{jalapeno caipirinha}

Caipirinhas are one of my favorite sun-lounging cocktails (besides of course a spicy marg).  Filled to the brim with ice and a zesty tang from the limes there truly is nothing better to sip on while doing nothing other than re-applying sunscreen and reading US Weekly.  This past Sunday we whipped up a batch of spicy caipirinhas utilizing some of the leftover jalapeño peppers from this ceviche.  This recipe was the perfect accompaniment to the refreshing dish and a lazy end to the weekend. 

Cheers!

{friday cocktail: winter caipirinha}

One of my favorite refreshing summer cocktails is a classic Brazilian Caipirinha, but it just doesn’t feel right to drink something that belongs poolside when the snow is piling up outside and the degrees are in the negatives (what I just described is real life in Chicago right now. its really not ok.)  This updated caipirinha brings in the seasonal winter flavor of pomegranates into the mix coloring the drink a fun pink shade and making it the perfect escape from the cold!

Cheers!

{friday cocktail: summerside}

This friday's cocktail reminds me of the smell of driving down PCH highway along the beach on a summer night with the smell of evening bonfires travelling into the window.   This recipe is inspired from a mix of a classic caipirinha and a southside, but with a smokey twist from the mezcal.   It's the perfect refreshing recipe for an outdoor get together this summer. 

Cheers!

{friday cocktail: cucumber basil caipirinha}

You know what we do when the temperatures in Chicago hit near 20 degrees?? We act like it's summer by whipping up a batch of Caipirinhas!  Yep- because not dealing with the reality of winter is the only way to deal with it as far as I'm concerned.  And one sip of this cucumber basil caipirinha will make you feel like you are sitting poolside at a summer BBQ. (If this cocktail doesn't make you feel just like that then you aren't trying hard enough.)  I have had this bottle of Monin Cucumber Syrup forever and had yet to break it open until this Friday's cocktail post.  Many flavored syrups are over-powering or sickly sweet, but this cucumber one tastes and smells just like fresh cut cucumbers with just the right amount of sugar to sweeten this cocktail recipe.  This syrup would even be great splashed in with glass of sparkling water or fresh lemonade!

Cheers!