A couple of weeks ago I was seized with the notion that I must make some sangria.
I’d never made sangria, a wine punch originating in Spain and Portugal, and I wondered to myself exactly why this was.
Sangria, after all, can be found at many a backyard party in summer, and rightly so – it’s refreshing, sweet, sultry, enchanting and lovely to look at. It also makes great use of seasonal fruits and berries.
I went in search of sangria recipes on epicurious.com and foodnetwork.com, my two most-trusted sources of great recipes on the Internet, and settled on White Zinfandel Sangria (click for the recipe). The recipe was originally published in Bon Appetit magazine 10 years ago.
I wasn’t disappointed with the result – it was sweet, sultry and enchanting, just as I expected it would be.
The recipe calls for white zinfandel, a type of blush wine that can easily be found in liquor stores. Many major wine labels will have a white zinfandel.
The recipe says the sangria should be refrigerated for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to blend. I refrigerated mine for several hours before serving, but did strain the fruit and cinnamon sticks out of the leftover sangria before refrigerating it to enjoy again the next day.
White Zinfandel Sangria is very easy to make.
A 750-ml bottle of chilled white zinfandel, peach schnapps (I used Dr. McGillicuddy’s, a brand which is apparently only available in Canada), Cointreau or other orange liqueur, sugar, two cinnamon sticks, one sliced lemon, one sliced orange, and one peach cut into wedges are combined in a tall pitcher.
After refrigerating for at least 30 minutes, club soda is mixed in, and the sangria is served over ice.
Showing posts with label cocktails. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cocktails. Show all posts
Friday, August 19, 2011
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
My go-to lemonade recipe --
it's perfect for a party!
Lemonade – this drink and iced tea go head-to-head for the title of iconic summer refresher.
I love my go-to summer lemonade recipe, Basil Lemonade (click for the recipe) from Gourmet magazine. It has a twist, as it’s made with basil, which adds to its ability to cut through the heat of a blistering day.
The recipe is terrific for a summer party because it has two sensational versions – non-alcoholic lemonade, or gimlets made with the addition of vodka. You can please guests of either preference.
The drink’s base is a basil lemon syrup. It’s made by combining fresh basil, water, sugar (I used Splenda) and strips of lemon zest (lemon peel) in a saucepan, bringing the mixture to a boil, then letting it cool at room temperature for an hour and then in the fridge for an hour. The syrup is strained through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.
The basil lemon syrup recipe yields five cups of syrup. For a batch of six cups of basil lemonade, just two cups of basil lemon syrup is needed, while for six basil vodka gimlets just one cup of syrup is required.
Five cups of basil lemon syrup, then, will comfortably make a batch each of gimlets and lemonade.
Although the syrup keeps well in the fridge for five days and can be used more than once, if you think you need less than the five cups you can halve the basil lemon syrup recipe ingredients to make half a batch.
The basil lemonade is made by combining basil lemon syrup, cold water, ice cubes and fresh lemon juice in a large pitcher. Though the recipe doesn’t say to do this, I always let the lemonade chill for at least three hours before serving. The lemonade is served in tall glasses half-filled with ice.
The basil vodka gimlets are made by combining basil lemon syrup, vodka, fresh lemon juice and ice cubes in a pitcher, and then chilling until cold. The mixture is strained into 8- to 10-ounce glasses half-filled with ice. If you don’t feel like straining, don’t bother – I usually don’t.
I love my go-to summer lemonade recipe, Basil Lemonade (click for the recipe) from Gourmet magazine. It has a twist, as it’s made with basil, which adds to its ability to cut through the heat of a blistering day.
The recipe is terrific for a summer party because it has two sensational versions – non-alcoholic lemonade, or gimlets made with the addition of vodka. You can please guests of either preference.
The drink’s base is a basil lemon syrup. It’s made by combining fresh basil, water, sugar (I used Splenda) and strips of lemon zest (lemon peel) in a saucepan, bringing the mixture to a boil, then letting it cool at room temperature for an hour and then in the fridge for an hour. The syrup is strained through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.
The basil lemon syrup recipe yields five cups of syrup. For a batch of six cups of basil lemonade, just two cups of basil lemon syrup is needed, while for six basil vodka gimlets just one cup of syrup is required.
Five cups of basil lemon syrup, then, will comfortably make a batch each of gimlets and lemonade.
Although the syrup keeps well in the fridge for five days and can be used more than once, if you think you need less than the five cups you can halve the basil lemon syrup recipe ingredients to make half a batch.
The basil lemonade is made by combining basil lemon syrup, cold water, ice cubes and fresh lemon juice in a large pitcher. Though the recipe doesn’t say to do this, I always let the lemonade chill for at least three hours before serving. The lemonade is served in tall glasses half-filled with ice.
The basil vodka gimlets are made by combining basil lemon syrup, vodka, fresh lemon juice and ice cubes in a pitcher, and then chilling until cold. The mixture is strained into 8- to 10-ounce glasses half-filled with ice. If you don’t feel like straining, don’t bother – I usually don’t.
Friday, July 29, 2011
A sophisticated homemade wine cooler
For those of you who equate “wine cooler” with “icky sugar water with booze,” I’ve got a recipe that turns that notion on its head.
Mango-Cucumber Wine Cooler (click for the recipe) from Bon Appetit magazine is a sophisticated homemade version of the drink. It starts with wine, then cucumber, mango, and mint are added to nicely flavor it.
The technique results in a refreshing, delicious drink that is like summer in a glass. The mango and cucumber flavors seem to bounce off each other in a complimentary way with every sip.
The drink will please all adult palettes, and I’m betting it would even impress the wine connoisseur in your midst.
The recipe says to chill the wine cooler at least three hours and up to six hours, without explaining why the time limit is in place.
My theory is that after six hours, the flavors of mango and cucumber will become too overwhelming in the cooler.
If you strain the cucumber, mango and mint out of the wine any time after three hours and certainly after six, you will prevent over-flavoring from happening and the cooler can continue to chilled. I saved the couple of glasses of cooler for the next day by doing this.
The cooler was stunningly easy to make, and I made the process of the recipe even simpler by using canned, sliced mango rather than a fresh one.
The recipe calls for the leaves of six springs of mint; I simply used about 14 medium-sized mint leaves.
The moderately-priced sauvignon blanc I used in the drink worked very well.
