Tag Archives | best signature cocktails

Signature Cocktail #13: Rhubarb-Vanilla Fizz

By Lauren 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

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Signature Cocktail #7: Guava Rum Punch

By Lauren 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

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Signature Cocktail #6: Black Pepper Kumquat Margarita

By Lauren 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.