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Signature Cocktail #14: White Summer Sangria

By on May 17, 2013 in Signature Cocktails

A summer without a little sangria sipping is no summer at all. Our wedding wellness expert, Carlene Thomas of Healthfully Ever After, shares her low-sugar spin on this quintessential patio drink.

Sangria is the ultimate summer crowd-pleaser. It’s easy to make by the pitcher, and the flavors only improve as it sits. While there are many sangria recipes that use red wine as a base, white wine versions are equally delicious, and there’s no risk of party spirits being dampened by dreaded red wine stains. Pinot grigio is a sweet white wine, so you don’t need to add sugar, which is called for in many other sangria recipes.

Ingredients (per serving):

• 5 ounces of pinot grigio

• 1 ounce of peach schnapps

• Apples, cubed

• Strawberries, sliced

• Red grapes, cut in half (and some rolled in sugar for garnish)

• Honey

Directions:

Chill pinot grigio for several hours. Add 1 ounce of peach schnapps to a glass, add chopped fruit, and pour wine over top. Roll three whole grapes in honey and then sugar to skewer for a garnish.

Note: To make a pitcher, add 4 ounces of peach schnapps and two cups of chopped fruit to a pitcher. Pour wine over the top and place in the fridge until ready to serve.

Photos and recipe by Carlene Thomas for Limn & Lovely

Comments { 2 }

Signature Cocktail #13: Rhubarb-Vanilla Fizz

By on May 10, 2013 in All Posts, Signature Cocktails

Ever wonder what else you can make with those stalks of spring rhubarb besides pie and jam? Our wedding wellness expert, Carlene Thomas of Healthfully Ever After, proves that they make a great cocktail ingredient with this light and tangy rhubarb-based drink.

I will never tire of fresh produce and the natural color schemes that fruits and veggies create. Whether you’re browsing a farmers’ market or strolling the grocery aisles, something will reach out and give you a shock of inspiration. It’s the same with picking a wedding color palette according to your season. Looking at the pink- and green-tinged rhubarb stalks, I was inspired to pour something floral and bright, something sweet but not saccharine. With a cottage-garden feel, this seasonally special rhubarb-vanilla fizz is a must-try before the heat of summer creeps in.

Ingredients:

•   2 tablespoons of rhubarb syrup (Morris Kitchen*)

•   1.5 ounces of vodka

•   Vanilla seltzer water to fill (DRY Vanilla Bean Soda*)

•   Rhubarb stalk to garnish

*For a light and balanced drink, I’ve recommended certain products, as I know the outcome that they will produce. Feel free to use your preferred brands to fit your palate.

Directions:

Fill a glass with ice and pour rhubarb syrup and vodka over the top. Fill the glass with vanilla seltzer and stir the drink to blend with the rhubarb stalk.

Photos and recipe by Carlene Thomas for Limn & Lovely

Comments { 3 }

Signature Cocktail #12: Cantaloupe Black Pepper Cooler

By on April 24, 2013 in Signature Cocktails, Summer

Featuring cooling cucumber, blissfully sweet cantaloupe, and a simple syrup infused with black pepper, this week’s refreshing vodka cocktail is summer in a glass. Carlene Thomas, our wedding wellness expert, shares the recipe.

I can pinpoint my favorite cocktail experience. It involved a drink with melon and icy vodka. It was a humid summer day in D.C., and every time I took a sip, the aroma of sun-ripened melon completely enveloped me. And maybe the person next to me. In an effort not to recreate but rather to pay homage to that drink, I put a spin on it by adding an extra layer of refreshing flavor with lemon and cucumber. A simple syrup infused with black pepper lends a sweet and spicy kick. For an extra boozy treat, soak the cantaloupe balls in vodka before skewering.

Ingredients (makes 1):

1.5 ounces of vodka

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Several thin strips of cucumber

Melon balls (cantaloupe or honeydew)

1 tablespoon of a simple syrup infused with black pepper

1 basil leaf to garnish

Directions:

To make black pepper simple syrup: Add equal parts sugar and water to a small saucepan and heat to reduce. Add several grinds of black pepper and cool.

To make cocktail: Add ice to a cocktail shaker. Add vodka, simple syrup, and lemon to the container and shake to chill. Layer strips of cucumber to the sides and bottom of the glass. Create melon balls and skewer, topped with a basil leaf.