Sugar and hot water are stirred together in a large pitcher, and a 750-ml bottle of sauvignon blanc is poured in. Peeled cucumber rounds, a diced mango and mint leaves are stirred into the wine in the pitcher.
The mixture is chilled between three and six hours (strain out the cucumber, mango and mint after six hours; the wine can continue to be chilled.)
After chilling, ginger ale is stirred into the pitcher.
The drink is served over ice in glasses (the recipe says to use wine glasses, but I used some regular summery glasses). Some of the solids may plop into the glasses, which is just fine, but a lot of them stay behind in the pitcher on their own. I skipped garnishing the drinks with mint springs.
Mango-Cucumber Wine Cooler (click for the recipe) from Bon Appetit magazine is a sophisticated homemade version of the drink. It starts with wine, then cucumber, mango, and mint are added to nicely flavor it.
The technique results in a refreshing, delicious drink that is like summer in a glass. The mango and cucumber flavors seem to bounce off each other in a complimentary way with every sip.
The drink will please all adult palettes, and I’m betting it would even impress the wine connoisseur in your midst.
The recipe says to chill the wine cooler at least three hours and up to six hours, without explaining why the time limit is in place.
My theory is that after six hours, the flavors of mango and cucumber will become too overwhelming in the cooler.
If you strain the cucumber, mango and mint out of the wine any time after three hours and certainly after six, you will prevent over-flavoring from happening and the cooler can continue to chilled. I saved the couple of glasses of cooler for the next day by doing this.
The cooler was stunningly easy to make, and I made the process of the recipe even simpler by using canned, sliced mango rather than a fresh one.
The recipe calls for the leaves of six springs of mint; I simply used about 14 medium-sized mint leaves.
The moderately-priced sauvignon blanc I used in the drink worked very well.
Sugar and hot water are stirred together in a large pitcher, and a 750-ml bottle of sauvignon blanc is poured in. Peeled cucumber rounds, a diced mango and mint leaves are stirred into the wine in the pitcher.
The mixture is chilled between three and six hours (strain out the cucumber, mango and mint after six hours; the wine can continue to be chilled.)
After chilling, ginger ale is stirred into the pitcher.
The drink is served over ice in glasses (the recipe says to use wine glasses, but I used some regular summery glasses). Some of the solids may plop into the glasses, which is just fine, but a lot of them stay behind in the pitcher on their own. I skipped garnishing the drinks with mint springs.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Fizzy summer refresher has lime and vodka,
and 'how can you go wrong with that?'
“Why are your blueberries floating nicer than mine?” I asked my husband, jealous of how the berries in his glass of Ginger-Lime Fizz with Blueberries (click for the recipe) seemed perfectly suspended in different spots.
The blueberries in my drink were clumped together near the middle of the glass.
It was a silly complaint, really, just prompted by visual appeal of the scattered blueberries in my husband's glass.
The drink itself is delicious and refreshing, and where the blueberries are in it have no bearing on the fine taste of the final product.
My husband pointed out that the main appeal of this drink is that it has lime and vodka, and “how can you go wrong with that?”
Indeed.
Only one thing puzzled me about the recipe. It directs to make each serving in a tall, ice-filled glass.
It doesn’t make sense, because one serving doesn’t even fill a 1/3 of the bottom of a tall glass with ice in it.
There are two ways to combat that – either serve the drink in a small highball glass, or double the serving in a medium-tall glass.
The amount of vodka in each drink may seem too strong as well, so make sure to sample the first one you make to see that it tastes right and adjust as needed.
Note that the recipe makes 10 servings. I halved the ingredient amounts, and that resulted in four tall-ish ice-filled glasses of drinks.
The recipe I linked to above is on a recipe-sharing site, but it’s exactly the same as the one I used from the July/August 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times magazine (save a couple of spelling mistakes).
Fresh ginger is thinly sliced, and brought to a boil with sugar and water in a medium saucepan and then simmered for 10 minutes.
The mixture is cooled, then poured through a strainer. The solid-free liquid that results is combined with fresh lime juice and blueberries.
For each drink, blueberry syrup is poured into a glass, then vodka and club soda is added. Though the recipe doesn’t say to do this, I stirred each drink and put straws in them before serving.
The blueberries in my drink were clumped together near the middle of the glass.
It was a silly complaint, really, just prompted by visual appeal of the scattered blueberries in my husband's glass.
The drink itself is delicious and refreshing, and where the blueberries are in it have no bearing on the fine taste of the final product.
My husband pointed out that the main appeal of this drink is that it has lime and vodka, and “how can you go wrong with that?”
Indeed.
Only one thing puzzled me about the recipe. It directs to make each serving in a tall, ice-filled glass.
It doesn’t make sense, because one serving doesn’t even fill a 1/3 of the bottom of a tall glass with ice in it.
There are two ways to combat that – either serve the drink in a small highball glass, or double the serving in a medium-tall glass.
The amount of vodka in each drink may seem too strong as well, so make sure to sample the first one you make to see that it tastes right and adjust as needed.
Note that the recipe makes 10 servings. I halved the ingredient amounts, and that resulted in four tall-ish ice-filled glasses of drinks.
The recipe I linked to above is on a recipe-sharing site, but it’s exactly the same as the one I used from the July/August 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times magazine (save a couple of spelling mistakes).
Fresh ginger is thinly sliced, and brought to a boil with sugar and water in a medium saucepan and then simmered for 10 minutes.
The mixture is cooled, then poured through a strainer. The solid-free liquid that results is combined with fresh lime juice and blueberries.
For each drink, blueberry syrup is poured into a glass, then vodka and club soda is added. Though the recipe doesn’t say to do this, I stirred each drink and put straws in them before serving.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Please both martini and mojito
drinkers with Watermelon Gin Punch
Looking for a summer cocktail that serves several easily and will wow the crowd?
Watermelon Gin Punch (click for the recipe) from Fine Cooking magazine is it.
Of course, you can cut back the ingredients to make far fewer than the eight servings the recipe yields. That’s what my husband and I did as there were just the two of us when we tried it for the first time.
But this drink would do very well at a backyard party. It can be put in a punch bowl or pitcher and even assembled outside if needed. Plus, you can make the simple syrup and puree the watermelon in advance.
It’s an absolutely delicious cocktail with a dual personality: The gin will please the hard cocktail drinkers who gravitate to martinis, and the watermelon and mint will please the lighter cocktail drinkers who like mojitos or margaritas.
