Thirsty Thursday: Mimosa

Hello Lovelies! Sorry that it's been nearly a week since I last posted. It seems the first couple weeks of the semester are always brutal for us grad students as we have so many things to do as well as new undergrad research assistants to train, etc. Pretty much my entire non-school life has been pushed aside, but I'm hoping that after this week is over, things will get back to normal!


Today I wanted to share with you a Thirsty Thursday treat! I'll definitely need an adult beverage when I come home tonight, and one of my favorites that we always seem to have the ingredients for is the mimosa! Now, I'm sure most of you know how to make a mimosa (if not, it's just equal parts sparkling wine/champagne and orange juice), but I bet many of you have yet to hear about the new Coppola Sophia cans. That's right, I said "cans."


My first reaction to sparkling wine in a can was not a good one, but I've had Sophia before, and I knew that while it wasn't the best sparkling wine out there, it was certainly good enough for mimosas. Plus our favorite liquor store had the cans on sale for $1 each, so I had to give them a try!

I love that the cans come with a little bendy straw, and that there's just enough in each one to make a couple mimosas. The other great thing about using these Sophia cans as opposed to opening an entire bottle of sparkling wine is that I don't waste anything. Although my fiance also enjoys mimosas, he doesn't drink them as often as I do which means I would either have to finish an entire bottle of wine myself (which is a bad idea), or we would have to put half the bottle back in the fridge and let it go flat (also a bad idea). Needless to say, I'm totally sold on these fun little cans!

Yeah, I drink low acid orange juice, so what?!

Of course, you can make other drinks besides mimosas with them, such as bellinis or my personal favorite, kir royals, but you could also just take these along on a picnic and sip them in the sun!

Have you ever tried wine in a can? What other ones out there are worth a shot? I know I can be a bit of a wine snob (no Two Buck Chuck for me), but I'm pretty open about packaging, so long as the product inside is delicious!

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Thirsty Thursday Guest Recipe: Drunken Grapes

Hello Lovelies! Today I have a wonderful guest post/recipe from Sarah Ellis over at Handbag Heaven! Like me, Sarah isn't necessarily a wino, but does enjoy drinking a good glass of vino with her gal pals. She enjoys incorporating fun cocktails into her parties and is an amazing hostess. During the day, Sarah enjoys sharing style advice for pairing fabulous spring handbags with equally fabulous ensembles at Handbag Heaven. Just like me (and many of you), she's always on the lookout for affordable ways to be more fabulous! Of course, this cocktail recipe from Sarah is sure to make your next party fabulous & delicious!

Drunken Grapes Cocktail

This recipe is super easy and very chic. I love drinking wine, and sangria is one of my favorite cocktails - this drink is a twist on the typical sangria and packs loads of flavor. The cocktail yields a bottle of sweet fruity wine AND fancy “ice cube” treats. This recipe takes some patience with the soaking and freezing times, but it’s super easy to plan this ahead of a party. Impress your friends with this refreshing drink at summer parties or bridal showers. And best of all, this cocktail is pretty cheap!

• 1 bag of green grapes
• 1 bottle of 750 mL of white wine (I used pinot grigio, but anything will do)
• ¼ cup of sugar + some extra for sprinkling

1. Put the grapes in a pitcher or bowl and pour the whole bottle of wine over the grapes.

2. Add ¼ cup of sugar into the mixture and stir it up. The sugar settles to the bottom so make sure it dissolves as much as possible.

3. Place the pitcher or bowl into the fridge so it can soak for 24 hours. Stir the mixture once or twice over the 24 hour time period. Don’t get too concerned with the stirring, because all it really needs is some nice soaking time. I started the recipe in the evening and stirred once before bed and once when I woke up.

4. When the grapes are done soaking in the wine bath, it’s time to separate. Pull all the grapes out and place them in a bowl.  Sprinkle them with some sugar and pop them in the freezer.

5. Leave grapes in freezer until solid. I left mine in the freezer for 8 hours while at work and it was the perfect amount of time. When I pulled the grapes out they were nice and firm and perfect for acting as an ice cube in the glass.

6. Use the leftover sugary wine as your drink and garnish with the grapes! The grapes are scrumptious and burst with sweet wine when they get a little softer. I liked eating them when I finished my glass, but they’re also fun to eat alone.

-Thanks for this yummy cocktail recipe, Sarah! I know I'm going to give it a try this weekend! I hope you all have a fabulous day! Cheers!

