Cocktails: 3 ingredients or less...Your next soiree is in the bag
photo via tulle&grace--simply charming socials
As an avowed wine drinker and red-wine enthusiast, I've always found cocktails a bit intimidating. Having guests over for a dinner party or late-night gathering was always accompanied by a big glass of wine or whiskey on the rocks. To me, cocktails were just too fussy. Many of them required having a fully stocked bar or hard-to-find liqueurs and ingredients to create them, a bit of a put-off for me. A few dozen dinner parties, and many cocktails later, however, I've decided to create a solution for this dilemma and take the 'dark & stormy' plunge into finding easy signature drinks. I've gathered the most simple cocktails I could find, with ingredients you probably already have around your house and compiled them here. These 3 ingredient cocktails are a beginner’s guide to mixing drinks and are four drinks that I think you should serve at your next soiree.
Number 1: Grapefruit Mimosas with sage:
Photo via Athena Wellness
What trip to the spa or late morning Sunday brunch would be complete without the iconic Mimosa? Bright and fizzy champagne, golden hued with delicious orange juice--the perfect antidote to Saturday night's over-indulgences. This recipe is a gourmet twist on the classic brunch cocktail.
Ingredients:
Champagne
Fresh grapefruit juice lightly sweetened with simple syrup (sugar & water) or already sweetened store bought grapefruit juice
Sage leaves (optional)
Instructions:
Fill a champagne glass ¾ of the way full with champagne. Add a splash of grapefruit juice.
Feeling fancy? Slightly bruise sage leaves and drop into the bottom of each champagne flute for an herby aroma.
Number 2: Dark & Stormy
The Dark & Stormy is a spicy, super gingery cocktail. It's usually served with a lime wedge and a good dosage of rum in it and if you're a fan of ginger ale, then you'll love this alcoholic version.
Ingredients:
Ice
Lime wedges
Ginger beer
Dark rum
*one ounce of dark rum for every three ounces of ginger beer
Instructions:
Fill a glass with several ice cubes, and squeeze a lime wedge over the ice. Pour ginger beer over the ice and then slowly pour in the dark rum, if done correctly the rum should sit over the ginger beer like a 'storm cloud'.
Garnish with a lime wedge.
Gently stir before drinking.
Number 3: The Cognac Sparkler
Photo & recipe via Pop Sugar
Another easy cocktail, the Cognac Sparkler only requires two ingredients: Cognac and hard apple cider. Its soft apple-y taste and warm overtones from the cognac, give this drink a real comfort appeal. This would be a perfect pairing with a cheese board and some spicy apple chutney!
p.s if you want to go even more apple crazy first pour a small amount of fresh apple cider, then cognac, then top with hard apple cider.
Ingredients:
1/2 ounce (1 tablespoon) cognac
3/4 cup chilled sparkling hard apple cider
*optional fresh apple cider
Instructions:
Pour the cognac into a chilled Champagne flute. Top with chilled sparkling apple cider. Serve.
Number 4: The Pared down Margarita
Photo and recipe via gimmesomeoven
As you all know by now from my previous posts, I love tacos. And what goes better with tacos than a perfectly salty, citrusy, iced margarita? This recipe is no exception. Top notch ingredients and simple preparation will make this your go-to margarita recipe.
INGREDIENTS:
FOR A SINGLE MARGARITA:
1 1/2 ounces tequila, silver or reposado
3/4 ounce freshly-squeezed lime juice
Agave nectar, maple syrup or simple syrup for sweetening, if desired
Ice
*lime wedge and salt for rimming the glass
For a Pitcher (16 glasses)
3 cups tequila, silver or reposado
.5 cups freshly-squeezed lime juice
Agave nectar, maple syrup or simple syrup for sweetening, if desired
Ice
*lime wedges and salt for rimming the glass es
DIRECTIONS:
Add tequila, lime juice and Cointreau to a cocktail shaker, and shake or stir until combined. Taste, and if you would like it to be sweeter (most people do!), stir in a half teaspoon of agave or simple syrup until the mix reaches your desired level of sweetness.
Fill glass with ice. Pour in the margarita mixture over the rocks. Serve immediately, garnished with an extra lime wedge if desired.
Pitcher instructions:
Stir tequila and lime juice together in a large pitcher until combined. Add your desired amount of sweetener (I would begin with 2-3 tablespoons agave) until the margaritas reach your desired level of sweetness.
Fill the glasses with ice. Pour in the margarita mixture over the rocks. Serve immediately, garnished with extra lime wedges if desired.
Parting words of wisdom:
Cocktails can be simple. They don't have to be complicated concoctions involving elderflower cordial and candied thyme twigs. Sometimes, they even go better with certain dishes than wine does. So, if you're looking to mix things up a bit at your next dinner party, try serving one of these to your guests.
Here at Autumn Wood stylist HQ we're wearing our comfy sweater, listening to Johnny Cash croon and dreaming of hot days and sweet tea.
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