It was very easy to make.
The simple syrup is made by boiling sugar and water together, then cooling the mixture. It can be refrigerated far in advance of making the drinks.
Chunks of peeled seedless watermelon are pureed in a blender or food processor, and the resulting puree pressed through a strainer. The juice is chilled until cold.
Fresh lemon juice, simple syrup and mint are put in a pitcher or punch bowl, and the mint is mashed with a muddler back of a wooden spoon. Ice, gin, and the watermelon juice are added and the liquid stirred.
The punch is served in glasses over ice.
Watermelon Gin Punch (click for the recipe) from Fine Cooking magazine is it.
Of course, you can cut back the ingredients to make far fewer than the eight servings the recipe yields. That’s what my husband and I did as there were just the two of us when we tried it for the first time.
But this drink would do very well at a backyard party. It can be put in a punch bowl or pitcher and even assembled outside if needed. Plus, you can make the simple syrup and puree the watermelon in advance.
It’s an absolutely delicious cocktail with a dual personality: The gin will please the hard cocktail drinkers who gravitate to martinis, and the watermelon and mint will please the lighter cocktail drinkers who like mojitos or margaritas.
It was very easy to make.
The simple syrup is made by boiling sugar and water together, then cooling the mixture. It can be refrigerated far in advance of making the drinks.
Chunks of peeled seedless watermelon are pureed in a blender or food processor, and the resulting puree pressed through a strainer. The juice is chilled until cold.
Fresh lemon juice, simple syrup and mint are put in a pitcher or punch bowl, and the mint is mashed with a muddler back of a wooden spoon. Ice, gin, and the watermelon juice are added and the liquid stirred.
The punch is served in glasses over ice.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Pimm's No. 1 makes for a No. 1 refreshing cocktail
Trying a cocktail recipe with the liqueur Pimm’s No. 1 has been on my “must-make-someday” list for quite a while now, and I got around to trying it on a recent weekend.
I’m glad I made the time, because Pimm's Cup with Ginger Ale (click for the recipe) from Martha Stewart Living magazine was an absolute delight.
Refreshing is the ideal word for it. It’s perfect for sipping before an outdoor barbecue on the deck.
Pimm’s No. 1 is a gin-based liqueur that originated in Britain, where it was first made in the early 19th century.
Today the Brits drink Pimm’s cocktails at polo matches, regattas, horse races and Wimbledon.
The Pimm’s cocktail I made is amazingly simple to make. Store-bought lemonade, ginger ale, Pimm’s No. 1 and gin are mixed in pitcher filled with ice cubes.
You may want to mix up the pitcher ingredients a bit ahead of serving the drinks so the ice can melt slightly, which adds water and lessens the initial sting of the hard liquor.
I’m glad I made the time, because Pimm's Cup with Ginger Ale (click for the recipe) from Martha Stewart Living magazine was an absolute delight.
Refreshing is the ideal word for it. It’s perfect for sipping before an outdoor barbecue on the deck.
Pimm’s No. 1 is a gin-based liqueur that originated in Britain, where it was first made in the early 19th century.
Today the Brits drink Pimm’s cocktails at polo matches, regattas, horse races and Wimbledon.
The Pimm’s cocktail I made is amazingly simple to make. Store-bought lemonade, ginger ale, Pimm’s No. 1 and gin are mixed in pitcher filled with ice cubes.
You may want to mix up the pitcher ingredients a bit ahead of serving the drinks so the ice can melt slightly, which adds water and lessens the initial sting of the hard liquor.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Frozen Strawberry Margaritas
- serve without a straw
In my books, it’s firmly margarita time.
I like my margaritas frozen and slushy, with the taste of good tequila present but not to a point that is overwhelming.
Frozen Strawberry Margaritas (click for the recipe) from Cook’s Country magazine fits this order perfectly.
My tip to make this drink its absolute best is to skip serving it with a straw.
While margaritas, especially frozen ones, are often served with straws, in this case it takes away from the whole delicious experience of drinking the margarita.
Putting your lips on the salted- and sugared-rim is a perfect way to start each lovely sip. Be sure, then, to put a salt and sugar mixture on the rims as the recipe directs!
The recipe calls for silver tequila, which is generally considered the best grade of this spirit, but my husband and I have always been fans of Sauza brand Gold tequila.
The margaritas are very easy to make. The recipe I linked to above is on a recipe-sharing site, but it’s the same one I used from Cook’s Country.
Frozen strawberries, sugar, and salt are heated until the berries begin to release their juices (the recipe says this will take about five minutes, but it took barely two minutes for me.) The strawberries are mashed with a potato masher until the fruit breaks down, then the mixture is simmered until it is reduced and syrupy, about five minutes.
Off heat, frozen limeade concentrate is stirred in, and the mixture is covered and refrigerated until well chilled, at least one hour (you can make this strawberry mixture up to one day in advance.)
After chilling, the mixture is transferred to a blender. More frozen strawberries, some ice, tequila and Triple Sec are added and the whole thing is blended until it’s smooth (divide this up into batches if you have a less-than-awesome blender like I do.)
Sugar and kosher salt are combined on a plate. The rims of serving glasses are dipped in water, then in the salt and sugar mixture.
The strawberry margaritas are poured into the glasses and served.
I like my margaritas frozen and slushy, with the taste of good tequila present but not to a point that is overwhelming.
Frozen Strawberry Margaritas (click for the recipe) from Cook’s Country magazine fits this order perfectly.
My tip to make this drink its absolute best is to skip serving it with a straw.
While margaritas, especially frozen ones, are often served with straws, in this case it takes away from the whole delicious experience of drinking the margarita.
Putting your lips on the salted- and sugared-rim is a perfect way to start each lovely sip. Be sure, then, to put a salt and sugar mixture on the rims as the recipe directs!
The recipe calls for silver tequila, which is generally considered the best grade of this spirit, but my husband and I have always been fans of Sauza brand Gold tequila.
The margaritas are very easy to make. The recipe I linked to above is on a recipe-sharing site, but it’s the same one I used from Cook’s Country.
Frozen strawberries, sugar, and salt are heated until the berries begin to release their juices (the recipe says this will take about five minutes, but it took barely two minutes for me.) The strawberries are mashed with a potato masher until the fruit breaks down, then the mixture is simmered until it is reduced and syrupy, about five minutes.
