Cocktail of the Summer | Aperol Spritz

The Spritz

This became my favorite cocktail after seeing it in the Barefoot Contessa's Cooking for Jeffery Book a couple of years ago.  It is a fresh, crisp, not too sweet, not too strong, citrusy Italian cocktail.  I feel like I have to document it on the blog because it has become a sort of legend amongst our friends this summer.

Our friends who lived in Italy for a couple of years served them at their annual Masters Party this year.  Even (especially!) the guys are going crazy for the Spritz.  Then we went to Vail with the same group of friends for a wedding - the Spritz became the official drink of the wedding.  It is the perfect drink for an afternoon cocktail and so refreshing on a hot day/evening.  Now, they've become a staple for all of us at the pool, during a round of golf and before (and after!) dinner.  We're hooked!

There is a bit of controversy amongst us on what is the best recipe.  The guys tend to like it a bit stronger (more Aperol, splash of soda), while the ladies tend to like it in 3rds.  You really can't go wrong, but I've shared my favorite tips below.

The are so simple to make at home and perfect for a party.

 The (Aperol) Spritz

1 part aperol
1 part prosecco
1 part (or splash) club soda
orange slice
olives*
lots of ice

*Olives are so essential!  They are one of my favorite parts of the drink.  It might sound odd for sort of a fruity drink, but it really isn't that fruity... Trust me - olives.

4th of July "Star-Spangled" Sangria Recipe | Star Apples & Blueberries

Today I've been shooting some more 4th of July inspired recipes that I'll be sharing next week.  To get us all in the mood for a festive 4th, here is a re-post from our Fourth of July in Concord, Ma - one of my favorites. 
.....

Sangria is one of my favorite Summer drinks... wait, is it that obvious?  Yes, this is my second Sangria post of the Summer.  This version was created especially for TheDaily.com for our 4th of July DIY Entertaining video.  To see the video, more details and recipes (including a Red, White & Blueberry Ice Cream Cake) from the shoot, click here.

Star-Spangled
Sangria


1 bottle of white wine (pinot grigio works great)
1 cup of peach brandy
3 red apples
1 pint of blueberries
1/4 cup of sugar

Cut the slices of the apples off of their cores into 4 large slices from each apple. Using a small star cookie cutter, cut a star out of each apple slice. Place the stars into the bottom of a pitcher. Add blueberries. Pour in the brandy and let the fruit soak in the brandy for at least an hour, and up to four hours. Add white wine to the fruit and brandy mixture. Stir in 1/4 cup of sugar, or more to taste.

Serve chilled or with ice.

I served the Spangled Sangria in Mason Jars with Berry Skewers.  Just thread red and blue berries on a wooden skewer.  Not only just for looks, they work great to keep your drink nice and cold when frozen, too.

Here I have a complete 4th of July Help Yourself Bar (my favorite kind) set up on our patio table... after all, isn't the bar always where everyone gathers?  Might as well make it a comfy place in the center of the party.  I added a navy pillow to my light blue and cream to instantly (and easily) update my patio decor for the holiday.

Another simple way to decorate your patio for the 4th?  I plopped some flags in my flower pots for a festive touch. 

I made the star-shaped apple pieces by slicing apples, then cutting them out with a cookie cutter.

Visit here to see the beautiful video they created and all of the details from the Star-Spangled 4th of July Party.

Summer Brew | Orange & Blueberry Wheat Beer

Summer Brews are the best - refreshing, flavorful, citrus-y and light.  The original Summer Brew is beer mixed with vodka lemonade.  Delicious.  However, I'm a huge fan of wheat beers (Boulevard, Blue Moon, etc.) topped with an orange... so, I created my own version of a summer brew with fresh squeezed orange juice, vodka and wheat beer.  I garnished it with fresh blue berries and an orange slice to make it colorful and fun... it is, after all, a cocktail.

Orange & Blueberry
Summer Brew
4 cocktails


3 oranges, 2 juiced, 1 sliced
1/2 cup of water
1 tablespoon of sugar
1/4 cup of vodka
4 wheat beers (ex. Boulevard, Blue Moon)
Fresh Blue Berries

Mix together the fresh orange juice, water, sugar and vodka just before the party - keep it cold in the refrigerator, then add the beer and garnishes when served.

Summer Brews are great for outdoor parties - more refreshing than wine on these hot summer evenings.

