Those fruity cocktails with catchy names pack a wallop.
Creating palate-pleasing party drinks can challenge even a professional mixologist. Making drinks from affordable ingredients without sacrificing taste is even more difficult. Match your drink offerings to the occasion, your guests' tastes and the season. Create a catchy name for your concoctions and provide vegan, low-fat and non-alcoholic alternatives so that everyone can enjoy your efforts. Drink recipes are just a starting point, so don't be afraid to change quantities or substitute locally-produced spirits and wines.
Suplicar Clemencia
Espresso is the base for Suplicar Clemencia.
Inspired by the robust, dark-roasted, special-order coffee served at the 444 Gallery Cafe in Asheville, North Carolina, Suplicar Clemencia, which means "Beg for Mercy" combines 3 shots extra-strong espresso with 1 shot brandy and 1/2 cup foamed whole milk topped with curls of 85 percent dark chocolate. Make a skinny version with skim milk or go vegan with almond or soy milk. Substitute sparkling white grape juice for the brandy if you want a non-alcoholic alternative. Master barista Giorgios Milos uses espresso, coffee liqueur, ice cream and American whiskey to make American Wings, a chilled summer drink with a similar kick.
9 Ladies Dancing Eggnog
Sprinkle the eggnog spices over a snowflake stencil for added visual appeal.
Originally created using the lower-shelf rum, Lady Bligh, you can also use 3 Palms spiced dark rum or substitute Yukon Jack, a lower-priced, honey-based Canadian whiskey. Mix 9 shots dark 80-proof rum with 1 dozen large eggs whipped into 2 quarts heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, removing from heat just as it begins to bubble into foam. Grate 1 tsp. fresh nutmeg into the mixture and stir in 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon. Stir in 1/4 cup raw cane sugar crystals or packed brown sugar. Serve in demitasse or espresso cups.
Make the skinny version with 2 pints plain or vanilla yogurt thinned with 1 cup skim milk instead of heavy cream. Omit the rum and substitute 1 tsp. vanilla and 3 tbsp. rum flavoring for a non-alcoholic version.
Sangria
Chilled seasonal fruit joins red wine to make this traditional Spanish beverage.
A must-serve for summer barbecues and patio parties, use boxed red wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Rioja reds, Zinfandel, or Shiraz as the base for your sangria. Slice oranges, lemons and other seasonal fruit into the wine, add half as much ginger ale, club soda or orange soda as wine and allow the mixture to chill in a punchbowl set in ice.
According to wine expert Lisa Shea at WineIntro.com, wine, alcohol and fruit have been mixed together for centuries even though sangria became popular after its United States debut at the 1964 World's Fair.
Tags: Suplicar Clemencia, heavy cream, Make skinny, Make skinny version, seasonal fruit, skim milk, skinny version