Off heat, frozen limeade concentrate is stirred in, and the mixture is covered and refrigerated until well chilled, at least one hour (you can make this strawberry mixture up to one day in advance.)
After chilling, the mixture is transferred to a blender. More frozen strawberries, some ice, tequila and Triple Sec are added and the whole thing is blended until it’s smooth (divide this up into batches if you have a less-than-awesome blender like I do.)
Sugar and kosher salt are combined on a plate. The rims of serving glasses are dipped in water, then in the salt and sugar mixture.
The strawberry margaritas are poured into the glasses and served.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Cucumber -- an ideal summer drink flavor
Cucumber, as it turns out, is a delicious flavor for a drink.
Cucumber, Mint and Basil Soda (click for the recipe) from Bon Appetit magazine proves this.
It tastes like cucumber in pure liquid form, and it tastes mighty fine. Plus there’s nice dashes of mint and basil, as the recipe’s name would imply.
This non-alcoholic drink is a terrific late spring/summer refresher. It’s light and bubbly like champagne, but it’s not too sweet. Make it for a backyard barbecue, and I guarantee a hit.
The recipe calls for soda water, but I used club soda instead, as I prefer the taste. Although it doesn’t specify to do this, make sure the club soda is nice and cold before pouring the drinks.
A simple syrup is made by cooking sugar and water together until the sugar dissolves. This can be refrigerated until needed.
The simple syrup is brought to a boil in a small saucepan, then is removed from the heat. Thinly-sliced cucumbers, fresh mint leaves and fresh basil leaves are added. The mixture is covered and left to steep for 30 mintes.
The cucumber-herb syrup is strained into a jar, bowl or other type of container. If not needed right away, this syrup can also be refrigerated.
Glasses are filled with ice cubes, and two tablespoons of syrup and ½ cup of soda are poured on top and stirred to combine. (The drinks are easily doubled with four tablespoons of syrup and one cup of soda.)
The recipe says to make 11 more sodas, but you certainly don’t have to do this! The cucumber syrup can be refrigerated for another time and the sodas made again.
Cucumber, Mint and Basil Soda (click for the recipe) from Bon Appetit magazine proves this.
It tastes like cucumber in pure liquid form, and it tastes mighty fine. Plus there’s nice dashes of mint and basil, as the recipe’s name would imply.
This non-alcoholic drink is a terrific late spring/summer refresher. It’s light and bubbly like champagne, but it’s not too sweet. Make it for a backyard barbecue, and I guarantee a hit.
The recipe calls for soda water, but I used club soda instead, as I prefer the taste. Although it doesn’t specify to do this, make sure the club soda is nice and cold before pouring the drinks.
A simple syrup is made by cooking sugar and water together until the sugar dissolves. This can be refrigerated until needed.
The simple syrup is brought to a boil in a small saucepan, then is removed from the heat. Thinly-sliced cucumbers, fresh mint leaves and fresh basil leaves are added. The mixture is covered and left to steep for 30 mintes.
The cucumber-herb syrup is strained into a jar, bowl or other type of container. If not needed right away, this syrup can also be refrigerated.
Glasses are filled with ice cubes, and two tablespoons of syrup and ½ cup of soda are poured on top and stirred to combine. (The drinks are easily doubled with four tablespoons of syrup and one cup of soda.)
The recipe says to make 11 more sodas, but you certainly don’t have to do this! The cucumber syrup can be refrigerated for another time and the sodas made again.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Limoncello and Mint Sparklers:
Soft, fizzy lemonade with a hint of mint
It seemed high time that I tried making a new cocktail, so last weekend, just in time to celebrate Easter, I hauled out the recipe for Limoncello and Mint Sparklers (click for the recipe).
It’s one I’d been harboring away on my “to-make” list. It was waiting patiently for me to get to it and see just how awesome it is.
And it was truly awesome – it was essentially soft, fizzy lemonade with a hint of mint.
Limoncello, or lemon liqueur, creates the lemonade taste, with the help of fresh lemon juice. The fizziness comes from club soda (the recipe calls for sparkling water, but I always prefer club soda.)
While I made this for sipping before and at a springtime meal, where it fit in well, my mom rightly pointed out the cocktail would also be nice on a hot summer day, enjoyed on the deck.
The recipe says it makes six servings, but I found it made four.
The cocktail was amazingly easy to prepare.
Fresh mint leaves are combined with limoncello in a bowl. The mint is gently bruised with a pestle or wooden spoon to release the yummy mint flavors. The mixture is chilled for one hour.
The mixture is strained through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher, leaving the mint in the sieve and the minty limoncello in the pitcher.
Just before serving, fresh lemon juice and club soda is stirred with the limoncello in the pitcher.
The recipe says to fill the pitcher with ice, but I put ice in the individual glasses instead and poured the cocktail on top.
It’s one I’d been harboring away on my “to-make” list. It was waiting patiently for me to get to it and see just how awesome it is.
And it was truly awesome – it was essentially soft, fizzy lemonade with a hint of mint.
Limoncello, or lemon liqueur, creates the lemonade taste, with the help of fresh lemon juice. The fizziness comes from club soda (the recipe calls for sparkling water, but I always prefer club soda.)
While I made this for sipping before and at a springtime meal, where it fit in well, my mom rightly pointed out the cocktail would also be nice on a hot summer day, enjoyed on the deck.
The recipe says it makes six servings, but I found it made four.
The cocktail was amazingly easy to prepare.
Fresh mint leaves are combined with limoncello in a bowl. The mint is gently bruised with a pestle or wooden spoon to release the yummy mint flavors. The mixture is chilled for one hour.
The mixture is strained through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher, leaving the mint in the sieve and the minty limoncello in the pitcher.
Just before serving, fresh lemon juice and club soda is stirred with the limoncello in the pitcher.
The recipe says to fill the pitcher with ice, but I put ice in the individual glasses instead and poured the cocktail on top.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Sea Viper sippers and goat cheese appetizers
Saturday night is often the time my husband and I try out new cocktail and appetizer recipes.
One recent Saturday we made a dynamite sipper and appetizer – goat cheese crackers with red pepper jelly washed down with a Sea Viper, a lovely libation combination of Sailor Jerry Rum and black tea.
My husband and I tried Sailor Jerry Rum for the first time a while back in another cocktail, Ginger Rum Shandy, and liked it so much we wanted to use it again in something else.
