Cocktails That Remind You of Your Childhood

OK, I admit, I only posted this initially because it cracked me up...and reminded me of my childhood...we used to do this with Kool-Aid and Pop-Rocks, so it's only fitting that we move Pop Rocks to a more adult beverage! For those of you who somehow missed out on the Pop Rock phenomena in your childhood, Pop Rocks are candy that makes a crackling sound as it hits your tongue.  They come in an assortment of flavors. 

For the bridal couple with a sense of humor, just rim your cocktails with these popping candies so they explode on the tongues of your guests.  These recipes found on Pizzazzerie's web site are just a few good combos for either cocktails or mocktails using these fun candy rocks.  Use these or make your own combos.  Half the fun of these is creating your own versions of Pop Rockin' Cocktails and taste testing them.  More recipes on Pop Rocks web site.

How do you make Pop Rock cocktails? According to Pizzazzerie "Simply dampen the edges of your glass with lemon juice. If you have trouble with the pop rocks clumping or sticking, you can try dipping them in a thin layer of caramel (but only use a small amount).Then dip the rims into a plate filled with the pop rocks of choice. You can also simply drop the POP ROCKS into your cocktail for a festive FIZZLE!

POP ROCKS ON THE BEACH

1/2 oz Vodka
1/2 oz Midori melon liqueur
1/2 oz Chambord raspberry liqueur
3 splashes Pineapple juice
Drop Watermelon Pop Rocks on top

STRAWBERRY POPPER ROCKER

1 shot Strawberry Schnapps
Fill with 7-Up
Drop Strawberry Pop Rocks on top

MALIBU POP ROCKS

1 oz Malibu rum
1 oz Blue Curacao
1 splash Pineapple juice
1 splash Cranberry juice
Drop Fruit Punch Pop Rocks on top

Image via Food Network

Lofty Ambitions--Try New Liqueurs By Loft

A new company called Loft Liqueurs founded by two women who were caterers from San Francisco, just released an entire portfolio of organic liqueurs with unusual flavors including lavender, blueberry cello, tangerine cello and lemongrass, and spicy ginger. All are inspired by Italian limoncello. You can read more about these new liqueurs and see all the different flavors available and the limit on using these is just your imagination! Organic, taste good, what more could you ask for?  Oh, one more thing, their web site offers a variety of cocktails to make with these liqueurs.  And bottles that are as beautiful and the taste is good.  Drink chilled or mix with your favorite vodka, rum, Champagne, iced tea, lemonade, soda, sparkling water or juice. Also great over ice cream!

Peach Prosecco Sangria

Having a wedding during the summer? Serve Peach Prosecco Sangria (recipe below).  This great recipe is courtesy of Martha Stewart, the queen of entertaining, so you know it's good!  Use bamboo skewers to keep it green and you're good to go.  Sweet and refreshing, pretty too! Perfect for your wedding or shower.

Peach Prosecco Sangria

Ingredients

1 peach

1 nectarine

3 apricots

5 ounces peach brandy

1 bottle (750 mL) chilled Prosecco, (Italian sparkling wine)

1 cup peach nectar

Superfine sugar (optional)

Directions

In a pitcher, combine peach, nectarine, and apricots, all pitted and cut into wedges. Stir in peach brandy; let sit at least 1 hour. Stir in Prosecco and peach nectar. Add superfine sugar, if desired. Serve chilled.

Set Up a DIY Champagne Bar

Pizzazzerie suggsted this interesting option for a signature drink.  It's pretty, it's pink and it's a combination of champagne and fruit juice.  Set up your own DIY champagne bar for an elegant option to your usual open bar.  Give your guests a simple but elegant option of sweet cocktails that are a combination of juices like pomegranite, cranberry or other juices mixed with some champagne.  By letting guests make their own cocktails they can opt for simple champagne or add some fruit juices for a more creative drink option.  Give your guests some fresh fruit or berries to add to the rim of their drink, and add some pretty striped straws, (the ones Pizzazzerie showed were from Shop Sweet Lulu.)  You could also make your own drink stirrers or find come on Etsy that coordinate with your wedding colors.  To finish off the DIY champagne bar add possible recipes  and frame them on matte board.  So a few cases of champagne, some juices, elegant glasses with pretty stirrers all add up to an elegant DIY champagne bar that will please both the taste buds of your guests and be pleasing to the eye.  It's the small touches of the recipes and the straws and stirrers that take this DIY bar from the ordinary to the extraordinary.

Photo by Rebecca Wood Photography via The Caketress Blog

Happy Memorial Day!

Just wanted to wish all my readers a Happy Memorial Day! Enjoy your cookouts or beach trips or the day at the pool. See you tomorrow! Nancy&Bill

Looking For Gluten Free Beer For Your Wedding?

Are you a bride or groom who needs a gluten-free option for your wedding and you really want to have beer? Now you can! Imbibe Magazine just reviewed the gluten-free beers on the market and found five that they thought were worth giving a shot. Granted they don't have quite the same flavor as traditional beers that contain wheat and barley(and thus gluten) but they are worth trying.  The beers they selected replaced the wheat or barley with anything from sorghum to millet.  Find the top five choice at Imbibe's web site.  You can serve only gluten-free beers or add them to other beer or cocktails for your wedding guests who prefer a more traditional beer. 

Vintage Lemonade Labels For Your Wedding

Why not have a non-alcoholic wedding and serve your guests some thirst quenching lemonade, limeade or pink lemonade? To give your wedding a unique look download these creative labels from 'I Do' It Yourself. The labels are customized with your names and the date of your wedding. The labels have a vintage look with an ingredient list that reads: "Ingredients for a happy marriage: love 25%, laughter 25%, friendship 25%, and fun 25%." The PDF file for these labels have a vintage look and have designs for fresh lemonade, limeade and pink lemonade. Visit their web site for more great DIY ideas for your wedding.