Photos and recipe by Carlene Thomas for Limn & Lovely

Comments { 0 }

Signature Cocktail #11: Scotch Bonnets and Strawberries

By on April 12, 2013 in All Posts, Signature Cocktails

Spice up springtime cocktails with the spunky kick of scotch bonnets. Native to the Caribbean islands, these fiery little peppers, named after their resemblance to Scottish Tam O’Shanter hats, look innocuous enough, but their off-the-charts heat rating puts even jalapeños to shame, so a little goes a long way. Our wedding wellness expert, Carlene Thomas of Healthfully Ever After, has paired homemade scotch bonnet–infused liquor with fresh strawberry purée to create a beautifully balanced beverage that’s anything but bland.

Sometimes, you crave a drink that’s sweet and fruity. Other times, a hard and spicy drink sounds right. And then there are days when you just have no idea what you want. Or maybe you’re hosting an engagement party and have been tasked with creating a signature drink. This is the drink for those situations. With a sweet base of strawberry purée, this hotter-than-hot scotch bonnet–infused liquor becomes sip-worthy and balanced.

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 ounces of scotch bonnet–infused vodka or tequila
  • 4 ounces of strawberry purée
  • Juice of 1/2 lime

Directions:

To infuse vodka or tequila: Puncture 1 scotch bonnet pepper and place in a small screw-top jar with your liquor of choice. Place in a pantry or closet for 1 day. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after handling the pepper.

To make strawberry puree (enough for about 6 drinks): Rinse and slice 2 cups of strawberries. Place in a small saucepan and cover with water. Allow to cook until the strawberries easily mash with a spoon. Purée the mixture and strain the seeds. Add honey to sweeten to taste.

To mix cocktail: Put ice in a cocktail shaker with the infused liquor, the strawberry purée, and the juice of the lime. Shake vigorously to blend the drink, and pour into a small glass. Garnish with a fresh strawberry.

 

 Photos and recipe by Carlene Thomas of Healthfully Ever After for Limn & Lovely

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Signature Cocktail #10: Basil Prosecco and Limoncello

By on March 29, 2013 in Season, Signature Cocktails, Spring

Spring has sprung, which means, among other delightful things, that lighter and brighter cocktails are in order. Here’s Carlene Thomas, our wedding wellness expert, with a simple recipe for an herbaceous and refreshing limoncello-based cocktail that suits the season to a tee.

With spring and wedding season finally upon us, I’m ready to break out the garden party attire. There’s nothing that makes me think of a warm-weather event more than a tall, icy lemonade. This sparkling citrus cocktail has the right balance of sweet, hand-zested limoncello, dry prosecco, and peppery fresh basil. If you’re looking for table décor, bring potted fresh basil to disperse around the party. It adds a delightful aroma, and guests will have fun picking their own herbs.

Ingredients:

  • 1 ounce of limoncello
  • Prosecco to fill
  • 1 palmful of fresh basil

Directions: Pour chilled limoncello into a champagne glass and muddle with fresh basil. Pour prosecco over the top and stir gently.

Note: For this beverage, my personal preferred brands are Zonin Prosecco and Bloomery Plantation Distillery Limoncello. Zonin sent this product as a gift, but we were not compensated for featuring it.

Photos and recipe by Carlene Thomas of Healthfully Ever After

Comments { 6 }

Signature Cocktail #9: Orange, Beer, & Bourbon

By on March 8, 2013 in Signature Cocktails

Given last week’s undeniably girly concoction, we thought this one should be aimed at the men folk. Here’s Carlene Thomas, our wedding wellness expert, with the lowdown on this beertail, an apropos choice for a bachelor party or for the male crowd at a wedding.

This cocktail series has included a bevy of signature drinks perfect for everything from the bridal shower to the bachelorette party, the wedding reception to the send-off. But I thought it was time that we shared a cocktail for the guys. I based this on the beer cocktail the Beggar’s Banquet, but I cleaned up the ingredients and added an Irish twist just in time for St Patrick’s Day. This Bachelor’s Banquet cocktail is the right starting point if you’re unsure about your opinion on dark liquors and beer. While drinking a beer or a bourbon alone might be overwhelming, the pairing with organic maple syrup and sweet orange cuts the harshness. The bourbon brings a spicy oakiness to the glass, while the slight carbonation from an Irish red ale adds a light fizz.

Ingredients:

  • 2 dashes of bitters
  • .5 ounces of freshly squeezed orange juice
  • .75 ounces of maple syrup
  • 2 ounces of bourbon or Irish whiskey
  • 6 ounces of Irish red ale
  • Orange half round

Directions:

In a cocktail shaker, add all the ingredients except the beer. Fill the shaker with ice and shake. Pour into a glass with ice cubes. (Note: I froze curls of orange peel in each cube to infuse more citrus as the ice melted.) Pour beer over the top and stir. Garnish with an orange slice.

