Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Refreshing, patriotic drinks to enjoy this 4th
Refreshing, patriotic drinks to enjoy now
Declare your independence from the same-old sippers and add some red, white and blue to your cocktails.
Three cheers for the red, white and blue — cocktails! Declare your independence from the same-old sippers and add some sparkle to your celebration, starting with Red, White and Blue Punch
“It’s a fun drink,” said Joanne Levengood of Manatawny Creek Winery in Douglassville. “You go to these picnics, and you just expect something different than a can of beer… Although, I do love beer. Don’t get me wrong.”
She mixes her blueberry wine called Happiness with orange juice, ginger ale, brandy, blueberries, strawberries, lemon and whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for a treat that’s “really pretty” and “yummy.”
Or let freedom ring with a patriotic martini. It’s an eye-catching blend of blue Hpnotiq liqueur, citrus vodka and lemon-lime soda. Slowly adding grenadine gives that layered effect.
“You have the three colors of the flag: the red, white and blue,” explained wine specialist Rob Peters of Fine Wine & Good Spirits in Ardmore. “Plus, I think it’s a nice combination of flavors that lend themselves to warm weather.”
How about a Star-Spangled Spritzer? This layered drink features pineapple vodka, blue curaçao, grenadine and club soda.
“The club soda gives you the effervescence and also helps cut down on the sweetness,” he said.
Finally, for something sweet and sour try a Cherry Breeze.
“We’re sort of taking the concept of a whiskey sour and modifying it,” Peters described. “It’s a new expression on a classic theme.”
And “who doesn’t like cherries?”
Red, White & Blue Martini INGREDIENTS
2 ounces Hpnotiq 1 ounce Smirnoff Citrus Vodka 1 splash lemon-lime soda 1 teaspoon grenadine 3 fresh blueberries
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine first three ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into a martini glass. Slowly pour in grenadine. It will fall to the bottom of the glass, creating a layered effect. Garnish with blueberries RECIPE COURTESY OF FINE WINE & GOOD SPIRITS
Cherry Breeze INGREDIENTS
2 ounces Evan Williams Cherry Whiskey 1 ounce cranberry juice
AINSTRUCTIONS
Combine all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into a tall glass filled with fresh ice. RECIPE COURTESY OF FINE WINE & GOOD SPIRITS
Star-Spangled Spritzer INGREDIENTS
1 ounce Pinnacle Pineapple Vodka (can substitute with Raspberry, Blueberry, Strawberry Shortcake or Vanilla Vodka) 1 ounce DeKuyper Blue Curaçao 1 ounce grenadine Club soda Fresh fruit (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Carefully pour ingredients separately into a rocks glass. Add ice and garnish with fruit, if desired. RECIPE COURTESY OF FINE WINE & GOOD SPIRITS
Red, White & Blue Punch INGREDIENTS
1 bottle Manatawny Creek Winery’s Happiness (blueberry) wine 1 cup orange juice (not from concentrate) 8 ounces ginger ale 1/2 cup fresh blueberries 1/2 cup frozen strawberries 1 lemon, thinly sliced ¼ cup brandy Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream
INSTRUCTIONS
We’re using fresh blueberries for the blue component since it’s blueberry season currently and frozen strawberries for the red component since that season is over. And for the white part, top with ice cream or whipped cream depending on how you are serving this delightful summer treat.
LIBERTY, JUSTICE AND MOCKTAILS FOR ALL!
Pint-sized patriots, moms-to-be and nondrinkers alike will enjoy a funfilled Fourth with these allAmerican mocktails. One features red, white and blue layers. The other makes a bang with “Independence Ice Cubes.”
Yankee Doodle Density Drinks INGREDIENTS
White Grape Cranberry Juice
Gatorade Fierce, Blue Cherry Vitamin Water Zero, Squeezed Lemonade
INSTRUCTIONS
Chill ingredients. Fill glasses with ice. The key to this red, white and blue layered drink is using liquids with different sugar densities. Since the juice is highest in sugar (39 grams per 8 ounces), pour it in first for the red layer. Then very slowly pour or drizzle Blue Cherry Gatorade, the next sweetest (21 grams per 12 ounces), over the ice followed by sugar-free Vitamin Water. Try to fill 1/3 of the glass with each color. Feel free to use any combination of juice, sports drink, flavored water, etc. Just read the labels. The greater the sugar difference, the cleaner the layers. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM WWW.STEVESPANGLERSCIENCE.COM
Patriotic Coolers with Independence Ice Cubes INGREDIENTS
Ice cubes: 1 ice cube tray 1 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed
1/3 cup Ocean Spray Blueberry Juice Cocktail
1/2 cup Ocean Spray White Cranberry Juice Drink
1/2 cup Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice Cocktail Coolers: 2 cups Ocean Spray White Cranberry Juice Drink
2 (12-ounce) cans lemonlime flavored soda, chilled
INSTRUCTIONS
Place 4 blueberries in each of 16 ice cube cups. Add about 1 teaspoon blueberry-flavored juice. Freeze at least 1 hour or until solid. Add 1/2 tablespoon white cranberry drink to each cup. Freeze 1 hour or until solid. Top with 1/2 tablespoon cranberry beverage. Freeze at least 1 hour or until solid.
In each of 4 tall glasses, pour 1/2 cup white cranberry juice drink and 3/4 cup soda. Add ice cubes to each glass. Makes 4 servings. RECIPE COURTESY OF OCEAN SPRAY CRANBERRIES, INC.