Celebrating Galentine's Day with Campo Viejo x Sugarfina | My Signature Cocktail Recipe

Galentine’s Day, which falls on Thursday, February 13th is one of my all time favorite holidays of the year because it’s a celebration of us girlfriends! Whether you’re single or in a relationship, you can really have a lot of fun and creative freedom when it comes to entertaining.  What better way to celebrate with your girlfriends other than with wine and candy? This year, Sugarfina and Campo Viejo have partnered together to create the perfect combo for Galentine's Day! 3 different candies perfectly curated in a bento box with wine? It doesn’t get any better.

Campo Viejo features a blend of traditional Spanish winemaking with modern day style. Campo Viejo offers a fun, vivacious and affordable range of wines – perfect for every occasion from a Galentine's Day celebration or brunch with your friends, which is why I love this brand so much. With vineyards across Rioja, Campo Viejo blends vibrant expressions of Tempranillo – the region’s signature grape – applying modern twists to traditional Spanish winemaking.

DEETS ON THE WINE + CANDY PAIRINGS

Peanut Butter Caramels + Campo Viejo Tempranillo

Softness of the Tempranillo pairs perfectly with the creamy sweetness of the Sugarfina Peanut Butter Caramels. The vanilla and cocoa notes in the candy will further highlight these flavors in the wine. 

Fuji Caramel Apples + Campo Viejo Reserva

The bold Reserva pairs well with rich candies with the Fuji Apple Caramels, these decadent flavors compliment the velvety tannins and fruits found in the Reserva and last through the finish of both the wine and candy. 

Sugar Lips + Cava Brut Rosé

The sour Sugarfina Sugar Lips balance the buttery crisp taste of the Cava Brut Rosé -bringing out the citrus notes with every sip, and balancing the sweetness.

My Signature Cocktail | The Campo Kiss

I wanted to create my own signature cocktail recipe and got some inspiration from the sparkling rosé to create a libation that was flirty, sweet and colorful that would be perfect for entertaining with girlfriends that I know would be universally swooned over. I personally am smitten for a little tart and sour touch to anything that can be, so I played up on the citrus elements and created a Galentine’s cocktail called the Campo Kiss!

Ingredients

Coupe glass

8 oz. Fresh squeezed grapefruit juice

3 oz. Elderflower liqueur

Campo Viejo Brut Rosé

Sugarfina Sugar Lips

Method

Fill your coupe glass with 8 oz. of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, or fill the glass halfway.

Pour 3 oz. of elderflower liqueur into the juice.

Lightly swirl the mixture.

Top off with bubbly! Pour Campo Viejo Brut Rosé into the glass.

Garnish with Sugar Lips sitting on the side of the glass. For extra tart, drop in a pair of lips and let fizz in the drink!

For more information, please visit https://www.campoviejo.com/en or follow on Instagram at @campoviejousa. Click here to purchase your own fabulous Campo Viejo x Sugarfina bento box and wine!

Photography by: Grace + Light Photo

HAPPY GALENTINE’S DAY!

Keep The 2020 Party Going with Champagne Toast Alternatives

Happy 2020!! Hard to believe we have entered a new decade. It’s January 6th and for most people, the new year, post-holiday slump has gone into full effect. I personally love to keep the party going and to create opportunities for continued celebration for friends and family.

While champagne can be enjoyed year round, I especially love it during the wintry months but it’s so much fun to put a twist on the expected bubbly libations. Today, I’m sharing a few of my favorite champagne toast alternatives for you to sip on to help bring back party mode. Bonus: I even have an option for anyone who’s dabbling in Sober January!

Simple: The classic French 75 – This four-ingredient go-to is as easy to make as it is delicious. This cocktail can also be batched for even easier service.

FRENCH 75

Ingredients:

·      2 oz. champagne (Le Grand Courtage is lovely) or sparkling white wine

·      ½ oz. Lemon juice

·      1 oz. Gin (Damrak is a nice citrus-forward gin)

·      2 dashes simple syrup

Preparation instructions:

1.     In cocktail shaker, combine gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup

2.     Add ice and shake vigorously

3.     Strain into chilled Champagne flute and top with sparkling wine

4.     To create garnish, curl orange or lemon peel around your finger to create the twist. Garnish drink with twist and serve immediately.

Moderate: The “Hot Shot” – Perfect for intimate get-together, this drink, which is wildly popular in Sweden, calls for one part Galliano L’Autentico and one part hot coffee or espresso topped with heavy cream served in a shot glass. The vanilla notes in the Galliano work beautifully with either drip coffee or espresso and the cream adds a nice body. Also, if you’re hosting, you might want a toast to end the night that goes down a little quicker than a glass of Champagne, lest your guests linger.

THE HOT SHOT

Ingredients:

·       ½ oz. Galliano L’Autentico

·       ½ oz. espresso

·       ½ oz. heavy cream 

Preparation instructions:

1.     Carefully layer the ingredients in a shot glass in the order shown (Galliano on the bottom, cream on the top).

The non-alcoholic: The holidays can mean A LOT of drinking. Sometimes guests and hosts alike want to back off the throttle a little but don’t want to feel left out.