Photos and recipe by Carlene Thomas

Comments { 1 }

Signature Cocktail #8: Vanilla Plum Martini

By on February 22, 2013 in All Posts, Signature Cocktails

Concocted by our wedding wellness expert, Carlene Thomas of Healthfully Ever After, today’s cocktail is a sophisticated vodka martini that plays off the silky flavor of vanilla and the sublimely sweet and tart notes of plums. This seductive drink is made for bachelorette bashes or chic urban soirées.

Martini glasses are sexy, and the cocktail is a classic, which makes it just the type of drink to serve at a bachelorette party. Utilizing fresh fruit with real and natural flavors, a martini is only enhanced and personalized. I whipped up this cocktail because I’ve never been able to find a clean plum-only cocktail recipe. Partnered with vanilla, plums are so romantic, and when shaken with ice and vodka, their taste becomes sophisticated and strong—exactly like some women I know.

Ingredients:

  • Plum purée (1 plum, 1/8 cup of sugar, 1 teaspon of vanilla, 3 tablespoons of water)
  • 2 ounces of vodka

Directions:

Slice plums and add to a small pot. Add sugar, vanilla, and water to the pot with the plums. Cover with a lid and cook on medium until the plums soften. Blend the plum mixture using a blender or immersion blender. Strain the purée and chill. Add 2 ounces of vodka and 2 ounces of the strained plum purée to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake and pour into a chilled martini glass.

Photos and recipe by Carlene Thomas

Comments { 3 }

Signature Cocktail #7: Guava Rum Punch

By on February 8, 2013 in All Posts, Signature Cocktails

Escape the doldrums of winter—momentarily, at least—with this tropically inspired cocktail. Your taste buds will be doing a hula dance. Here’s Carlene Thomas, our wedding wellness expert, with the short and sweet recipe for this bright, fruity libation.

Deep into the winter months, we all start feeling a bit blue and weary of the cold weather. It’s about the time when many of us begin craving a tropical vacation. Since scent is one of the strongest ties we have to memories of said warm wanderings, the choice of an aromatic fruit is one step in the right direction. Both guava and lime (and let’s be honest, rum as well) smell like somewhere sunny and lush. Luckily, guava is so naturally flavorful and sweet that no added sugar is needed, and this three-ingredient drink is simplicity at its finest.

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 ounces of spiced rum
  • 1.5 tablespoons of fresh lime juice
  • 4 ounces of guava nectar
  • Fresh guava and lime for garnish

 

Directions:

Chill a glass in the freezer. Cube the fresh guava and slice a round of lime to place on a swizzle stick. In the chilled glass, pour rum, fresh lime juice, and guava nectar. Stir.

Note: Guava nectar is very easy to find in international markets or in the Latin American section of most groceries.

Photos and recipe by Carlene Thomas

Comments { 3 }

Signature Cocktail #6: Black Pepper Kumquat Margarita

By on January 23, 2013 in All Posts, Catering and Food, Signature Cocktails

It’s margarita time! Today, our wedding wellness expert, Carlene Thomas of Healthfully Ever After, whipped up a sophisticated wintry margarita that entices with the pleasantly pungent flavor of kumquats, winter’s unheralded citrus gems, and a sprinkling of smoky black pepper. With sweet, tart, spicy, and citrusy notes in equal parts, this wonderfully complex and layered drink is an ideal signature cocktail choice for the chic and modern bride. Here’s Carlene with all the details.

Winter is the peak season for citrus. While you could buy oranges, it’s time to enjoy a petite and little-known fruit: the kumquat. Kumquats, including the skin, are 100 percent edible. They are tart like lemons but release an addictive sweetness as you chew. Put a spin on a traditional margarita with this little-used ingredient and a spicy dash of pepper on the rim of the glass. A black pepper kumquat margarita is the perfect signature drink for the bride with razor-sharp wit and a thoughtful heart.

Ingredients (makes 2):

  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 kumquats
  • 3 ounces tequila
  • 3 cups crushed ice
  • 1/2 cup sugar (to make simple syrup)
  • 2 ounces of Cointreau
  • 1 ounce of lime juice

Directions:

Moisten the rims of margarita or cocktail glasses with lime juice. Sprinkle salt and black pepper into a small bowl and dip the glass rims.

To make sweetened kumquats: Wash and puncture kumquats with a fork. Place in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring the kumquats to a boil, and drain the water. Repeat the process twice. Once you have boiled and drained the kumquats twice, add more water and an equal amount of sugar. Allow the sugar to dissolve over heat with the kumquats. Set aside.

