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Happy Hour: Cran-Limoncello

YumSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:00:49 -0800

Every few months, I host a book club in my home, and find it a lovely occasion to try out a new cocktail. This time around, I couldn't wait to incorporate ingredients that evoke the holidays, like cranberries and the zesty Italian after-dinner favorite, limoncello.

This three-ingredient sipper couldn't be easier to pull together; it simply calls for seltzer, limoncello, and cranberry juice - no shaker required. Yet the payoff is in spades: "What went into this? Can I have the recipe?" friends asked me throughout the night. I assured them that even the most bar-challenged could make this drink. For a pretty garnish that's a hint of what's to come, toss in a few fresh cranberries, too. Keep reading for the recipe.

Happy Hour: Pink Torpedoes

partysugar — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 13:00:54 -0700

Inspired by a cocktail class I recently attended, I decided to make my own strawberry-infused vodka. The technique is simple: all you have to do is slice a bunch of strawberries and combine them with the vodka and a little sugar. Then you let it sit for a couple of days until the vodka has a vibrant pink color. Unlike store-bought-infused vodkas, this homemade variation has a sweet-tart berry flavor that's neither syrupy or cloying. Once the vodka is ready, you can sip it solo or make a pink torpedo like I did.

This fizzy-girlie drink combines the vodka with limoncello and sparkling wine. If you don't have sparkling wine, you can substitute sparkling water. It's a fabulously refreshing concoction perfect for enjoying on a warm afternoon. To look at the recipe, read more.

Pink Torpedoes
Modified from Everyday With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

2 cups vodka, chilled
1 1/2 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Limoncello
One 750-ml bottle sparkling wine or sparkling water, chilled

Directions

In a large bowl, stir together the vodka, two-thirds of the sliced strawberries and the granulated sugar. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until the vodka turns pink, about 6 hours. Refrigerate overnight or up to 3 days.
Fill 6 glasses with ice. Strain the vodka and divide among 6 tall glasses.
Add a splash of limoncello to each glass and top off with the sparkling wine or sparkling water. Garnish with the remaining strawberry slices.

Makes 6 drinks.

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Come Party With Me: Rehearsal Dinner - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:00:23 -0700

At a rehearsal dinner, don't go overboard with the alcohol. The last thing you'll (whether you're the bride, maid of honor, or a guest) want to deal with on the big day is a hangover. Don't offer a full bar, instead tempt guests with one cocktail, beer, wine, and sodas. When making special toasts, sip sparkling wine. For Ronda's backyard soirée, I'm making a batch of limoncello spritzers with mint.

The light fizzy concoction is festive and fits with the relaxed Italian theme. This delightful cooler is a refreshing start to any Summer menu, so get the recipe now and read more.

Limoncello Spritzers With Mint
Modified from Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

Limoncello:
2 pounds lemons (about 10 large)
1 (750-ml) bottle 100-proof vodka
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups water
Spritzers:
Ice cubes
1 cup fresh mint leaves
1 cup club soda

Directions

To make limoncello: Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel from the lemons in long strips (reserve the lemons for another use). Place the lemon peels in a 1-quart jar. Pour the vodka over the peels and screw on the lid. Steep the lemon peels in the vodka for 1 week at room temperature.
Stir the sugar and water in a large saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Cool completely, then stir in the vodka mixture.
Strain the liquids into bottles, pressing on the peels to extract as much liquid as possible. Seal the bottles and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 month.
To make spritzers: Fill 4 tall glasses halfway with ice. Add the mint leaves. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, coarsely crush the mint leaves into the ice. Pour some limoncello over, and stir to blend. Add a splash of club soda and serve.

Makes 2 1/2 quarts of limoncello and 4 spritzers.

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Happy Hour: Loft Liqueurs

YumSugar — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 14:00:39 -0800

Earlier this month, I was pleasantly surprised to hear about the opening of the world's first all-organic bar. So when I learned of Loft Liqueurs, the first USDA certified organic liqueur, I had to find out what all the hype was about.