After Googling “Sailor Jerry Rum,” we found the recipe for the Sea Viper (click for the recipe).
My husband took the lead on this one, making the black tea, adding sugar until it met his satisfaction, letting it cool to room temperature and then putting it in the fridge to chill until ready to serve.
The recipe says to use two parts of black tea for every one part Sailor Jerry Rum. That’s such anexceedingly huge ratio of rum to tea you would need to be a hard-drinking sailor to tolerate it.
My husband used just an ounce of rum for about a cup of tea, and that was plenty. He served the cocktails on ice in highball glasses.
The inspiration for the goat cheese on crackers topped with red pepper jelly came from Fine Cooking magazine.
The magazine recipe (click for it here) says to use good quality hot pepper jelly, and that’s fine for those who can tolerate the heat.
I used some mild red pepper jelly we bought recently, and this was perfect for my husband and I, as we both dislike overly-spicy foods.
The goat cheese is used when it is room temperature, and that left it creamy enough to spread nicely on the crackers (we used water table crackers.)
After the cheese is spread on the crackers, it is topped with red pepper jelly, popped in the mouth and enjoyed.
More great appetizer and cocktail recipes
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One recent Saturday we made a dynamite sipper and appetizer – goat cheese crackers with red pepper jelly washed down with a Sea Viper, a lovely libation combination of Sailor Jerry Rum and black tea.
My husband and I tried Sailor Jerry Rum for the first time a while back in another cocktail, Ginger Rum Shandy, and liked it so much we wanted to use it again in something else.
After Googling “Sailor Jerry Rum,” we found the recipe for the Sea Viper (click for the recipe).
My husband took the lead on this one, making the black tea, adding sugar until it met his satisfaction, letting it cool to room temperature and then putting it in the fridge to chill until ready to serve.
The recipe says to use two parts of black tea for every one part Sailor Jerry Rum. That’s such anexceedingly huge ratio of rum to tea you would need to be a hard-drinking sailor to tolerate it.
My husband used just an ounce of rum for about a cup of tea, and that was plenty. He served the cocktails on ice in highball glasses.
The inspiration for the goat cheese on crackers topped with red pepper jelly came from Fine Cooking magazine.
The magazine recipe (click for it here) says to use good quality hot pepper jelly, and that’s fine for those who can tolerate the heat.
I used some mild red pepper jelly we bought recently, and this was perfect for my husband and I, as we both dislike overly-spicy foods.
The goat cheese is used when it is room temperature, and that left it creamy enough to spread nicely on the crackers (we used water table crackers.)
After the cheese is spread on the crackers, it is topped with red pepper jelly, popped in the mouth and enjoyed.
More great appetizer and cocktail recipes
Join Recipes That Worked on Facebook
Friday, February 11, 2011
Recipe suggestions for Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day is on Monday. For those of you thinking of making dinner for your sweetie that night, here are my suggestions, in blog entries, for recipes that will make the occasion a truly special one.
For starters
Champagne Cosmo
Garlic and Cheese Crostini
Mains
Linguine with Lemon-Garlic Shrimp
Orecchiette with Fennel, Sausage & Tomatoes
Pistachio-Crusted Rack of Lamb
Braised Chicken with Dates and Moroccan Spices
Sides
Warm Spinach, Mushroom and Goat Cheese Salad
Celery Root and Apple Salad with Hazelnut Vinaigrette
For dessert
Caramelized Banana Splits with Hot Chocolate Sauce
One-Bowl Chocolate Cake (or Cupcakes)
Tunnel of Fudge Cake
Sunken Chocolate-Orange Cupcakes
Join Recipes That Worked on Facebook
For starters
Champagne Cosmo
Garlic and Cheese Crostini
Mains
Linguine with Lemon-Garlic Shrimp
Orecchiette with Fennel, Sausage & Tomatoes
Pistachio-Crusted Rack of Lamb
Braised Chicken with Dates and Moroccan Spices
Sides
Warm Spinach, Mushroom and Goat Cheese Salad
Celery Root and Apple Salad with Hazelnut Vinaigrette
For dessert
Caramelized Banana Splits with Hot Chocolate Sauce
One-Bowl Chocolate Cake (or Cupcakes)
Tunnel of Fudge Cake
Sunken Chocolate-Orange Cupcakes
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Friday, January 28, 2011
TV watching inspires Ginger Rum Shandy-making
As my husband and I watched Chuck’s Day Off on Food Network Canada last Saturday morning, the host of the show made a cocktail I knew I had to try that night.
Montreal chef Chuck Hughes made a Ginger Rum Shandy (click for the recipe). It looked so bronzy and lovely and sounded so tasty that I printed off the recipe for it right then and there.
It was well-rewarded random inspiration: The shandies were go-od.
There was a very slight vanilla taste, nothing disagreeable, that was lent to the drink by Sailor Jerry, a type of spiced rum.
The rest of the ingredients seemed as if they were always meant to be together. The ginger syrup, apple juice, lime juice and beer were a winning combination.
Serve these babies as a pre-dinner cocktail with appetizers, and they will score a big hit.
The recipe called for Hoegaarden beer, but other brands of beer will work fine as a substitute.
The shandies were easy to make.
Slices of peeled ginger are combined with sugar and water and simmered over medium heat until the liquid becomes syrupy, about 15 minutes. The syrup is strained and left to cool.
This is a great step to do ahead, as I did. I made the syrup in the afternoon and put it in the fridge until we were ready to make the drinks at night.
To make one drink, ice, rum, ginger syrup, lime juice and apple juice are put together in a cocktail shaker. The mixture is shaken well, and is poured over ice in a glass. The cocktail is topped with beer. (We skipped the apple and ginger garnishes.)
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Montreal chef Chuck Hughes made a Ginger Rum Shandy (click for the recipe). It looked so bronzy and lovely and sounded so tasty that I printed off the recipe for it right then and there.
It was well-rewarded random inspiration: The shandies were go-od.
There was a very slight vanilla taste, nothing disagreeable, that was lent to the drink by Sailor Jerry, a type of spiced rum.
The rest of the ingredients seemed as if they were always meant to be together. The ginger syrup, apple juice, lime juice and beer were a winning combination.
Serve these babies as a pre-dinner cocktail with appetizers, and they will score a big hit.
The recipe called for Hoegaarden beer, but other brands of beer will work fine as a substitute.
The shandies were easy to make.