In a blender, finely crush the ice. Add to glasses with the salt and pepper rims. Add syrup and a few kumquats to the glass. In a cocktail shaker, add tequila, lime, and Cointreau. Shake and pour over the kumquat ice.

Photos and recipe by Carlene Thomas

Comments { 2 }

Signature Cocktail #5: Cucumber-Pomegranate

By on January 9, 2013 in All Posts, Catering and Food, Signature Cocktails

If some biblical scholars are to be believed, it was a pomegranate, not an apple, with which Eve tempted Adam. This isn’t hard to imagine, as the enticing pomegranate is one of the most luscious, romantic fruits on earth, and it’s currently at its seasonal peak. Created by our wedding wellness expert, Carlene Thomas of Healthfully Ever After, today’s recipe pairs the pomegranate’s tart, ruby-red seeds with homemade cucumber-infused gin for a little sip of heaven that will lift you up and away. Here’s Carlene with all the juicy details on this bright, refreshing drink.

So we’re back in the swing of our day-to-day lives post holiday. Can we ask, where did all this work come from? More importantly, when is the next vacation? Although we can’t be your travel agent for a quick, rejuvenating getaway, we can bring a relaxing spa beverage to your home. In this cucumber-pomegranate cocktail, the tranquil and refreshing scent of cucumber mingles with the bright pop of seasonal pomegranate seeds, which are bursting with healthy antioxidants. Topped with a bit of jewel-like sparkle, this clean cocktail is your spa weekend transport.

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 ounces of cucumber-infused gin
  • 3 drops of bitters
  • Seltzer to top
  • 1 cucumber ribbon per glass
  • Pomegranate gems
  • Shaved ice

Directions:

To make cucumber-infused spirits, slice cucumbers, place in a jar with gin, and seal the jar. Shake occasionally and allow to combine in a cool, dark place for several days.

Make finely shaved/crushed ice using a blender or Vitamix. Slice cucumber ribbons using a mandolin and wrap along the inside of the glass. Mound shaved ice in the glass. Add cucumber gin and bitters together in a separate glass and stir. Pour over the ice and top off with seltzer. Place a sprinkling of pomegranate gems on top of the cocktail.

Photos and recipe by Carlene Thomas

Comments { 3 }

Signature Cocktail #4: Tea Thyme

By on January 1, 2013 in All Posts, Signature Cocktails

If you enjoyed a little too much bubbly while ringing in the new year last night, we’ve got just the thing to temper that nasty hangover: more booze! No, really. This restorative cocktail, which features tea, thyme, and a healthy dose of bourbon, is just what the doctor ordered. Here’s Carlene, our wedding wellness expert, with the lowdown.

Now that you’ve survived the bustling holiday soiree season, it’s time to bundle up and sip something soothing and bright. This hot cocktail has a black tea base with a zing of lemon and wintry thyme. The bourbon will warm you up even more, but don’t worry about the bite. With a swirl of honey, tea time has never been so cozy.  

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 ounces bourbon
  • 6 ounces brewed black tea
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • Lemon rounds
  • Sprig of thyme

Directions:

Brew 6 ounces of black tea in a mug. Allow to steep for a few minutes and remove tea bag. (Do NOT squeeze the tea bag. This releases bitter tannins.) To the mug, add honey and stir to dissolve. Pour in bourbon. Add freshly cut lemon rounds and top with a sprig of thyme.

Photos and recipe by Carlene Thomas

Comments { 3 }

Signature Cocktail #3: Pear Vanilla Cocktail

By on December 12, 2012 in All Posts, Catering and Food, Signature Cocktails

Your car, house, and wardrobe aren’t the only things that need winterizing; your cocktail party offerings deserve a sprucy winter makeover, too! Why not start with this enticingly frosty-looking pear vanilla concoction? Created by our wedding wellness expert, Carlene Thomas, RD, using ripe, sweetly spicy Bosc pears and fresh, warming nutmeg—a supposed aphrodisiac—it’s just the thing to lift those winter blues and put you in a festive mood. Having a winter wedding? This drink is seasonally apropos, and it will delight your guests’ palates with its rich, aromatic flavors. Here’s Carlene with all the delicious details.

Baby, it’s cold outside! But that doesn’t mean you should forget about frosty, sparkling, snow-inspired cocktails. Pears are a fabulous winter fruit that we traditionally send to each other during the holidays. Unlike a kitschy fruit cake, pears should be enjoyed posthaste with guests. With a splash of vanilla vodka and a dusting of freshly grated nutmeg, this icy drink becomes surprisingly warm and cozy.