Created by two best friends and San Francisco hospitality veterans to save people from "the bright neon color of your average apple martini," the limoncello-inspired spirits are at the forefront of sustainability and eco-consciousness. In addition to being made with all-natural ingredients, the kosher-certified liqueur is sweetened primarily with agave nectar. The company supports small farms and biodynamic agricultural practices when possible, and uses recycled cases, biodegradable inks, and bamboo-based paper.

I tried four flavors - lavender, spicy ginger, tangerine, and lemongrass. To hear what I thought of them, read more.

Lavender: Although I sometimes eschew lavender in food (if it's too perfumy, I associate it with a spa treatment) the botanical notes were sweet, floral, and prominent yet not overwhelming. In fact, it was my favorite flavor.

Spicy Ginger: Contrary to its name, this flavor was not particularly spicy. PartySugar felt the taste was not as prominent or fresh as Canton, another ginger liqueur. Nevertheless, this flavor would impart subtlety to a cocktail such as a lemon drop.

Tangerine: Although I love tangerines, this seasonal flavor was my least favorite flavor. Ironically, both of us thought it tasted somewhat artificial and syrupy.

Lemongrass: This award-winning flavor was PartySugar's favorite. We enjoyed the delicately fragrant and bright flavors of this liqueur, which could be the star of a lemongrass cocktail, or just as refreshing on its own.

Have you ever tried Loft Liqueurs, and are you impressed by their environmentally friendly practices?

Happy Hour: Italian Fruit Punch

partysugar — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 16:00:19 -0800

Last week, while at my parents house, I was watching an old episode of Everyday Italian when my mom turned to me and said, "Let's make that cocktail!" With its vibrant color it looked amazing, so we sent my dad to the store to pick up the ingredients. The recipe calls for maraschino liqueur, a spirit that's pretty difficult to find.

The next best substitute, according to the alcohol specialist at G&G Market, is kirschwasser. Although it didn't have the bright orange hue, the cocktail was spectacular: not too sweet with a hint of fizz.

Limoncello is an unexpected flavor that makes the drink tart. The recipe makes enough for six cocktails, so it's perfect for entertaining. To look at Giada's recipe, read more.

Italian Fruit Punch
From Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

2 cups orange juice
2 cups chilled sparkling water
1/2 cup maraschino liqueur
1/4 cup limoncello
Ice

Directions
Combine all the ingredients in a pitcher. Stir to mix. Pour into glasses and enjoy.
Makes about 6 cocktails.

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Give Your Party a New Twist!

Sponsor — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 05:45:22 -0700

What’s great about Caravella is that it’s so easy to get along with - mixing with almost anything, from soda or cola to sparkling wine or vodka. And its versatility makes it perfect for hanging out on the deck, having friends over for cocktails or throwing your biggest dinner party ever. Caravella Limoncello. Italy’s finest lemons, a bit of sugar, and the purest alcohol. Deliciously simple. Uniquely Italian. Extremely social.

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Happy Hour: Limoncello Collins

YumSugar — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 14:28:31 -0700

A little while back, we received a bottle of Limoncé, Italy's "Number One Selling Limoncello." We planned on trying it straight, but when I stumbled across a recipe for a Limoncello Collins, I knew we had to try that instead. The original recipe asks you to make a large batch in a pitcher, unfortunately we didn't have a one at the Sugar HQ and we whipped up individual drinks instead. However, I wished we had used a pitcher; it was difficult to get the ratio just right and tedious to mix up several - sort of like lemonade, you might as well make one big batch. Yet the result was a delicious, not to mention deceptively naughty, drink. If you're mixing these up for friends, have extra bubbly water (or lemon/lime soda) on hand. Half the folks thought it was too strong, while the other half thought the mix of Limoncé mixed and Bluecoat gin was just right.

To get the recipe for the refreshing take on an old classic, read more.

