YumSugar

Come Party With Me: March Madness - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 12:50:44 -0700

When selecting a beverage to pair with a sporting event, like a basketball tournament, beer is the first thing that comes to mind. However, I know some of the Sugar girls dislike beer, so I'm going to serve shandys.

A shandy is a British beer cocktail that combines brew with lemonade. This recipe from the current issue of Food & Wine magazine jazzes up the traditional shandy by adding in ginger. Refreshing and sparkling, this drink looks perfect for Spring.

In case guests prefer to sip something else, I'll also have chilled white wine and sparkling water. To learn how to make the ginger shandies, read more.

Ginger Shandies
From Food & Wine

Ingredients

Three 11.2 ounce bottles of chilled Hoegaarden beer
One 12-ounce bottle chilled ginger beer
1 thinly sliced lemon
Mint springs, for garnish

Directions

In a large pitcher, combine the Hoegaarden with the ginger beer. Stir in most of the lemon slices and mint springs.
Fill 6 rocks glasses with ice. Add the remaining lemon slices to the glasses and pour in the shandy. Garnish each drink with a mint sprig and serve.

Serves 6.

Print recipe with images | without images

Happy Hour: Cranberry Apple Cider Shandy

partysugar — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:00:58 -0700

While Yum was into Tyler Florence's kitchen essentials, I was more interested in the cocktail - or should I say mocktail, it was nonalcoholic he was pouring. The refreshing beverage was a mixture of cranberry juice, ice, and sparkling apple cider. This cool and delicious concoction is perfect for the upcoming holiday season. Although you do need a blender, it's so easy to make that you could even get the kids involved. To get the technique for Tyler's festive slushie-like mocktail, read more.

Cranberry Apple Cider Shandy
From Tyler Florence

Ingredients

1 cup cranberry juice
2 cups ice
4 pints sparkling apple cider (for an alcoholic version, use hard apple cider)
mint, for garnish

Directions

In a food processor or blender, combine ice and cranberry juice and process for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture tightens up and takes on the texture of a slushy.
Use an ice cream scoop to portion out among glasses, then top off with chilled hard cider.
Garnish with a sprig of mint. Serve in mason jars for a fun presentation.

Serves 4-6.

Print recipe with images | without images

Come Party With Me: Tailgate - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 12:30:53 -0700

When one hears the words "tailgate" and "drinks," the first thing that comes to mind is beer. And lots of it. At my tailgate, I'll supply guests with a selection of cold brews and an updated version of the shandy, a classic beer cocktail. Tailgates always get a little rowdy, so I won't serve hard alcohol.

It's a good idea to have sodas, water, and a couple bottles of chilled white wine on hand. Before heading to the stadium, don't forget to stock up on ice. There's nothing worse than warm beer on a hot afternoon. To look at the refreshing recipe for the beer cocktail - at my party it will be poured into Cal cups! - read more.

Lime Beer Cocktail
From Sandra Lee

Ingredients

1 (6-pack) light beer
1 can frozen limeade
1 lime, sliced in half

Directions

Pour beer into a large pitcher. Add still-frozen limeade and stir to combine. Stirring with a metal utensil can reduce foam. Allow foam to settle.
Squeeze half a lime into pitcher.
Finely slice the other lime half and place into pitcher, for garnish. Pour into chilled glasses and serve cold.

Serves 6.

Print recipe with images | without images

Happy Hour: Shandy

YumSugar — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 13:58:21 -0800

I used to live in England for a little while, and let me just say, it's pretty different from the US. For example cookies are called biscuits, dessert is called pudding and their bartenders mix beer with lemonade. Yes, beer with lemonade, and surprisingly, it's really good. If you ask most Americans what a shandy is they wouldn't be able to tell you, but it's essentially just a mix of lemonade and beer. I found it to be a great refresher on a sunny afternoon or after a round of badminton (which, in case you're wondering, I'm terrible at).

You can mix up your own, or go for a very low-alcohol version by Fentimans. I tasted this product the other day and it had a great flavor, definitely a good alternative for the designated driver.

To learn how to mix up your own shandy (you could just take beer and sparkling lemonade and pour them together, but this recipe is more fun), read more

Shandy
From Epicurious.com

1 cup sugar
3 cups water
four 3-inch strips lemon zest, removed with a vegetable peeler
1 cup fresh lemon juice
2 fresh mint sprigs
chilled beer, such as pale ale

In a small saucepan bring sugar and 1 cup water to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved, and stir in zest. Cool sugar syrup to room temperature.

Transfer syrup to a small pitcher and stir in remaining 2 cups water, lemon juice, and mint. Chill lemonade until cold. (Makes about 4 1/2 cups lemonade.)

Pour 1/4 cup lemonade, or to taste, into each of 4 chilled beer glasses and top off with beer.

Print recipe with images | without images