Slices of peeled ginger are combined with sugar and water and simmered over medium heat until the liquid becomes syrupy, about 15 minutes. The syrup is strained and left to cool.
This is a great step to do ahead, as I did. I made the syrup in the afternoon and put it in the fridge until we were ready to make the drinks at night.
To make one drink, ice, rum, ginger syrup, lime juice and apple juice are put together in a cocktail shaker. The mixture is shaken well, and is poured over ice in a glass. The cocktail is topped with beer. (We skipped the apple and ginger garnishes.)
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Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Garlic and Cheese Crostini - a cocktail's best friend
Sometimes I’ll see a recipe and file it away in the “must try” area of my brain.
There it lurks until one day it springs forward, wanting to be made, sometimes jogged from its place in storage by a fitting occasion to make it.
In the case of Garlic and Cheese Crostini (click for the recipe) from Gourmet magazine, it was a Saturday night with my husband and a bottle of red wine that seemed like a good time it. I’m very glad I did.
Just as the recipe’s description on epicurious.com says, this appetizer is garlicky and salty – a great accompaniment to cocktails.
They’re so easy to make.
Slices of baguette are arranged in a layer on a baking sheet and brushed with olive oil.
More olive oil, finely-grated Pecorino Romano cheese, minced garlic cloves, salt and pepper are stirred together in a small bowl.
The baguette slices are sprinkled with the cheese mixture, and baked until the topping just starts to melt.
The crostini are sprinkled with parsley and served.
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There it lurks until one day it springs forward, wanting to be made, sometimes jogged from its place in storage by a fitting occasion to make it.
In the case of Garlic and Cheese Crostini (click for the recipe) from Gourmet magazine, it was a Saturday night with my husband and a bottle of red wine that seemed like a good time it. I’m very glad I did.
Just as the recipe’s description on epicurious.com says, this appetizer is garlicky and salty – a great accompaniment to cocktails.
They’re so easy to make.
Slices of baguette are arranged in a layer on a baking sheet and brushed with olive oil.
More olive oil, finely-grated Pecorino Romano cheese, minced garlic cloves, salt and pepper are stirred together in a small bowl.
The baguette slices are sprinkled with the cheese mixture, and baked until the topping just starts to melt.
The crostini are sprinkled with parsley and served.
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Tuesday, December 28, 2010
A killer cocktail: The Champagne Cosmo
I’ve got a recipe for a cocktail that guarantees merriment and exclamations of “oooh” and “aaah” – Champagne Cosmo (click for the recipe) from Fine Cooking magazine.
It’s a delicious, refreshing, fizzy concoction that’s very easy to make.
The recipe makes enough for eight people, but it can easily be halved, doubled or tripled if necessary!
I’ve never bothered with the business of holding a strip of lime zest over each glass and squeezing it to release the essential oils. The drinks are still amazing without this step, but if you want to do it, go for it!
Chilled cranberry juice cocktail, Grand Marnier and fresh lime juice are combined in a pitcher.
The juice mixture is divided among champagne flutes (or any other glass you have!) and topped with chilled brut sparkling wine or Champagne.
You may want to make one cocktail and do a taste test – lucky you – playing around with the ratio of juice mixture to Champagne. After you’ve got the combination right, serve it to others and enjoy!
Serve Champagne Cosmos with Garlic and Cheese Crostini for a full cocktail and appetizer combination.
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It’s a delicious, refreshing, fizzy concoction that’s very easy to make.
The recipe makes enough for eight people, but it can easily be halved, doubled or tripled if necessary!
I’ve never bothered with the business of holding a strip of lime zest over each glass and squeezing it to release the essential oils. The drinks are still amazing without this step, but if you want to do it, go for it!
Chilled cranberry juice cocktail, Grand Marnier and fresh lime juice are combined in a pitcher.
The juice mixture is divided among champagne flutes (or any other glass you have!) and topped with chilled brut sparkling wine or Champagne.
You may want to make one cocktail and do a taste test – lucky you – playing around with the ratio of juice mixture to Champagne. After you’ve got the combination right, serve it to others and enjoy!
Serve Champagne Cosmos with Garlic and Cheese Crostini for a full cocktail and appetizer combination.
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Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Holiday recipe review
Over the past few weeks, I've been recommending recipes that I think would be fantastic for your holiday gathering. Let's take a look at them again!
To start
Golden Onion & Thyme Dip
Blackberry Herb Cocktail
The main event
Orange and Cumin Pork Loin
Tourtière
Pistachio-Crusted Rack of Lamb
Sensational sides
Noodle Kugel
Warm Spinach, Mushroom and Goat Cheese Salad
Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Smoked Gouda and Chives
Braised Fingerling Potatoes with Thyme & Butter
Simple Two-Potato Gratin
Delectable desserts
15-Minute Chocolate-Walnut Fudge
Gingerbread
Chocolate Dulce De Leche Bars
White Chocolate & Peppermint Brownies
Orange Butter Cookies with Grand Marnier Glaze
Toffee Millionaires
Peanut Butter and Chocolate Shortbread
Peppermint Brownies
To start
Golden Onion & Thyme Dip
Blackberry Herb Cocktail
The main event
Orange and Cumin Pork Loin
Tourtière
Pistachio-Crusted Rack of Lamb
Sensational sides
Noodle Kugel
Warm Spinach, Mushroom and Goat Cheese Salad
Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Smoked Gouda and Chives
Braised Fingerling Potatoes with Thyme & Butter
Simple Two-Potato Gratin
Delectable desserts
15-Minute Chocolate-Walnut Fudge
Gingerbread
Chocolate Dulce De Leche Bars
White Chocolate & Peppermint Brownies
Orange Butter Cookies with Grand Marnier Glaze
Toffee Millionaires
Peanut Butter and Chocolate Shortbread
Peppermint Brownies
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Thanksgiving recipe review
Since the beginning of November on Recipes That Worked, I have been writing about great fall and winter recipes that would work well at American Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday.
I've concentrated on soups, side dishes, desserts and cocktails.
Let's review those recipes, shall we? (No quiz at the end.)
