Sweeten Your Day with This Recipe for National Watermelon Day

If there's one fruit of the summer, it is hands down, watermelon! And it just so happens that National Watermelon Day falls on an extremely hot August 3rd. With watermelon in one hand, the only proper thing to do is to have a watermelon cocktail in the other, right? My kind of double fisting! Watermelon and gin is my new favorite combination, and surely one which I know you will love. Here's my recipe for a Silver Watermelon Cooler! 

Silver Watermelon Cooler

Recipe: 

1.5 oz. NOLET’S Silver Gin

.5 oz. Elderflower Liqueur

.5 oz. Lemon Juice

.5 cup Fresh Watermelon

4 Basil Leaves

Directions:

Muddle basil and watermelon in the bottom of a shaker. Add ice and all other ingredients to the shaker. Shake and strain into a goblet. Garnish with a basil leaf.

It's National Tequila Day... So Let's Make Lots of Tequila Cocktails

National Tequila Day might just be one of my favorite days of the year. But I mean... isn't any day you drink tequila one of your favorite days? Maybe I'm just biased because tequila is my fave (sorry vodka... actually not sorry), but there's nothing like a nice refreshing tequila cocktail on a hot day -- perfect that this day falls during a summer month! Here are some of my favorite recipes to celebrate with: perfect for parties, get togethers or simply just sitting by the pool or in your own backyard with one in hand. Cheers!

Corralejo Spicy Pineapple Paloma

Ingredients:

2 ounces Corralejo Silver

½ ounce grapefruit juice

½ ounce lime juice

½ sliced Serrano pepper

¾ ounce agave syrup

Pineapple soda (to top)

Tajín (for rim)

Directions:

Rim your glass with Tajín

Add all ingredients except the bitters into a cocktail shaker with ice

Shake hard to chill and combine ingredients

Strain into your glass over fresh ice

Top with pineapple soda

Garnish & Enjoy!

Pomegranate Margarita

Ingredients: 

2oz tequila

2oz pomegranate juice

1oz lime juice

1oz simple syrup

Sparkling Ice Classic Lemonade

Vanilla flake salt rim, for garnish

Lime wedge, for garnish

Directions: 

Rim glass with a lime and dip into salt, fill glass with ice and set to the side. In an ice filled cocktail shaker, combine tequila, pomegranate juice, lime juice, simple syrup, and shake. Strain into glasses and top with Sparkling Ice Classic Lemonade, stir lightly to combine. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Los Arango Spicy Ginger Margarita

Ingredients:

2 ounces Los Arango Blanco

1 ounce lime juice

½ ounce ginger simple syrup

3 slices fresh cut jalapeño

Tajín for rim

Directions: 

Rim your glass with Tajín

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice

Shake to chill and combine ingredients

Fine strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice

Garnish & Enjoy!

Frosecco Cocktails Are The New Summer Trend | Bubbling at 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge

Move over frosé - you are SO last summer. Drunken popsicles in your cocktail? Been there, done that. A new frozen treat is on the market and it's a whole lot more bubbly and fun than last year's flat libation. Introducing, the first-ever froseccó cocktails! 

Ruffino wine has partnered with 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge to create the ultimate summer sipper from June to August! These stunning, colorful and sweet drinks emulate the vibe of the season. They go for just $15 each with 2 flavors offered:  Froseccó Fiore, with hints of citrus garnished with Lavender and Elderflower, and Froseccó Frutta, made with blackberries and peaches.

For my fellow friends who aren't in the NYC area, not to worry! These babies can be made at home with your Ruffino wine and are the perfect drinks for all your summertime celebrating and relaxing alfresco!

Froseccó Fiore

Ingredients:

25 oz Ruffino Prosecco

12 oz St Germain

8 oz Lemon Juice

4 oz Vodka

8 oz Simple Syrup

Directions:

Mix all ingredients and pour into a frozen drink machine. Mix until frozen and pour in an oversized wine glass. Garnish with fresh lavender, elderflower and a lemon wheel. 

Froseccó Frutta

Ingredients:

25 oz Ruffino Prosecco

12 oz Blackberry Simple (Fresh blackberries + simple syrup)

8 oz Lemon Juice

4 oz Peach Simple Syrup

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients and pour into a frozen drink machine. Mix until frozen and pour in an oversized wine glass. Garnish with fresh blackberries and peaches.

Buzzing for Bee Pollen | A Superfood Cocktail

What's better than your average cocktail? One that you can actually feel good about when drinking! The latest superfood craze is bee pollen, and it surprisingly it does not have to stop at just being used in smoothies and acai bowls. 

Celebs such as Kourtney Kardashian have confessed their love for the superfood full of amino acids and vitamins. 

For anyone testing out the trend at home, RUFFINO’s Dolce Camomilla, made with RUFFINO Lumina Pinot Grigio, Chamomile, honey, and bee pollen, is a sweet and unique way to toast the summer and impress your friends. Not to mention, the cocktail is absolutely gorgeous! It's the perfect sipper to sit outside with friends and enjoy under the sun.

Here's the recipe! 

BUZZING FOR BEE POLLEN

Ingredients:

6 chamomile tea bags

32 fluid ounces (4 cups) hot water

4 tablespoons honey

3 oz Ruffino Lumina Pinot Grigio

2 orange slices

3 lemon slices

Sprinkle of bee pollen

Fresh chamomile flowers 

Directions:

Make hot water, pour hot water over tea bags, add honey, add wine, let steep. Then shake in a shaker and pour over ice cubes and top with bee pollen.

The Rose Gimlet | A Perfect Mother's Day Cocktail

I always love the time around Mother's Day - the weather is starting to get warm, flowers are in bloom and all around it's a happy time to look forward to. Over the years I've had fun with my mom getting a celebratory cocktails around this time of year, and surprisingly Mother's Day cocktails are among some of my favorite because they usually play up a really lovely vibe with sweet, spring-inspired notes.

The perfect Mother's Day cocktail for your mom or mama figure in your life? The Rose Gimlet of course! Made with gin, lemonade and elderflower - does it get any better?! Whether you're fixing up a morning cocktail for Mother's Day brunch or you're having a little nightcap after a day of celebrating, the Rose Gimlet is a sweet sipper that you both will love!

The Rose Gimlet

1 oz. NOLET’S Silver Gin
1 oz. Fresh Lemonade
.5 oz. Elderflower Liqueur
.5 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
Rose Petals

Add ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into a Martini glass. Garnish with rose petals.