Photo Credit: Jessie Smyth of Genever

PEEL ME A GRAPE

by Jessie Smyth, Genever, Los Angeles, CA

Ingredients:

·       4 muddled grapes

·       1 oz. Giffard bitter syrup (acts like a non-alcoholic Campari)

·       ½ oz. Calamansi juice

·       ½ oz. grapefruit juice

Preparation Instructions:

1.     Shake all ingredients together then strain into a wine glass filled with ice

2.     Top with Q Grapefruit and a sprig of rosemary

A few words on the drink: “This drink combines classic components of an Americano, minus the booze! Giffard Bitter syrup mixes with fresh grapes and aromatic rosemary with citrus from grapefruit, calamansi and grapefruit mixer for a refreshing autumnal spritz.”

National Coffee Day | The Boozy Way

September 29th is National Coffee Day! Coffee, which for as long as I could remember has been my favorite way to start the day. In fact, the power of coffee deserves to be recognized on a regular basis. But since this year this very special occasion falls on a weekend, it’s only appropriate to celebrate accordingly, but with an adult coffee!

Tanteo Tequila is one of my recent discoveries and I cannot get enough of the tantalizing spice. It is the original 100% agave spicy tequila. Bet you’d never think to pair chipotle tequila with coffee, huh? Well, you can’t just do that with any coffee or any tequila. But this recipe is like no other.

CHIPOTLE MEXICAN COFFEE

Ingredients:

2 oz. Tanteo Chipotle Tequila

5 oz. Freshly Brewed Coffee

1/2 teaspoon Granulated White Sugar

1 Teaspoon Brown Sugar

Whipped cream for topping

Method:

Add fresh coffee to glass, stir in white and brown sugar until dissolved. Add Tanteo Chipotle Tequila and stir. Top with whipped cream.

Easy, Last Minute 4th of July Sips

If you know me, you know that my FAVORITE holiday of all time is 4th of July. Why? Fun fact: I am a huge American history nerd and also because I am obsessed with all the star spangled fun that comes with the entire weekend. How could you not love all the patriotic festivities, the fireworks, the barbecues and of course all of the festive drinks? Each year, I love experimenting and trying unique 4th of July cocktails. This year, if you’re anything like me I have been so bogged down with commitments and obligations so I am a bit behind on just about everything… but I never slack on my cocktails! I still want to get red, white and boozy… so here are some easy, last minute 4th of July sips perfect for having in hand while you’re grilling, chilling, pooling and celebrating with friends.

Gray Whale Gin on the Rock-ets

Ingredients:

3 oz Gray Whale Gin

1 red, white and blue popsicle

Method:

Pour Gray Whale Gin in a glass. Dip popsicle + enjoy! 

The Roughneck Colada

Ingredients:

1 oz Duke Bourbon

½ oz Atlantico Reserva

½ oz Fresh Lime Juice

½ oz Coconut Cream

½ oz Orange Juice

1 oz Pineapple Juice

8-10 Leaves of Fresh Mint

½ oz Float of Fernet Branca

Garnish: Fresh Pineapple, Amarena Cherry, Mint Sprig

Method:

Roll mint and drop into an empty collins glass then top with crushed ice, shake 1-6 with ice and strain over the crushed ice then top with Fernet Branca.

Chandon American Summer Brut Spritz

3 parts Chandon Limited-Edition American Summer Brut

 2 parts quality Italian Aperitif 

1 part Sparkling Water 

Method:

Add Italian Aperitif to wine glass with ice. Add splash of sparkling water and stir. Top with Chandon. Garnish with an orange wheel.

The Rainbow Crush

Credit: @spiritandspoon

Ingredients:

To create the ‘Rainbow Crush’ cocktail each layer is created separately

Red layer: 1/2 oz Gray Whale Gin + 1/2 oz pureed blackberries + 1/4 oz lemon juice

Blue Layer: 1/2 oz Gray Whale Gin + 1/4 oz fresh squeezed yuzu + 1 tsp Blue Green Algae powder + 1/2 oz simple syrup

Green Layer: 1/2 oz Gray Whale Gin +1/2 oz pressed cucumber juice + 1/2 oz simple syrup

Orange Layer: 1/2 oz Gray Whale Gin + 1/2 oz pureed mango + 3/4 oz lime juice

Garnish: Peychaud's bitters

Method:

Gently shake each layer's ingredients, strain into a collins glass and top each layer with crushed iced as you go. Top with Peychaud’s bitters.

Ringing in Memorial Day Weekend with the Malibu Lime Escape Libation

If there is one liquor that embodies summer, it’s easily Malibu Rum. All the Caribbean vibes! Just in time for summer, Malibu has a new rum to add to its delish roster of flavors: Lime! Malibu Lime has a bold and juicy taste with a fresh lime finish. I am so excited to share with you guys the Malibu Lime Escape, a slushy libation with all the flavors of summer all in one glass. But what gives it that island-y tang is the Malibu Lime! I think I may have found my drink of the summer, and hopefully it becomes yours too! Whether you’re sitting poolside this weekend or hosting a big party with friends, this cocktail is sure to be a major crowd pleaser. Just make sure you’ve got some re-fills on deck!

Malibu Lime Escape

Glass: 

Footed goblet

Ingredients:

1.5 parts Malibu Lime

2 parts Pineapple Juice

.75 part Coco Lopez

.5 part Lime Juice

Method: 

Blend with a cup of ice on “high” for 30 seconds

Garnish: 

Pineapple Wedge, Cherry