Spring Swing Sangria

Snow is melting, patios are opening and the sun stays out longer. Perfect time to practice and perfect your very own sangria mix. This post is to empower YOU to make your very own sangria mix to match your likings. Here's the tricks to the mix.

Chose a wine you like.

Chose flavors you want to highlight or contrast from the wine.

Add fruit to broaden the wine's bouquet and to bring some sweetness.

Let the flavors mix and mingle for a bit.

Add liquor (I like Cointreau or Lychee Soho for a white wine Sangria) and some brandy.

For some creative inspiration check out the recipes for Sangria at foodnetwork.com

Add the soda, either soda water or something flavored.

Serve with friends.

('’)

Spring Swing Sangria

Quando Cointreau

Cointreau, the beauty of cointreau is that it's 40%. So you get the flavour without dilution. Cointreau is a superb replacement for anything that requires triple sec. So ladies, if you want to make your cosmo more Cointreauversial (I didn't come up with that, it's their marketing word) then add a splash of Cointreau instead of your triple sec.

Recipe:

1 oz Cointreau

2 oz Vodka

3 oz Cranberry

.5 oz Lime Juice

Squeeze of fresh lime.

Place all ingredients into a shaker with ice, then shake shake shake! (The harder you shake the frothier it will pour). Then pour it through a strainer into your martini glass. Garnish with a lime wheel or a decorative lemon twist. Remember the longer the twist the better.

Here I will let you in on my little secret. Every time I do a le

mon twist, I peel the zest over the glass. This way, the oils that are in the lemon skins fall over the glass and adds just the essence of lemon. I then take the twist and give it a quick rub around the rim of the glass. Then I pour in cocktail.

Now while doing my research for this blog, I came across a beautiful recipe. It's the Cointreau Teese (created by Dita Von Teese). I haven't tried it, but the presentation is striking.

Here's the recipe:

4 cl (1 1/2oz) Cointreau
2 cl (3/4oz) Apple juice
1,5 cl (1/2oz) Monin violet syrup
1,5 cl (1/2oz) Fresh lemon juice

Frost ginger around the rim of the glass

Ok, so what if you're a man? Guys, Cointreau can go in your coffee. Nothing quite like a glass of coffee with a shot of Cointreau and a Cuban cigar. For guys it's all about the simple pleasures in life.

For more recipes using Cointreau, check out their sight here -> http://www.cointreau.us/cocktails/creative-cocktails-800054.html

Quando Cointreau

Cape Cod

Simplicity

Rocks Glass, Ice to the top, Vodka, Cranberry to fill, Lime wedge. 

Voila,

Cape Cod.

Cape Cod

The Dai Qui Ri

Daiquiri's are a chill drink for a hot day. Made from daiquiri mix (Strawberry or Lime) blended ice, Rum, a sugar rim, and a splash of sour (lime or your own substitute), this drink will make you feel like you're sitting on a tropical beach. When you make your daiquiri's, try to blend it for as long as possible, this will ensure it's nice and thick and smooth to drink. 

Having your ratios right is really important for this drink; you reall wont want your daiquiri's to be too watery, so measure your drink in your glass before throwing it into the blender. And feel free to throw some fruit in the blender, perhaps some pineapple or banana, to add a more organic and tropical taste to it. If you feel a little more adventurous, add some Galliano (banana flavour) or Malibu Rum (coconut).

Now to get the sugar rim is a very simple process. Throw some sugar into a saucer, then moisten the rim of your empty daiquiri glass (ideally a poco-grande) with a lime wedge or a slice of strawberry or even just water. Then dip the moistened rim into the sugar untill you get your desired rim. Eh Voila! 

The Dai Qui Ri

Bloody Caesar Rebellion

Finding a good Bloody Caesar isn't so difficult in Toronto, but finding one that is more than just your typical Worcestershire, lime, salt, pepper, and celery caesar is more challenging. You'd probably be best off making one for yourself. When you find yourself in the mood for an indie caesar, try a few of the following ingredients. The possibilities are endless.

Dill

Pickle Juice

Paprika

Bacon strips (Garnish)

Horseradish

Wasabi

Ginger

Cucumber/vegetable infused Gin

Bitters

Jalepeno Peppers

If you find an amazing combination or if you have

any other indie ingredients, let me know about

them by posting a comment.

Thanks!

Photo Compliments of lulife

Bloody Caesar Rebellion

Manhattan Megalomania

What's more indie than something that's a little retro? Hence an ode to the Manhattan. This understated drink has stood the test of time. It's a man's drink, something that was good enough for your dad, if your dad had class that is. This drink transcends white collar and blue collar dichotomies and has stood the test of time. The simple mixture of whiskey (bourbon to make it indie), sweet vermouth, a dash of bitters and garnished by a single cherry is not only great tasting and smooth to drink, but it is also a statement of who you are. Smooth and slightly smokey, a modicum of mystery, not simple yet it is straight forward. Complex: yes. Convoluted, it is not.

This classic and masculine drink isn't for young strapping studs who would prefer shooters and beer, or slimy old sedentary drunks drinking swill. The Manhattan is a drink for gentlemen who know how to appreciate the finer things in life. The Manhattan is poetry, a metaphor for meditation; the drink shows that you appreciate and can find beauty that is clandestine and concealed: complex and complicated.

Manhattan Megalomania

Night out Negroni's

I have yet to try a good negroni. It's elegant in appearance but harsh in the pallet. It's like being hit in the mouth with a fistful of feet. Composed of an ounce each of gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari then garnished with an orange and a splash of bitters, this pungent potion tastes horrible and invokes memories of Buckley's cough syrup commercials, "Tastes bad, works GOOD!" However, those who do enjoy the drink swear by it, so I'll just assume I haven't had one indie style yet. When ordering this retro drink, if your server looks at you sideways and needs to ask around to find out the recipe, change your order to a rum and coke.

Night out Negroni's