Opening sips
Pear Sidecar
Blackberry Herb Cocktail
Soup starters
Butternut Squash and Apple Bisque
Red Pepper and Hazelnut Soup with Marinated Anchovies
Sensational side dishes
Celery Root and Apple Salad with Hazelnut Vinaigrette
Simple Two-Potato Gratin
Braised Fingerling Potatoes with Thyme & Butter
Sauerkraut with Gin and Caraway
Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Smoked Gouda and Chives
Finishing desserts
Pecan-Chocolate Chip Pie
Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins
Mom's Apple Squares
Buttery Apple Cake
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I've concentrated on soups, side dishes, desserts and cocktails.
Let's review those recipes, shall we? (No quiz at the end.)
Opening sips
Pear Sidecar
Blackberry Herb Cocktail
Soup starters
Butternut Squash and Apple Bisque
Red Pepper and Hazelnut Soup with Marinated Anchovies
Sensational side dishes
Celery Root and Apple Salad with Hazelnut Vinaigrette
Simple Two-Potato Gratin
Braised Fingerling Potatoes with Thyme & Butter
Sauerkraut with Gin and Caraway
Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Smoked Gouda and Chives
Finishing desserts
Pecan-Chocolate Chip Pie
Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins
Mom's Apple Squares
Buttery Apple Cake
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Friday, November 19, 2010
Bringing back the original blackberry with Blackberry Herb Cocktail
Once upon a time, children, blackberries grew on trees, not in people’s hands.
Honestly! I ain’t lyin’.
There is a luscious, jewel-like berry that grows on bushes. You don’t talk into them or touch their screens – you eat them!
They lend a delicious taste to salads, pies, tarts and drinks.
A good way to prove to people that you’re not telling a tall tale about blackberries is by serving Blackberry Herb Cocktail (click for the recipe) from Bon Appetit magazine.
The cocktail is a blend of the berry’s juice with a lovely hint of rosemary, topped off with Prosecco, a type of Italian sparkling white wine.
It makes an elegant start to dinner, and would go well with appetizers.
If you’ve had a Kir Royale before, a combination of crème de cassis (blackberry liqueur) and champagne, you’ve had something similar to this cocktail.
But Blackberry Herb Cocktails have something the Kir Royale doesn’t – that hint of rosemary that blends in perfectly.
These cocktails are easy to make (just as easy as operating the handheld device!)
Fresh blackberries, sugar (I used Splenda instead), water and chopped fresh rosemary are simmered until thickened and reduced. The mixture, now a simple syrup, is strained into a glass measuring cup, and chilled into cold.
The recipe says to divide Prosecco among champagne flutes, then pour some syrup into each drink.
I did just the opposite: I put some syrup in the flutes, poured in Prosecco, then gave the cocktails a stir (I poured in the Prosecco over the sink in case it foamed up.) That way, I could add more syrup to taste if I wanted.
You can also serve the syrup with non-alcoholic fizzy drinks, too, such as club soda or ginger ale.
More great recipes for fall and winter
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Honestly! I ain’t lyin’.
There is a luscious, jewel-like berry that grows on bushes. You don’t talk into them or touch their screens – you eat them!
They lend a delicious taste to salads, pies, tarts and drinks.
A good way to prove to people that you’re not telling a tall tale about blackberries is by serving Blackberry Herb Cocktail (click for the recipe) from Bon Appetit magazine.
The cocktail is a blend of the berry’s juice with a lovely hint of rosemary, topped off with Prosecco, a type of Italian sparkling white wine.
It makes an elegant start to dinner, and would go well with appetizers.
If you’ve had a Kir Royale before, a combination of crème de cassis (blackberry liqueur) and champagne, you’ve had something similar to this cocktail.
But Blackberry Herb Cocktails have something the Kir Royale doesn’t – that hint of rosemary that blends in perfectly.
These cocktails are easy to make (just as easy as operating the handheld device!)
Fresh blackberries, sugar (I used Splenda instead), water and chopped fresh rosemary are simmered until thickened and reduced. The mixture, now a simple syrup, is strained into a glass measuring cup, and chilled into cold.
The recipe says to divide Prosecco among champagne flutes, then pour some syrup into each drink.
I did just the opposite: I put some syrup in the flutes, poured in Prosecco, then gave the cocktails a stir (I poured in the Prosecco over the sink in case it foamed up.) That way, I could add more syrup to taste if I wanted.
You can also serve the syrup with non-alcoholic fizzy drinks, too, such as club soda or ginger ale.
More great recipes for fall and winter
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Thursday, November 18, 2010
Hop into a Pear Sidecar
According to trusty Wikipedia, a sidecar is a classic cocktail traditionally made with Cognac, orange liqueur and lemon juice.
(A sidecar is also a one-wheeled car for a single passenger attached to the side of a motorcycle, but this blog entry is concerned with the cocktail.)
The first time I tried this drink was last weekend, when I mixed up a variation on the classic recipe: Pear Sidecar (click for the recipe).
This recipe, from Fine Cooking magazine, called for pear brandy, triple sec, lime juice and lime zest.
I loved the Pear Sidecar – it was a lovely combination of the slight sweetness of the brandy mingling with citrus tastes from the triple sec and the lime juice. It smelled terrific, too.
Serve it with an appetizer before dinner, and it will be a classy way to get things started.
I ran into one problem, though, when embarking on making the Pear Sidecars. I couldn’t find pear brandy in my local liquor store! They had discontinued Poire Williams, a common type of pear brandy.
Looking for a substitute on the Internet, I found one that worked well: Substituting equal parts brandy and pear juice.
So, for the recipe I linked to above, which calls for ½ cup pear brandy for two cocktails, I used ¼ cup pear juice and ¼ cup brandy.
The recipe calls for shaking up the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. I’m a fan of leaving the cocktail in the shaker for a minute or two before straining – it seems to add just a welcome touch of water to the cocktail, mellowing out the flavors a bit.
To make a Pear Sidecar, pear brandy or a substitution, triple sec and lime juice are combined in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. After being shaken well, the cocktail is strained into glasses (champagne flutes or martini glasses are nice). Lime zest is twisted into spirals and dropped into each glass.
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(A sidecar is also a one-wheeled car for a single passenger attached to the side of a motorcycle, but this blog entry is concerned with the cocktail.)
The first time I tried this drink was last weekend, when I mixed up a variation on the classic recipe: Pear Sidecar (click for the recipe).
This recipe, from Fine Cooking magazine, called for pear brandy, triple sec, lime juice and lime zest.
I loved the Pear Sidecar – it was a lovely combination of the slight sweetness of the brandy mingling with citrus tastes from the triple sec and the lime juice. It smelled terrific, too.
