Watermelon Sangria

Watermelon Sangria

Watermelon Sangria

Ingredients

• 2 pds seedless watermelon, peeled and cubed
• 1/2 pd watermelon cut into balls and skewered
• 1 bottle dry white wine
• 6 oz Starlite vodka
• 4 oz Paula's Texas Orange
• 4 oz Citrus Syrup
• Ice

Directions

1. In a blender, puree the watermelon cubes.
2. Pour through a fine strainer into a pitcher.
3. Add the white wine, Starlite vodka,  Paula's Texas Orange, and Citrus Syrup.
4. Stir and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
5. Stir again, then pour the sangria into ice-filled white wine glasses and garnish with the skewered watermelon balls.

Makes 6 to 8 drinks

Tailgatin' Lemonade

Tailgatin' Lemonade

 Ingredients

• 13 oz Treaty Oak Rum
• 3 oz Pimm's #1
• 8 oz fresh lemon juice
• 4 oz simple syrup
• 1/2 tablespoon sriracha sauce
• Ice
• 1 liter chilled club soda 
• Thin lemon wheels, for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. In a large resealable container, combine all of the ingredients except ice, club soda, and lemon wheels. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.
2. After 1 hour; add club soda, cover tightly and shake.
3. Then pour into ice filled glasses and garnish with lemon wheels.

Serves 8

Sweet Tea Vodka or Just Plain Ol' Vodka Thyme Lemonade

Sweet Tea Vodka Thyme Lemonade

 

 

Sweet Tea Vodka or Just Plain Ol' Vodka Thyme Lemonade

The perfect end of summer drink! Whether you use sweet tea vodka or just plain ol' vodka this drink is sure to be a crowd pleaser.  

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups water
• 13 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
• 4 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice, about 24 lemons*
• 2 cups Starlite Vodka or Graham's Texas Tea Vodka

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, combine 2 cups water with the sugar and thyme; bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat; let cool to room temperature.
2. Pour mixture through a fine mesh screen into a large glass measuring cup; discard thyme. You should have about 2 cups syrup. Cover with plastic; chill.
3. In a large serving pitcher, stir together lemon juice, vodka, and chilled syrup; garnish with whole sprigs of thyme. Divide evenly among eight glassesfilled with ice; serve immediately.

*Don't want to juice 24 lemons?  Well I don't blame you!  Try Simply Lemonade and omit the sugar and water. 

Serves 8

The FireCracker

Fire Cracker

 

 

 

 

Fire Cracker

Ingredients

• 2 oz. Tito's Vodka
• ½ oz. Blue Curacao
• Splash Tonic
• Cherry or Raspberry for garnish*

Directions

1. In a shaker put vodka, blue curacao, and tonic with ice.  Shake well.
2. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a cherry or raspberry.

*Get creative and try muddling 4 or 5 raspberries in the shaker and strain into martini glass or infuse your vodka with raspberries beforehand for the ultimate flavor!

Traditional tasty Sangria

Sangria

Summer time and summer vacations are officially here!  So take a trip to Spain or Portugal and drink sangria!  

Ingredients

• 1 (750 ml) bottle rose wine
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1/2 cup brandy or vodka
• 1/4 cup triple sec
• 1/4 cup simple syrup
• 1 orange, sliced into rounds
• 1 lemon, sliced into rounds
• 1 lime, sliced into rounds
•  6 oz container of fresh raspberries

Directions

1. Combine wine, pineapple juice, brandy, triple sec, and simple syrup in a large bowl or pitcher. 
2. Stir the oranges, lemons, limes, and raspberries into the mixture at least 30 minutes before serving. The longer the fruit marinates the better. Serve over ice.

Serves 6

The Kissy Suzuki

The Kissy Suzuki 

The Kissy Suzuki cocktail is named after a fictional character in Ian Fleming's James Bond novel You Only Live Twice.  Kissy Suzuki (at least the literary version) remains the only character who bears James Bond a child.  In the 1967 film version, Kissy is a ninja secret agent and former pearl diver.  Kissy Suzuki was played by Mie Hama who appeared in Playboy magazine becoming the first Asian woman to appear in Playboy.  Now on to the drink!  

Ingredients

2 Tbsp of raspberry puree
2 oz Tito's Vodka
.75 oz cranberry juice
2.5 oz apple juice
Sprite
Raspberries

Directions

Pour vodka, raspberry puree, cranberry juice, and apple juice into a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously, strain into a martini glass, and top with sprite.  Garnish with whole raspberries.

French Martini

French Martini

Ingredients:

1 1/2 oz Dripping Springs vodka
1/4 oz Chambord raspberry liqueur
1/4 oz fresh pineapple juice
1 twist lemon peel

Directions:

Pour vodka, raspberry liqueur, and pineapple juice into a shaker with ice.  Shake, pour into a cocktail or martini glass, garnish with a lemon twist, and serve.

History:

The French Martini was imported from Europe, more than likely Paris in the early 1990's.  Mixologists such as Dale DeGroff attribute the French Martini with starting the "martini craze" in the United States.  What makes this cocktail French is the Chambord raspberry liqueur which is made from black raspberries, honey, vanilla and brandy.  Chambord is made in Loire Valley, France and some form of the liqueur has been for the last 300 years.