Rock the Party that Rocks the Party
I often use today’s title to connote “awesome!” but when I researched the phrase, I discovered it is actually, “Rock the Party that Rocks the Body,” which does make a bit more sense than my bastardization. I once read that Classic Freedoms (SFJ) like me constantly use idioms and always get them slightly wrong. Slightly sad, really. But, yet I digress. Today we feature some great drink recipes from Real Simple — White Sangria anyone?? — to get your Memorial Day party (and body) rocking.
I haven’t included all of the recipes from Real Simple’s list of 10 Festive Cocktails because, well, because there are 10. So I decided to cherry pick a few that appealed to me as a Classic (SJ). Then I realized that I really only went for the very traditional recipes — Sangria, Martini, Margarita — and that perhaps other personality types might want to shake it up a bit. Classics are incredible creatures of habit. So I tried to channel my inner devil may care Fun (SP) side and highlighted their more creative ones: White Sangria, Cucumber Saketini, Bourbon and Blood Orange Blast, and Pear Mimosas. If you go to the link above, they have all of the traditional recipes I was initially drawn to that I technically should already know.
White Sangria
Ingredients
- 6 cups Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc
- 1/4 cup superfine sugar
- 1 cup white grape juice
- 1 ripe nectarine, pitted and cut into thin wedges
- 1 tangerine, thinly sliced
- 1 cup seedless white grapes, halved
- 1 cup club soda
Directions
- In a large pitcher or other container, combine the wine and sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the remaining ingredients, excluding the club soda, and mix well.
- Place the pitcher in the refrigerator and let the sangria sit for at least 1 hour (and up to 4 hours). The sangria will sweeten with time, so the longer it sits, the better.
- Just before serving, stir in the club soda and ice cubes.
Directions
- In a shaker with ice, mix together the gin and sake. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with the cucumber.
Bourbon and Blood Orange Blast
[Is it wrong that I want to try this with vodka because I loathe brown liquors?]
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces bourbon
- 1/2 cup blood orange juice
- 8 fresh mint leaves, plus a sprig of mint for garnish
Directions
- In a shaker, mix together the bourbon, blood orange juice, and mint leaves. Serve over ice in a low glass and garnish with a sprig of mint.
Pear Mimosas
[I thought this one was great because there’s an alcoholic and non-alcoholic version]
Ingredients
- 2 bottles Champagne (or ginger ale), chilled
- 4 cups pear nectar
- 1 lime, cut into 8 wedges
Directions
- For each serving, pour 3/4 cup of Champagne (or ginger ale) into a flute or wineglass and top with 1/2 cup of pear nectar. Squeeze and drop in 1 wedge of lime.