Serve it with an appetizer before dinner, and it will be a classy way to get things started.
I ran into one problem, though, when embarking on making the Pear Sidecars. I couldn’t find pear brandy in my local liquor store! They had discontinued Poire Williams, a common type of pear brandy.
Looking for a substitute on the Internet, I found one that worked well: Substituting equal parts brandy and pear juice.
So, for the recipe I linked to above, which calls for ½ cup pear brandy for two cocktails, I used ¼ cup pear juice and ¼ cup brandy.
The recipe calls for shaking up the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. I’m a fan of leaving the cocktail in the shaker for a minute or two before straining – it seems to add just a welcome touch of water to the cocktail, mellowing out the flavors a bit.
To make a Pear Sidecar, pear brandy or a substitution, triple sec and lime juice are combined in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. After being shaken well, the cocktail is strained into glasses (champagne flutes or martini glasses are nice). Lime zest is twisted into spirals and dropped into each glass.
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Friday, August 27, 2010
Plum delicious: Plum cocktails
Plum Cocktails (click for the recipe) are the perfect refresher for late summer/early fall.
While still cooling enough to combat the lingering heat, they aren’t as wildly height-of-summer as frozen margaritas.
They would be a great precursor to a casual dinner party.
Not only are these cocktails delicious, they are lovely to look at, thanks to the color released by the plums.
And plums are perfect right now, just waiting to be put to work in this seasonal drink.
There’s one very important direction to follow in this recipe. If you don’t do it, you won’t get the fabulous red color that is part of this cocktail’s appeal.
Make sure to add the plums to the simple syrup while it is still boiling on the stove, just as the recipe says. That way, the plums release their color. If you add them after you take the syrup off the stove, the color release won’t work properly.
Sugar (I substituted an equal amount of Splenda) and water are cooked together, and then brought to a boil. Plums cut into wedges are added, then the mixture is taken off heat.
The syrup is refrigerated until cold.
Lime juice is squeezed from a wedge into a glass filled with ice, and the wedge dropped in. A quarter cup of syrup and one ounce of gin is added, and sparkling water tops off the cocktail (I use club soda instead.)
I pop a couple of plum wedges into each cocktail before serving.
While still cooling enough to combat the lingering heat, they aren’t as wildly height-of-summer as frozen margaritas.
They would be a great precursor to a casual dinner party.
Not only are these cocktails delicious, they are lovely to look at, thanks to the color released by the plums.
And plums are perfect right now, just waiting to be put to work in this seasonal drink.
There’s one very important direction to follow in this recipe. If you don’t do it, you won’t get the fabulous red color that is part of this cocktail’s appeal.
Make sure to add the plums to the simple syrup while it is still boiling on the stove, just as the recipe says. That way, the plums release their color. If you add them after you take the syrup off the stove, the color release won’t work properly.
Sugar (I substituted an equal amount of Splenda) and water are cooked together, and then brought to a boil. Plums cut into wedges are added, then the mixture is taken off heat.
The syrup is refrigerated until cold.
Lime juice is squeezed from a wedge into a glass filled with ice, and the wedge dropped in. A quarter cup of syrup and one ounce of gin is added, and sparkling water tops off the cocktail (I use club soda instead.)
I pop a couple of plum wedges into each cocktail before serving.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
A drink to impress the cocktail connoisseur: Pineapple-Basil Margaritas
Do you have a foodie friend who is tough to impress? Or a cocktail connoisseur pal who seems to have tipped every type of drink on the planet?
I’ve got a recipe that just might surprise them: Pineapple-Basil Margaritas (click here for the recipe on the Martha Stewart Living website).
It’s an unusual drink, as it’s not completely liquid – there are small bits of pineapple in it. Some settles to the bottom, but most of it is drunk with each sip.
I loved this margarita. I thought the blending of the tastes of the pineapple and basil with the tequila and a bit of salt was terrific.
With the unusual texture, however, it may not be everyone’s cup of cocktail.
But for the right taste buds – people who don’t mind trying something different once in awhile, such as the afore-mentioned cocktail connoisseur – it will likely go over well.
It would be ideal with fajitas, quesadillas or chicken wings.
The first step in making the drink is preparing a simple limeade of water, limes, and superfine sugar (berry sugar or extra fine granulated sugar.) I substituted an equivalent amount of Splenda successfully.
Pineapple chunks (I used some from a can, but you could cut your own from a whole pineapple) are blended until chopped but not pureed.
Fresh basil is muddled with sugar in a large pitcher. Limeade, the pineapple, tequila and coarse salt are added, and the drink is stirred.
After being refrigerated for at least an hour, the margaritas are served.
The recipe says to fill the pitcher with ice cubes at this stage.
It’s a good direction – the ice melting into the margarita as it is drunk helps to liquefy it a little more.
You could also fill individual glasses with ice and pour the margarita over. That’s what I did.
I also skipped garnishing the cocktails with pineapple chunks and fresh basil.
I’ve got a recipe that just might surprise them: Pineapple-Basil Margaritas (click here for the recipe on the Martha Stewart Living website).
It’s an unusual drink, as it’s not completely liquid – there are small bits of pineapple in it. Some settles to the bottom, but most of it is drunk with each sip.
I loved this margarita. I thought the blending of the tastes of the pineapple and basil with the tequila and a bit of salt was terrific.
With the unusual texture, however, it may not be everyone’s cup of cocktail.
But for the right taste buds – people who don’t mind trying something different once in awhile, such as the afore-mentioned cocktail connoisseur – it will likely go over well.
It would be ideal with fajitas, quesadillas or chicken wings.
The first step in making the drink is preparing a simple limeade of water, limes, and superfine sugar (berry sugar or extra fine granulated sugar.) I substituted an equivalent amount of Splenda successfully.
Pineapple chunks (I used some from a can, but you could cut your own from a whole pineapple) are blended until chopped but not pureed.
Fresh basil is muddled with sugar in a large pitcher. Limeade, the pineapple, tequila and coarse salt are added, and the drink is stirred.
After being refrigerated for at least an hour, the margaritas are served.
The recipe says to fill the pitcher with ice cubes at this stage.
It’s a good direction – the ice melting into the margarita as it is drunk helps to liquefy it a little more.
You could also fill individual glasses with ice and pour the margarita over. That’s what I did.
I also skipped garnishing the cocktails with pineapple chunks and fresh basil.
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