurge, think of the fragrant liqueur as an investment that you can enjoy through the New Year.

Start Thanksgiving with these rosy bubblers and during the weeks leading up to Christmas, make sparkling Shiraz punch! To get the easy, three-ingredient recipe, read more.

Sparkling Pomegranate Elderflower Cocktail
From The Comfort Table: Recipes for Everyday Occasions by Katie Lee

Ingredients

1 ounce St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
1 ounce pomegranate juice
3 ounces Champagne or sparkling wine

Directions
In a champagne glass, combine the elderflower liqueur and pomegranate juice. Top with Champagne.

Makes 1 drink.

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Come Party With Me: Baby Shower - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 12:30:17 -0700

At a baby shower, it's incredibly important to have a nonalcholic specialty drink. That way the mother-to-be can join in the festivities. For Denise's baby shower brunch, I'll offer guests mimosas and spiced pomegranate sparklers.

The concoction is made with a cinnamon-spiced pomegranate juice and sparkling water. Do take the time to make the garnish - frozen whole cranberries - because it's a lovely addition to the drink.

Also have an assortment of juice, coffee, and tea on hand. To get the refreshing recipe to the sparkling mocktail, read more.

Spiced Pomegranate Sparkler
From Whole Living

Ingredients

1 cup pomegranate juice
1 stick cinnamon
2 cups sparkling mineral water
Frozen whole cranberries

Directions

In a small saucepan, heat pomegranate juice to near boiling, add cinnamon stick, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely, at least 1 hour. Remove cinnamon stick.
Divide the spiced juice between 2 tall glasses; add 1 cup sparkling mineral water to each glass. Stir, add ice, and serve with a garnish of frozen cranberries.

Makes 2 drinks.

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Move Over Pomegranate, Yumberry's in Town

YumSugar — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:18:33 -0700

I was originally introduced to the yumberry - officially known as yangmei or waxberries- while at the 2007 Winter Fancy Foods Show. The fruit looks a lot like a soft lychee; however, the inside is a solid fruit with a deep reddish hue, similar to a pomegranate. Naturally, since everyone is on the antioxidant train, a company has come out selling the juice of the yumberries. In China the Yumberry Juice company sells everything from syrup to sparkling juice, but in the US they're currently only offering several variations of juice. Recently I picked up a bottle of their Yumberry with the Blues mixture and gave it a try. To find out how it is, read more.

The juice is a deep ruby color, you first think of pomegranate juice, and then you think of how you can't go anywhere near your white carpet and how you wish you weren't wearing a light-colored shirt.

The juice itself smells much like every other dark berried or pomegranate juice: sweet, fragrant, and a little oaky. And while the taste is much like pomegranate juice, the tart flavor is lightened by a sweet, fruity berry flavor. I chalked the sweetness up to the blueberries, although the aftertaste was slightly sweeter than pomegranate/blueberry juice.

I hate to constantly compare yumberry juice to pomegranate, but they're actually quite similar. So if you're a Pom fan, definitely hunt this stuff down - I found mine at Whole Foods - and if you're feeling adventurous try cooking with it or mixing up a cocktail. After all, a Pomtini sounds divine, but doesn't a Yumtini sound even better?

Happy Hour: Sugarade and TechPunch

partysugar — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:28:31 -0700

Last Thursday night was the PopSugar/TechCrunch party - don't worry lots more party details to come! - in Los Angeles. TechCrunch was in charge of most of the preparty planning, but it was my job to name the specialty cocktails. The two drinks were created by Lotus - the fabulously smooth, antihangover vodka - and the names were created by yours truly with the help of my stylish partner in crime, FabSugar.

Sugarade is a potent variation of lemonade with a refreshing essence of lavender. TechPunch is a punch-colored mix of pomegranate and cranberry. Both recipes are super simple and can be easily re-created in your home bar. To take a look at the recipes, read more.

Sugarade
From PartySugar and Lotus Vodka

Ingredients

2 oz. vodka (recommended: Lotus)
Lavender lemonade
Squeeze of lemon
lemon wedges

Directions
Fill a highball glass with ice. Add the vodka. Top with lemonade and fresh lemon juice. Stir to combine. Garnish with a lemon wedge, if desired. Enjoy!

Makes 1 drink.

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TechPunch
From PartySugar and Lotus Vodka

Ingredients

2 oz. Vodka (recommended: Lotus)
Pomegranate juice
Splash cranberry juice
Squeeze of Lime

Directions
Fill a highball glass with ice. Add the vodka. Top with pomegranate and cranberry juice. Stir to combine. Enjoy!

Makes 1 drink.

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Happy Hour: Pink Ribbon

YumSugar — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 13:28:33 -0700

A few years ago, London's Octave Restaurant and Jazz Bar came up with a fancy new drink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The drink, aptly called The Pink Ribbon, is a blend of pomegranate and rose petal vodka; 50p ($1) of each cocktail went to the Pink Ribbon Foundation. However, since London is quite far for most, I've analyzed their ingredients and have created a similar recipe for you to try at home! To check out the Pink Ribbon - a great choice to serve at your Party for the Cure - read more

Pink Ribbon
Inspired by a drink from Octave Restaurant and Jazz Bar

Sparkling rosé wine or sparkling water, to top off the glass
2 oz pomegranate juice
1 oz rose petal vodka
fresh rose petals

Add pomegranate juice and vodka to a cocktail shaker with crushed ice. Shake and strain into chilled champagne flute. Top off with sparkling water or sparkling rosé wine. Garnish with fresh rose petals.