Limoncello Collins
From Food & Wine and Cocktails 2007

Ingredients

16 ounces limoncello
12 ounces gin
8 ounces fresh lemon juice
24 paper thin lemon slices
Ice
16 ounces chilled club soda*
8 mint sprigs

*We substituted sparkling water for club soda. You could also substitute with lemon/lime soda.

Directions

In a pitcher, combine the limoncello, gin, and lemon juice.
Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours.
Press 3 thin lemon slices against the inside of each of 8 collins glasses.
Add ice to the glasses.
Stir the limoncello mixture and pour it into the glasses.
Stir 2 ounces of club soda into each drink and garnish with a mint sprig.

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Yummy Link: Strawberry Seduction

YumSugar — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 13:28:31 -0700

What appears to be a indulgent breakfast is actually an amazingly seductive strawberry dessert. Limoncello, cream cheese, strawberries, and more? Sign me up!- What's For Lunch Honey?

No Bake Dessert: Sorbet with Limoncello Spiked Fruit

partysugar — Mon, 21 May 2007 15:51:39 -0700

A scrumptious and wow-worthy dessert doesn't have to involve hours in the kitchen. Creating a dessert using fruit and sorbet as the base is an excellent way to make a quick, tasty, and wonderful dessert. The cool fruitiness is perfect after a spicy Indian meal, or a hot day in the sun. Prepare the fruit mixture ahead of time and simply top with sorbet before serving. Get more details, just read more

Sorbet with Limoncello Spiked Fruit
From PartySugar's Top Secret Chef Friend

1 1/2 cups small diced seasonal fruit of your choice, and any/all juice produced from dicing fruits
1/4 cup Simple Syrup
1/4 cup Limoncello
2 teaspoons freshly chopped mint
Sorbet of you choice

Dice the fruit and reserve with any juice produced by dicing.
Combine simple syrup with Limoncello, mint, reserved fruit, and fruit juice.
Divide the fruit soup mixture among 4 shallow bowls, making sure to get even amounts of fruit and liquid in each.
Top each bowl with 3 small scoops of fruit sorbet and serve immediately.

Serves 4.

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Sweet Tart: Divine Lemon Beauty Goodies

BellaSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:00:59 -0800

Once, on a trip to Sorrento, I stayed in a beautiful pied a terre that overlooked a lemon and blood orange grove. At night, the fragrance from the blossoms and newly fallen fruit was intoxicatingly heady, and so heavy that it made me dizzy. Combined with the Sorrento moonlight (and the limoncello), well . . . let's just say that since then, real lemon has been one of my favorite scents. It's so refreshing and cool, with the bitter edge that makes it exciting, too. And lemon can be eminently feminine without being floral or cloying, which is part of what makes it such a singular scent. I'm always nostalgic for Italian sojourns long past this time of year, so I've put together some lovely lemon products that have all the yummy tartness of the original. Take a bite out of a couple yourself - and stay away from the limoncello.

Davies Gate Body Lotion - $9.99	philosophy Lemonade Salt Scrub - $25.00
L'Occitane Citrus Verbena Summer Fragrance - $46.00	Sexy Peel Soap - $5.40
Darphin Aromatic Bath & Body Oil - $75.00	Citrus Creamy Body Wash by Weleda - $16.00
Fresh Sugarbath Cubes, Sugar Lemon - $34.00	Lemon Made Hand Salve Travel Size by Davies Gate - $15.00
mark Self Sanctuary Lemon Sugar Moisture Milk - $6.00	Citron (Lemon) Perfumed Liquid Soap by Roger & Gallet - $18.00
Lemon Aloe Soap by Smallflower Trading Co. - $4.95	H2O Plus Lemon Lust Shower and Bath Gel - $9.00
Lemon Days and Ginger Beer Bath Bomb - $6.95	Lemon & Neroli Body Wash by Bronnley - $17.00
Pacifica Malibu Lemon Blossom Solid Perfume - $9.00	Lemon Peel Powder by Hesh Pharma - $2.50
Lemon Soap by Bronnley - $5.00	Get Real Lemon Soap - $4.99