A sip of perfection - Date With a Dish

Ebony, Oct, 2003 by Charlotte Lyons

Mojito

8   mint leaves, coarsely broken
4   tablespoons fresh lime juice
4   tablespoons sugar
6   ounces light rum
    Ice cubes
    Club soda

Place broken mint leaves, lime
juice, sugar, rum and ice in beverage
shaker. Shake well and pour into four
high-ball or tall glasses filled with ice.
Top each glass with a splash of club
soda. Garnish with additional mint
leaves and slices of fresh lime.

Yields 4 servings
Note: It is a Cuban cousin of the traditional
mint julep.

Classic Martini

2     ounces gin or vodka
1/2   ounce dry vermouth

Stir with cracked ice and strain
into cocktail glass. Serve with an
olive.

Yields 1 serving

CL'S Planter's Punch

4       cups pineapple juice
1 1/2   cups dark rum
1       tablespoon grenadine
2 to 3  tablespoons confectioners'
        sugar
        Juice of 2 oranges
        Juice of 1 lemon
        Juice of 1 lime
        Pieces of pineapple
        Slices of lemon
        Slices of limes
        Cherries

Mix pineapple juice, rum, grenadine,
sugar, orange juice, lemon juice
and lime juice in large pitcher until
well-blended. Add pieces of fruit.
Serve over ice.

Yields 8 servings

While making plans to entertain, remember that having a great variety of tasty drinks can set the tone for your event. There are so many choices, alcoholic and nonalcoholic, that will get your party started right. Smoothies are very popular and can be made with practically any kind of fruit combination. Teas, punches and sodas are great too. But to add a little zip, try the popular Classic Martini, Margarita or the Mojito, which is a cousin of the mint julep. So lift your glasses for a little sip of perfection.

Margarita

1 1/2   ounces tequila
1       ounce triple sec
1       ounce lime juice
        Salt
        Lime slices

Rub rim of cocktail glass with lime
peel; dip rim in salt; set aside. Pour
remaining ingredients over crushed
ice in cocktail shaker or large glass.
Shake with ice. Strain into prepared
cocktail glass.

Yields 1 serving

Sunshine Cooler

2 1/2   cups cold water
1       6-ounce can frozen orange juice
        concentrate, thawed
2       cups canned pineapple juice
1 1/2   cups vodka
1/2     cup lime juice from concentrate
1/4     cup sugar
        Ice
1       12-ounce can ginger ale or
        lemon lime soda

Combine all ingredients except ice
and ginger ale in pitcher; stir until
sugar dissolves. Carefully pour in
ginger ale, stirring to mix.

Yields about 2 quarts

Banana Coconut Shake

2     medium bananas, peeled and
      sliced
1/4   cup cream of coconut
2     cups unsweetened pineapple
      juice, chilled
1     cup vanilla ice cream

Combine bananas and cream of
coconut in blender. Cover; blend until
smooth. Add juice and ice cream.
Cover; blend till smooth.

Yields 4 servings

Peach Mango
Smoothie

1   cup mango nectar
1   cup vanilla yogurt
1   cup frozen, sliced peaches

Combine all ingredients in
blender. Cover and blend on high
until smooth. Serve immediately.

Yields 2 servings

Raspberry Pineapple
Smoothie

1   cup frozen raspberries
1   cup frozen pineapple chunks
1   cup vanilla yogurt
1   cup pineapple juice
5   ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in
blender. Cover and blend on high
until smooth. Serve immediately.

Yields 2 servings

Peach Bellini

1       750ml bottle of chilled champagne
2 1/2   cup chilled peach nectar
3       tablespoons orange liqueur

Combine chilled champagne,
peach nectar and orange liqueur in
tall pitcher. Serve in champagne
flutes.

Yields 6 to 8 servings

Limoncello Iced Tea

Pour 1 ounce Limoncello in a tall
glass over ice. Fill with unsweetened
iced tea. Add sugar to taste.