Ingredients:

  • 1 ounce of vanilla vodka
  • 1 ounce of pear vodka
  • Club soda (to fill glass)
  • 1/2 small Bosc pear
  • Sanding sugar (for garnish)
  • Nutmeg, fresh
  • Ice, shaved

Directions:

Process ice into a shaved ice texture using a mixer (e.g., a food processor or a Vitamix).

Use a pear slice to moisten glass rim. Pour sanding sugar and freshly grated nutmeg onto a plate. Press the moistened rim into the sugar to coat it.

Add the shaved ice to the glass. Pour vodkas and club soda to fill. Slice pear rounds and position in glass. Stir.

Photos and recipe by Carlene Thomas

Comments { 5 }

Signature Cocktail #2: Persimmon Champagne

By on November 30, 2012 in All Posts, Signature Cocktails

Happy Friday, lovely readers! We’re sending you off into the weekend with a vibrant clean cocktail, created for you by our wedding wellness expert, Carlene Thomas, RD. Since persimmons abound this time of year, she decided to put them to good use, choosing the Fuyu variety for today’s recipe. (Distinguished by their squat shape, “flat” bottom, and deep orange color, Fuyus are sweet but not cloyingly so, and they have a mild, pumpkin-like flavor.) We’ll let Carlene describe in detail how to make this mouthwateringly delicious libation, perfect for a wedding toast on a nippy November night!

’Tis the season to break out the bubbly with winter flair! Persimmons are a festive orange fruit with cinnamon spice undertones, and they offer the kind of winter bliss that warms hearts and fights colds with an abundance of vitamin C. This persimmon-champagne mix makes an especially cozy cocktail. Might we suggest snuggling up with your significant other in front of a blazing fireplace beneath a sprig of mistletoe?

Ingredients: 

1 tablesppon Fuyu persimmon nectar

Champagne to fill traditional glass                                                        

To make persimmon nectar:

Peel 1 persimmon and chop into cubes. Place in a small pot on the stove with water to cover. Cook on medium until the persimmon is easily speared with a fork. Add a spoonful of sugar to sweeten and blend in an immersion blender or a standing blender. Return the purée to the stovetop and allow it to reduce slightly.

To prepare the cocktail:

Add 1 tablespoon of the persimmon nectar to the bottom of a champagne glass. Fill the remainder of the glass with champagne or prosecco and stir. Garnish with a wedge of persimmon so that guests can enjoy the fresh fruit on its own.

Photos and recipe by Carlene Thomas

Comments { 6 }

Signature Cocktail #1: Fennel Orange Sparkler

By on November 20, 2012 in All Posts, Catering and Food, Signature Cocktails

As craft cocktail aficionados, we heartily believe that every bride deserves to have a splendid signature cocktail served at her wedding. On that note, we’re thrilled to introduce a new bimonthly cocktail series contributed by the lovely Carlene Thomas. A registered dietitian and the media and public relations chair of the Virginia Dietetic Association, Carlene specializes in wedding wellness and helping brides to live healthfully ever after—no dreadful dieting required. You can find her on her daily blog, Carlene’s Figments, which serves up lifestyle inspiration and the freshest tips on how to lead a healthful life. Carlene believes that food and drink should be nutritious, delicious, and packed with flavor, and this ethos will be reflected in her original cocktail creations. Without further ado, here she is to share her first concoction, a bright and bubbly wintertime pick-me-up with seasonal fennel and orange juice.

A cocktail that plays on winter flavors, such as citrus and licorice-like fennel, and has a dash of pure bubbles is the perfect brunch reception drink. While many cocktails rely on sticky-sweet liquors and cocktail juices to achieve flavor, we prefer a clean, bright, and simple beverage. One of the best ways to accomplish a clean cocktail is by creating infused alcohols or simple syrups. A drink light on calories but filled with flavor? We’ll drink to that!

 Ingredients:

  • 1 ounce of fennel simple syrup
  • 2 ounces of orange juice
  • 2 ounces of vodka
  • Seltzer to fill glass
  • Garnishes: Fennel stalks and orange peel

To create a flavored simple syrup:

Slice desired flavoring agent (roughly 1/2 cup fennel) and add to a small saucepan. Add equal parts water and sugar to the saucepan and bring to a simmer for several minutes until the liquid becomes thick. Strain the fennel from the syrup. This method can be used for nearly any flavor!

To mix cocktail:

In a tumbler, add chilled vodka, fennel syrup, and cold orange juice. Stir to combine. Add chilled seltzer to the glass to fill. Stir lightly to keep the drink carbonated.

Photos and recipe by Carlene Thomas

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