Get the Marinated Steak Kebabs recipe, here.

See all of the details of my Outdoor Dinner Party, here.

Ice Cream with Hot Espresso = Affogato | My New Nespresso VertuoLine

I love simple.  I love easy.  I also love delicious and incredibly chic desserts.  Especially those that combine coffee and ice cream.  Meet, the Affogato, meaning "drowned" ice cream.  Italy, you've done it again.

We recently hosted a couple of couples for a very easy, relaxed dinner.  It was not the typical, outdoor barbeque party (though the grill was still involved), but a menu with more of a European flare - with a focus on simple and seasonal.  We sipped on chilled rose before dinner, and had grilled steaks marinated with rosemary, with a side of summer squash and parmesan gratin.

We served dinner outside, late after dark and set the table with potted herbs and lots of candles.  After, we lounged on our side porch and had affogatos for dessert.  It is the sort of party I imagine Italian people have every night of the week after the kids go to bed.  We enjoyed our little slice of dolce la vita.

You might remember around Christmas time, the very nice people at Nespresso sent me a Pixie and hosted a giveaway on my blog.  Well, a couple of months ago they sent me their newest machine, the VertuoLine.  It is the machine we've all been waiting for... it brews espresso and coffee.   As you can see from the photo, every cup (the coffee and espresso) is brewed in a very magical (my technical term) way that creates a frothy foam on top, even before adding any milk or cream.  The coffee underneath that creamy, caramel colored froth is a deep, rich brown.  I have loved my Pixie, but I have to say, I love having just one machine on my counter that does both coffee and espresso perfectly every time.
 

There is not really a recipe to this, it is literally just vanilla ice cream with hot espresso or strong coffee poured over the top.

For this cup, I actually used a coffee pod.  You can see how rich it is.  It really is just heavenly.  I recommend using the decaf espresso for late night parties like ours.

I like to serve my guests (or just myself...) the ice cream in a mug, then bring a mini pitcher of the espresso around to pour over the ice cream.  After each bite, the ice cream melts a little more and the espresso turns into a cold, creamy drinkable treat.  The perfect grownup luxury after a hot day. 

A nice crumbly cookie or piece of chocolate would be a great treat to go along with it, too. 

Visit the Nespresso site to read more about their new VertuoLine.  Thanks Nespresso for the new machine... it has gotten a lot of use!

Mimi's Creamy & Dreamy Hot Chocolate

We woke up to a new blanket of snow yesterday - a fresh way to start the new year and romanticize remaining (potentially long...) winter months.  As I've said, I actually love the quiet, coziness of January and February - warm soups, snuggly days, and hot chocolate.



Mike's parents are not coffee drinkers.  (Which happens to be the exact opposite of my parents, who start their morning with a full pot, then move to K-cups throughout the day and finish with decaf at night.)  But Mike's Mom & Dad do love real, decadent hot chocolate.  Joy (his mom, Emma's Mimi) recently shared her new favorite Hot Chocolate recipe, titled "Cream & Dreamy Hot Chocolate."  It is just that, so creamy and silky, hot chocolate "...as thick and rich as melted chocolate bars," - ok, not quite that rich, but it's a quote from Polar Express that I've read to Emma no less than 4 times a day for the past month.

One reason this is such a fabulous recipe is that it is very easy (no chopping chocolate) and it can keep in the refrigerator for quite a while (maybe a week plus?) so you can make one cup at a time to enjoy.  However, I have made it with milk (instead of water) and it is even more cream and dreamy than the original - but using the milk does shorten its lifespan... which wasn't a problem around here, as we're already on our third batch. 


























My favorite thing to do is put the cold mixture into my Nespresso Aeroccino.  It whips it up into a delicious creamy froth - no whip cream needed.  You can do the same thing with a whisk after heating it on the stove or in the microwave.  I've made a couple adjustments to the original recipe - I added a little bit more salt, and I use Vanilla Bean Paste instead of extract for that real vanilla bean essence.

Creamy & Dreamy 
Hot Chocolate



1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or extract)
1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa
1 (14 ounce) can Sweetened Condensed Milk
6 cups of hot water (or milk)
Mini Marshmallows

In a large saucepan, combine sweetened condensed milk, cocoa, vanilla and salt; mix well.  Over medium heat, slowly stir in water; heat through, stirring occasionally.  Do not boil.  Top with marshmallows.