Yields 1 serving

Pink Lemonade

      Juice of 6 lemons (about 1 cup)
3/4   cup sugar or to taste
4     cups cold water
1     lemon unpeeled and sliced

1 to 2 teaspoons grenadine syrup or 1
or 2 drops red food coloring
      Ice cubes

Combine lemon juice and sugar in
pitcher; stir to dissolve sugar. Add
remaining ingredients; blend well.

Yields 6 cups
NOTE: If desired, substitute honey to taste for
sugar.

Spiced Lemon Tea

3       cups boiling water
6       tea bags
3       sticks cinnamon
1/4     teaspoon ground cloves
1/8     teaspoon ground nutmeg
2/3     cup sugar
1 1/2   cups water

        Juice of 3 lemons (about 1/2 cup)
        Ice cubes

Pour boiling water over tea bags,
cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg; steep
for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags and
cinnamon sticks. Stir in sugar, cold
water and lemon juice; chill. Serve
over ice with cinnamon stick stirrers if
desired.

Yields 6 servings

Hot-Buttered Cherry
Cider

3     ounces cherry juice
2     ounces apple juice or cider
1     teaspoon butter or margarine
2     drops rum flavor (nonalcoholic)
      Dash ground nutmeg
1     tablespoon brown sugar
1/2   ounce lemon juice
1     cinnamon stick

Heat cherry and apple juice or cider.
Place the butter, rum flavor, nutmeg
and brown sugar in a glass mug. Add
lemon juice and blend with spoon.
Pour hot juice into mug and garnish
with a cinnamon stick.

Yields 1 serving

Cosmopolitan

    Ice cubes
3   ounces vodka
2   ounces orange liqueur
2   ounces cranberry juice
1   tablespoon fresh lime juice

Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with
ice. Add the vodka, orange liqueur,
and cranberry and lime juice. Cover
and shake vigorously. Pour into
chilled martini glasses, and garnish
with lime or orange zest.

Yields 2 servings

White Sangria

1     750ml bottle sauterne
1/2   cup sugar
1/4   cup orange-flavored liqueur
1/4   cup fresh lemon juice
1/4   cup fresh lime juice
1     32-ounce bottle club soda, chilled
      Ice

Combine wine, sugar, orange-flavored
liqueur, lemon and lime juice
in large pitcher. Just before serving,
add club soda. Garnish with sliced
lemon, lime, or strawberry if desired.

Yields about 2 quarts

Coffee Cooler

2     tablespoons instant coffee granules
1/4   cup boiling water *
1/4   cup honey
      Cinnamon stick, 3 inches long
3/4   cup cold water
      Ice cubes
1     quart low-fat milk

Dissolve coffee granules in boiling
water in medium bowl. Add honey
and mix well. Add cinnamon stick;
stir in cold water and refrigerate until
ready to use. For cooler, fill 12-ounce
glass with ice cubes. Add 1/4 cup of
coffee mixture and fill glass with
milk. Garnish with a long cinnamon
stick.

* If desired, substitute 1/4 cup
extra-strong brewed coffee for instant coffee
and boiling water.

Yields 4 servings

Triple Strawberry Soda

1 1/2   cups milk
1       10-ounce package frozen, sliced
        strawberries, partially thawed
1       pint strawberry ice cream
2       cups cold strawberry soft drink
5       whole strawberries
        Mint leaves

Place milk and frozen strawberries
in covered blender container; blend
at high speed for 15 seconds. Pour
equal amounts in five 12-ounce glasses.
Add scoop of ice cream to each.
Add soda to fill almost to top.
Garnish with strawberries and mint
leaves.

Yields 5 servings

Orange Split

1     orange, cut into bite-sized
      pieces or juice of 1 orange
1     banana, sliced
1     cup milk
1/4   cup cream of coconut
6     maraschino cherries
3     cups vanilla ice cream
      Orange slices
      Maraschino cherries

Combine orange, banana, milk,
cream of coconut and cherries in
blender; blend until smooth. Add ice
cream; blend until smooth. Garnish
with orange slices and cherries.

Yields 4 servings