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Happy Hour: Moroccan Vodka Cocktail

partysugar — Thu, 31 May 2007 12:13:18 -0700

I don't think this is an authentic Moroccan recipe, but it certainly sounds delicious. This cocktail is made with cardamom - a slightly sweet floral spice that smells heavily of eucalyptus- infused simple syrup. Although the name may be unfamiliar, this is actually a pretty common, kosher spice that they sell at your local Safeway. Mixed with pomegranate vodka, lemon juice, and fresh pomegranate juice, this is a cocktail that will take you to an exotic place. Come away with me to Morocco, to find out how, just read more

Charbay Moroccan Cocktail
From About Cocktails

2 oz Charbay Pomegranate Vodka
1/2 oz cardamom-infused simple syrup, recipe follows
1/2 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz pomegranate puree or juice

Pour the vodka, cardamom simple syrup, lemon juice and pomegranate puree in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.

Shake well.

Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Serves 1.

Cardamom Simple Syrup

1 cup water
1/4 cup whole cardamom
2 cups sugar

Bring water and cardamom to a boil.
Stir in sugar until fully dissolved.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Keep in the refrigerator for 3 days, then remove the cardamom.

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Would You Drink This Aloe Juice?

YumSugar — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 10:03:31 -0700

Last week I saw a can of juice I'd never seen before: pomegranate-flavored aloe juice from Korean company J1. The color was a vivid orange-pink, and although it looked like one solid color, there were actually bits of floating chunks in it. The almost-invisible chunks are the aloe, and they have the consistency of somewhat thick Jello. I was surprisingly pleased by this drink, and liked the way it tasted. It was a light pomegranate flavor and was cool and refreshing. The texture was a little odd - it was slimy and thick at the same time - and the whole thing made me think of dessert. I would definitely try it again, and yet I can see how the texture would really bother some people. Are you one of those people, or would you drink this juice?

Time to Get the Carrots Glazing

YumSugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:15:48 -0800

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays; however, eating the same dishes year after year can be a little monotonous, so this Thursday all the classics are getting a modern twist. Glazed carrots have always been an essential dish for my feast, but I crave more complex flavor. Pomegranate-balsamic glazed carrots fits the ticket perfectly.The sweet glaze combines honey, balsamic vinegar, and pomegranate juice. Topping the dish with fresh mint and a subtle touch of cayenne pepper balances the sweetness. Chopping the carrots requires some attention, but they can be prepped six hours ahead of time. This is a fast side dish and only requires about 20 minutes of cook time. Want a new glaze for your carrots? Then keep reading.

Jamba Juice Goes Beyond Smoothies, Debuts Food

YumSugar — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:50:36 -0700

Starbucks isn't the only beverage chain looking to regain its footing: Jamba Juice is also struggling to get its mojo back. In addition to its recently introduced oatmeal and licensed supermarket products, the smoothie giant will also unveil a new menu of food items.

Jamba's new menu will contain food items such as wraps, salads, and flatbreads, and will debut next week in California, with stores in the rest of the country following over the year.

The ready-made wraps include Asian-Style Chicken, Chimichurri Chicken, Gobble'licious Turkey, Greek Goddess, and Grains and Greens for vegans, and two salads, Caesar the Day, and Couscous Produce. All wraps and salads will retail at $5.50.

In addition, Jamba is also installing turbo ovens in stores for new baked-to-order California Flatbreads, which will come in four flavors: Four Cheesy ($3.50), Smokehouse Chicken, Tomo Artichoko, and MediterraneYum ($3.75). The company is also adding iced tea beverages and fruit-tea infusions in exotic flavors like prickly pear, passion fruit, and pomegranate. All will be made without high-fructose corn syrup or artificial flavors.

In times when money's tight and people are more health conscious than ever, smoothies have seemingly fallen by the wayside. Because they're not filling enough - yet often have the calories - to be a meal, these fruity frosties have never played a part in my everyday routine. While it's a risky move for the chain, I could see how its on-the-go options might be appealing. Would you buy food at Jamba Juice?

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Taste Test: POMx Iced Coffee

YumSugar — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:00:17 -0700

Pomegranates may have been around for thousands of years, but it wasn't until a few years ago that the fruit took off with the launch of pomegranate drinks such as POM Wonderful. Suddenly, the ubernutritious specimen became the world's hottest fruit. Its tart, brambly flavor began appearing in everything from cocktails to salad dressing. When I heard POM had developed a coffee drink, I had to find out what the hype was about. Did this beverage have pomegranate juice mixed in with its coffee? As it turns out, POMx Iced Coffee contains pomegranate extract for its antioxidant benefits, but no actual pomegranate juice. The 10-ounce drink, which is currently only available on the East Coast, comes in two flavors, café au lait and chocolate, and costs $2.99. The drink contains Rainforest Alliance-certified coffee, fat-free milk, and organic cane sugar. To find out my impressions of the drink, read more.

Drinking the chocolate flavor made me feel like a kid again. It resembled chocolate milk, but with subtle coffee undertones. The café au lait flavor had a creamy consistency, a more pronounced coffee flavor, and was significantly less sweet. I almost fell out of my chair, however, when I learned that each bottle contains 170 to 190 calories - at least 20 calories more than a can of regular Coke!

Although POMx Iced Coffee possesses little complexity like a real coffee, the healthy factor makes up for the straightforward coffee flavors. When I learned that it's being marketed as a "sophisticated energy drink" with a focus on health, the flavors seemed to make more sense.

Bottom line: The beverage contains all-natural ingredients, a stimulating 175 mg of natural caffeine, and enough antioxidants to equal an eight-ounce serving of POM Wonderful pomegranate juice. If you don't mind the calories and you need an energy boost, it might be a good drink for you.