I love baby hands holding Hot Chocolate... looks like me clutching my latte.  Wonder what she is pondering?



 Yum.

Happy Snow Day!

Star-Spangled Sangria | 4th of July Outdoor Bar & Decorations

Another re-post from last year - one of my favorites! 
.....

Sangria is one of my favorite Summer drinks... wait, is it that obvious?  Yes, this is my second Sangria post of the Summer.  This version was created especially for TheDaily.com for our 4th of July DIY Entertaining video.  To see the video, more details and recipes (including a Red, White & Blueberry Ice Cream Cake) from the shoot, click here!

Star-Spangled
Sangria


1 bottle of white wine (pinot grigio works great)
1 cup of peach brandy
3 red apples
1 pint of blueberries
1/4 cup of sugar

Cut the slices of the apples off of their cores into 4 large slices from each apple. Using a small star cookie cutter, cut a star out of each apple slice. Place the stars into the bottom of a pitcher. Add blueberries. Pour in the brandy and let the fruit soak in the brandy for at least an hour, and up to four hours. Add white wine to the fruit and brandy mixture. Stir in 1/4 cup of sugar, or more to taste.

Serve chilled or with ice.

I served the Spangled Sangria in Mason Jars with Berry Skewers.  Just thread red and blue berries on a wooden skewer.  Not only just for looks, they work great to keep your drink nice and cold when frozen, too!  Click below to continue reading after the break!

Spiked Mulled Cider | Fall Entertaining | Fall Cocktails

This seems like the right kind of drink for the first day of October!  Right now I'm sitting on our porch drinking a big mug of hot apple cider this morning... but I love this cocktail recipe for a party.  Wouldn't you love to be sitting outside tonight with a hot cup of cider that is spiked with spiced rum, vanilla and orange?  Count me in.
   
Spiked Mulled Cider
to warm you from the inside

1 gallon of apple cider or juice
2 cups of spiced rum
1 cup of Mulling Spices*
1 vanilla bean
1 orange, sliced
1 teaspoon of ground clove
1 teaspoon of nutmeg
1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon
Cinnamon Sticks, Star Anise and Cloves for Garnish

Put all ingredients into a large pot on your stove and simmer on low.  Serve warm. 

*If you'd like to make your own Mulling Spices, combine whole cloves, star anise, and allspice, OR you can buy it from Williams-Sonoma : Williams-Sonoma Mulling Spices (makes a great gift, too!)

White Peach Sangria | Summer Cocktail Recipes

I can't think of a better (and easier) drink to make for a Summer party than White Peach Sangria.  It is beautiful, easy to drink, refreshing, can easily be made in large quantities... and as potent as you want.  Sounds perfect to me.

If you're serving this at a celebration (or just a Saturday night...) try using half Proseco, an inexpensive Italian sparkling wine, for a little more festivity.

I served these at my Ladies Night Patio Party in my new rustic French Fleur de Lys glasses- I think they are the perfect casual, but elegant glass for sangria.


White Peach Sangria
the perfect summer drink


1 large 750ml bottle of Pinot Grigio (or any other white wine you like)

1 cup of Peach Brandy

2 tablespoons of sugar (you can add more if you like it a little sweeter)

4 peaches, sliced with skin on

1 orange, sliced

Ice (optional)

In a large pitcher (or two) combine all of the ingredients, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.  Serve chilled or with ice.

For the complete menu and all of the recipes from my Ladies Night Patio Party, click here!

Frozen Watermelon Margarita with an Heirloom Tomato Garnish| Summer Cocktail

This cocktail might just be "Summer" all wrapped up in frosty treat.  I've garnished this one with a slice of an heirloom tomato for the Tomato Tasting Dinner Party, but you can go for the traditional salt and lime for any kind of party.

frozen
Watermelon Margarita

makes 6 generous margaritas

1 seedless watermelon, approx. 6 cups
1 cup of tequila
1/4 cup of orange liquer
3 limes- 2 juiced, 1 sliced
sea salt

Cut watermelon into cubes, removing any black seeds.  Spread the cubes on a baking sheet and freeze for at least 2 hours.

Place the frozen watermelon cubes in the blender with 1 cup of tequila, orange liquer and lime juice.  Blend until smooth.  You may need to blend it in smaller batches, depending on the size of your blender. 

Serve with a salted rim and a slice of lime.

To see the entire Heirloom Tomato Tasting Party with recipes and tips, click here!