Market-Fresh Mixology

‘Tis the season to make tasty cocktails!

Friday morning as I wake from my food coma I will find my fridge full of Thanksgiving leftovers and endless opportunities. No doubt there will be turkey sandwiches for lunch accompanied with all the fixins’ followed by homemade turkey soup for dinner.

Why not turn turkey day re-runs into tasty new libations! For example, I typically end up with a lot of cranberry sauce left over. Cranberries have a sweet and tart zing taste much like a pomegranate. By reducing the sauce on your stove top with some wine or simple syrup you can turn that canned jelly into a beautiful delicious syrup.

Why not treat yourself to a cranberry cocktail after on long day of holiday shopping and chase away those black Friday blues? Try my recipe for a great day-after-Thanksgiving Cranberry Cocktail.

        Cranberry Cocktail

        1 ½ oz Patron silver tequila
        ½ oz Grand Marnier 100
        2 oz fresh sour
        1 oz cranberry port reduction
        Garnish with 3 cranberries on a pick

        In a sauce pan on high heat
        ½ cup cranberry sauce (without whole berries)
        ½ cup of your favorite port
        2 bar spoons of cinnamon
        1 bar spoon of super fine sugar
        2 oz fresh lime juice

        Bring to boil and keep stirring. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
        Set aside to cool. Keep in the fridge.

Or you may have some herbs left over from your homemade dressing. Don’t let them go to waste. Sage and tarragon are a terrific addition to many classic cocktails such as the daiquiri, bloody Mary, gimlet and Tom Collins.

For many who bake pies a hot toddy is an easy choice. All you need is little hot water, whisky, lemon, honey and a pinch of your favorite left over spices like cinnamon or nutmeg to make a perfect holiday Hot Toddy.

Play with your leftovers and create yourself a tasty cocktail and a new holiday tradition!

Happy Holidays!
Bridget

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Growing up I have fond memories of helping my mother pick beets from my grandpas Henry’s garden. We ate them in as many ways as Bubba did with his shrimp.

It is one thing to eat a beet, but mix one in a cocktail? You bet!

Roasting beets turns the natural sugars to concentrate, creating a sweet juice. Add a little lime and tequila and you have a savory twist on the Margarita.

Beet juice sings when mixed with gin. Give a new life to your Lime Rickey by adding a ½ oz of fresh beet juice to the recipe. The juniper will carry the sweetness from the beet and create a bold new flavor to this classic.

Beets are full of nutritional value too. They are low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. This tasty veggie is high in dietary fiber, potassium, manganese, vitamin C, iron and magnesium.

Mix equal portions of juice from a beet, carrot and an apple. Stir over ice and serve. This makes a delicious no proof cocktail. Not only does it taste good, it is good for you.

Have fun with the many beet cocktail possibilities!

Cheers!
Bridget

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All of my single family members are getting married this fall. Most of you may already know that I come from a very large Polish, Irish, Italian family. So on any given Saturday night you will find my hubby and I doing the Polka or Electric Slide at the local wedding hall in my home town.

During each of these weddings, the toasts have been missing one key element: the signature wedding cocktail!

Brides typically spend an enormous amount of time and energy to make sure each and every detail of their wedding is special. The toast is a great opportunity to unite all of the joyful elements together.

Here are a few fabulous wedding cocktail tips:

• Have the dinner menu include a signature toast cocktail. When naming the cocktail use a word that expresses happiness after their last name. Example: For the happy couples toast: Susan McShaffrey & Craig Malloy invite you to raise your glass and enjoy a signature Malloy Bliss Cocktail.
• Incorporate seasonal fruits and juices into the cocktail that match the bridal party colors. Prickly pears make rich fuschia cocktails, watermelon is tasty and a pretty shade of pink and kiwi is bright green and perfect for a holiday wedding. You get the idea!
• Tropical drinks are already beautiful and full of fruit and flavor. This category of cocktails is perfect for a beach wedding!
• Don’t forget the non alcoholic crowd. On the bar menu include a variety of fun non alcoholic cocktails for your guests who do not enjoy spirits or wine but still want to be festive.

Friends enjoy the wedding season and brides I hope you are able to use these tips to help make your special day full of happiness!

Cheers!
Bridget

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Nothing says “late summer” like mixing up a tasty veggie inspired cocktail from my garden. It’s like capturing the last bit of summertime in my glass.

There are fun and easy guidelines for mixing with these savory flavors. To begin, don’t fear the veggies! Use them in your cocktails the same way you would a salad or a side dish.

Choose veggies that have sweet and rich flavors. You can balance your favorite cocktails by muddling them into the recipe or by simply using the juice.

Below are some of my favorite combinations:

• Carrot & ginger goes great with citrus vodka based cocktails. The carrot juice gives a sweet edge while the ginger will add a tasty zing.
• Jalapeno pepper, mango and lemon sorbet is a great combination and let’s not forget the tequila! Tequila and jalapenos go together as naturally as peas and carrots. The spiciness from the pepper can withstand and capture the agave flavor of the tequila. Add your favorite lemon sorbet and mango to the mix and your palate will have a fiesta.
• Cucumber, papaya and gin. A fantastic play on the juniper flavor of gin. Add a bit of cucumber to your classic gin cocktails and a hint of papaya. The cucumber adds freshness when muddled. The papaya will give it a boost with just the right amount of island flavor.

The combinations you mix with are really up to you. Trust your palate and most of all have fun!

Cheers,
Bridget

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Hello Friends,

Labor Day weekend is here! Let’s begin the preparations for our picnics and parties. Here are a few tips to make our long weekend cocktails simple and tasty!

• Choose two cocktails that are easy to make in large quantities and that you can serve in pitchers at your party. Examples: Margarita, Cosmopolitan, or Hurricanes.
• Theme your cocktails with the holiday! Use your last name for a signature touch. Example: "The McShaffrey Margarita" or "Labor Day Lemonade".
• To enhance the charm of your party include the cocktails on your invites.
• Make mini cocktail menus to offer your guests as party favors. This is always a big hit with my family and friends.
• Make certain your home bar is well stocked with plenty of glassware, beverage napkins, straws, ice, spirits, mixers and produce ahead of time.
• To insure a non fussy picnic, pre make all of your cocktails in take along pitchers that have secure lids and store in your cooler with plenty of ice. Bring disposable glassware to ease your clean up.
• Garnishes should compliment your cocktail. Keep them simple or store bought. Example: lemon and lime wedges or a sugar cane stick.

With these tips your Labor Day weekend cocktails are sure to be a success!

Cheers,
Bridget

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