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Thirsty Thursday: Sangria

Hello Lovelies! It's Thursday, and you know what that means- it's cocktail time! This week I'm going to show you how to make some delicious sangria, which is perfect for summer! 


By the way, this is my 100th post! Can you believe it?! I know it's a little shocking to me. However, it's just one more reason to celebrate with a delicious glass of sangria tonight! I want to thank all my fabulous blogging friends for being so supportive. I am thrilled to have met so many wonderful people since I started this blog back in February, and I look forward to getting to know you all better in the future! I'm also looking forward to meeting even more fabulous folks via Haute Lunch, so please don't hesitate to leave a comment and say hello! You can also catch me on Twitter or Facebook!


Ok, now onto the main event: Sangria! Here's (basically) everything you'll need:

Pitcher, Red Wine, Brandy, Orange Liqueur, Cranberry Juice, Apples (& Pears), and Strawberries (or oranges for garnish).

I say "basically" because I would also normally use pears in this recipe, but I ate the last one yesterday.  :)


Step 1. Dice two small (or one large) apples and two small (or one large) pears.

Step 2. Put the diced fruit in the bottom of the pitcher and pour in the entire bottle of red wine (I prefer to use a shiraz/syrah or other red wine with fruity/jammy characteristics (beaujolais, zinfandel, etc). 

 

Step 3. Pour in approximately 2oz of brandy, 2oz of orange liqueur (about a 4-5 second count of each), and a cup of cranberry juice. You can add more or less of each of these ingredients depending on how strong you prefer your sangria to be, but this recipe makes a nice blend that is just right for most. Stir with a long spoon.

Step 4. Add ice to a large red wine glass, pour in the sangria, and serve! Make sure you get a good amount of fruit in each glass, and never leave your glass naked. You can cut a slit in a strawberry or orange wedge to garnish the glass. And don't forget, bendy straws are ALWAYS a good idea! Drinking should never be taken too seriously.

I hope you all have a fabulous day, and thanks again for being such wonderful supporters of me and my blog! Cheers!

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Thirsty Thursday: Mojitos

Hello Gorgeous! Now that the weather is warmer and the fiancé and I can enjoy drinks on the balcony, I wanted to start a little series of posts featuring some of my favorite summer cocktails! You might not know this, but I worked as a bartender for several years, so I know a thing or two when it comes to making tasty beverages! One of my all time favorites is definitely the Mojito because it is light, fresh, and has just the right amount of sweetness! To help you make the most fabulous Mojitos at home, I've put together todays tutorial. I hope you enjoy it! Cheers!


1. Cut a whole lime in half (lengthwise), then make an incision through the middle of the inner pulp (across the width of the lime). Now cut the lime into 6-8 segments, making cuts lengthwise. By cutting the lime like this, you quickly create wedges with slits that can fit on the edge of a glass.


2. Pour some white sugar in a saucer. Run one wedge of lime around the rim of the glass you are going to use. Turn the glass upside down and rotate it in the sugar to coat the rim.

3. Wash a sprig of mint and pull the leaves off the stem, placing them at the bottom of the glass. Squeeze a few lime wedges and place them at the bottom of the glass as well. Using a muddler and a strong arm, muddle the lime wedges and leaves to extract the oil and juice. If you don't have a muddler, the back end of a wooden spoon will work fine (however, you can buy muddlers for under $5 at places like World Market).

4. Add two teaspoons of sugar (you can use more or less depending on your preferences), followed by another lime wedge or two (save two wedges for garnish). Muddle the concoction again.

5. Completely fill the glass with ice and pour 2 oz of light rum over the ice. If you don't have a jigger to measure out the rum, pour the rum slowly and count up to 4 seconds. If you accidentally pour in a little extra, it will be OK (wink)!

6. Top off the glass with plain soda water and give your drink a stir using a long spoon. To finish off your Mojito, garnish with a clean sprig of mint and two lime wedges on the rim of the glass. I also highly recommend a bendy straw.  :)

Tada! Now you're ready to sit back, relax, and enjoy this fabulous summertime cocktail! I hope you all have had some nice weather like we have in Chicago the last few days (minus the storm last night)! Do you all love Mojitos as much as I do? What are some of your other summer favorites? Be on the lookout for another one of my favorites in a couple weeks!

P.S. Happy Birthday to my Dad, whom I'm sure would love a Mojito to celebrate!

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