So all the girls in our family (our moms, plus all of my sisters-in-law) threw me the baby shower of my dreams.
Read MoreLemonade is a summer no-brainer, and this cocktail is effortless, sophisticated-cool lemonade. It’s the French girl of lemonade—which, who couldn't use a little more je ne sais quoi?
Read MoreIn my tiny corner of the world, there’s not much better than a great Bloody Mary. And don’t get me wrong, I love the taste of one, but even more so, I love the Bloody Mary environment and culture, if you will (does that statement make me sound uncultured?).
The hours-long brunch with nothing else to do and nowhere else to be. The long pause and “hmmmmm” and “sure, why not” to the waitress when she sees that your glass is getting low. There’s just nothing else like it—a boozy brunch with friends or lovers or, hell, strangers even.
Read MorePunch is such a communal way to drink a cocktail. I love it! It's the ultimate party drink, and it has been since childhood days.
Looking back at chorus concerts and band concerts in 4th grade, the best part (probably for all involved) was the mini reception afterward that undoubtedly served either lemonade or punch the old school way—with sherbet in it. This remained true for birthday parties throughout childhood, as well as in college for my sorority's events: punch was always a no brainer.
And now in adulthood, the idea of punch has had a bit of a rebirth, especially due to the recent cocktail Renaissance that I've been closely exposed to through Jon. His bar/restaurant, Ox & Stone, serves "Punch with friends" which is quite literally a big punch bowl with customized spirits for the group of friends who orders it. It's my favorite way to imbibe at Ox!
Read MoreThis is a crowd pleasing cocktail for fall time, and especially for Thanksgiving. It even sounds like something to cozy up on the couch with: the Autumn Sweater. It has very few ingredients and is simple to throw together. In order to serve a group, you could also make a large batch of this in a punch bowl or other vessel (leaving out the hard cider so it stays effervescent), and top each glass with hard cider upon serving. It’s just sweet enough, while still being a fairly stiff drink. For my staunch Maker’s Mark-loving family, this is a way to turn the old standby into something a little more festive. And as the outcast who doesn’t love bourbon, I can still really enjoy this cocktail for its other seasonal and warming flavors.
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