Clemson Blood Orange Margaritas

Root for your faves with this easy and refreshing blood orange margarita. Can't find blood orange juice? Feel free to swap in regular orange juice and just add a dash of red food coloring--or even a spirit like Campari to get that perfect shade of Clemson orange.

And for the perfect finishing touch, make a batch of this easy homemade purple margarita salt using purple gel food coloring and regular kosher salt. It just takes a few seeconds to make, but it will make these fun Clemson margaritas extra special.

The homemade salt for these margaritas can be made days (or even weeks!) in advance, and will keep indefinitely as long as you store it in a cool dry place. (A zipped baggie in your pantry should do the trick!)

Having trouble getting the salt to stick to your cups? Swap brush the rim of your glass with corn syrup or honey then dip into the salt. It'll stay on perfectly AND taste delicious!

Go tigers!

Clemson Blood Orange Margaritas
Serves 8

Ingredients
For the purple salt
1/3 cup kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon violet gel food coloring

For the margaritas
2 cups blood orange juice (fresh or bottled)
1 cup fresh lime juice
2 cups gold tequila
1/4 cup orange liqueur (such as triple sec or cointreau)

Ice for serving

Directions
Combine salt and gel food coloring in a zipped plastic baggie. Close the baggie, then use your hands to massage the food color into the salt until it is evenly distributed and the salt is purple. (Can be made in advance. Store in a sealed container in a cool dry place. Will keep indefinitely.)

Make the margaritas. In a large pitcher or punch bowl, combine blood orange juice, lime juice, tequila, and orange liqueur. Chill.

To serve, rub outside of cup or glass with lemon wedge or water and dip into the purple salt. Fill cup with ice and pour in margarita.

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Sparkling Rosemary Pear Punch

Punch is a festive and effortless way to serve drinks to a crowd when entertaining. It lets guests serve themselves so you can relax and enjoy the party without worrying about making sure everyone’s glass is full.

This Sparkling Rosemary Pear Punch is perfect for New Year’s because it looks and feels fancy, but really only takes about 5 minutes to make. The rosemary syrup only takes 3 minutes on the stove to make, then just mix with a few store-bought ingredients, add ice, and serve!

This wintery punch is so delicious it works as a fun party drink as-is, but you can kick it up a notch by adding a festive punch bowl ice ring. To make, just fill a bundt cake pan with water and add handfuls of cranberries lemon slices or fresh herbs.

Sparkling Rosemary Pear Punch
Serves 16

Ingredients:
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 small bunch fresh rosemary
4 cups pear juice, nectar or cider, chilled
4 cups pear vodka
1 1/4 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 liter club soda, chilled

For garnish:
2 lemons, sliced
2 pears, sliced
Fresh rosemary sprigs

Directions
Make rosemary syrup: In a small saucepan, combine water, sugar, and fresh rosemary on medium heat. Let simmer about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Remove rosemary sprigs.

Make punch by combining rosemary syrup, pear juice, pear vodka, lemon juice, lemon soda, and club soda in a large punch bowl. Add ice and garnish with slices of lemon, pear, and a few rosemary sprigs. Serve immediately.

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Ponche Navideño (Mexican Christmas Punch)

This time of year, I'm always craving a mug of something steamy and cozy. From rich hot chocolate to endless cups of tea, it's my favorite way to stay warm when it's freezing outside. I've recently fallen in love with Ponche Navideño--a Mexican-inspired Christmas punch that is made by simmering fresh fruit like apples, prunes, and guava with whole spices and tea.

For this version, I'm using Lipton Green Tea, which adds delicate flavor and combines beautifully with the fruit. I'm a big green tea fan. I rarely drink sweetened beverages in my daily life, so unsweetened green tea has long been one of my go-tos when I want a natural pick-me-up or a refreshing alternative to water. During the summer, I brew up a batch and keep it in my fridge to drink over ice with lemon, but in winter I prefer it warm.

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Blood Orange Negronis

There are a few cocktails I love to order over and over again, and Negronis are chief among them. I love sipping a pre-meal negroni while perusing a menu at dinner, or enjoying one at a bar by myself with a good book (bonus points if this bar is in an airport or a hotel or at a lovely restaurant where I've arrived early to wait for a friend).

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Spicy Pineapple Cilantro Moscow Mules

Show me a cocktail menu, and I will immediately order the spiciest thing I see. And if it's got a bit of fresh herbs or tart fruit in it? Even better!

These Spicy Pineapple Cilantro Moscow Mules are perfect for summer parties. You can prep them in advance, then mix just before drinking.

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Grilled Lime Mojitos

Well it's officially summer, which means it's time to throw everything on the grill and never go inside!

(Well, on the weekends, at least!)

Summer is also prime cocktail season, and I'm excited to share this smoky twist on one of my forever faves--Grilled Lime Mojitos!

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Calamondin Margaritas

This is my favorite time of year for so many reasons. The days are longer, it's starting to warm up, and summer parties are just around the corner!

It's also the time of year when my very talented blogger friend (and fellow Ramos!), Kate, rounds up a group of food and cocktail bloggers from all over the country (possibly even world?) and has us join in for a very fun margarita & tequila-themed week of blog posts!

In previous years, I shared recipes for Fresh Ginger Margaritas and Rosemary & Fresh Watermelon Margaritas.

This year? I'm going super tart (and kinda niche) with fresh Calamondin Margaritas!

If you've never heard of calamondin, get excited!

Also known as calamansi or kalamansi lime, these tiny little tart citrus fruits are a cross between mandarins and kumquats. They look like key limes when young, but as they ripen, the skin becomes bright orange. The skin is thin like a kumquat, but full of super tart and slightly floral juice that you can instantly release with just a gentle squeeze between two fingers.

It's an incredible flavor and if you can get your hands on fresh ones, don't hesitate to try and play around with them! They make wonderful homemade marmalade and pickles, and the juice is excellent for using in marinades.

The trees are actually quite easy to grow in a sunny home (I have a few friends who grow them even here in NYC) and will produce fruit all year long. Some grocery stores occasionally carry fresh fruit (I've found them at Whole Foods and Fresh Direct at different times of year, as well at some street fruit stands.)

If you can't get your hands on the fresh fruit, a lot of Asian (especially Filipino) markets sell frozen juice, which is pretty great, too, and perfect for cocktails.

When it comes to cocktails I'm all about two things--spice and acidity. I like my drinks super tart with a hint of spice, and calamondin juice lends itself well to both those things. Instead of a traditional salt rim, I use my DIY Spicy Citrus Cocktail Salt, which adds the perfect little extra kick to take these over the top!

These calamondin margaritas would be a welcome accompaniment to all kinds of summer meals, from tacos to pork roasts.

Want more cocktail inspiration? Check out all the fun recipes on the Margarita Week page, and follow the hashtag #margaritaweek on Instagram!

Calamondin Margaritas (Calamansi Margaritas)
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 cup reposado tequila
1 cup calamondin juice (freshly squeezed or thawed frozen juice will work)
1/2 cup Cointreau
Ice, kosher salt for garnish (or use my DIY Spicy Citrus Salt)

Directions
Combine the tequila, calamondin juice, and Cointreau in a large pitcher and stir well to combine.

Rub the rim of four high ball glasses with calamondin juice (or use fresh lime), and dip in kosher salt. Fill glasses to the top with ice and divide margarita among the glasses.

Serve immediately.

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Spicy Citrus Cocktail Salt

I strongly believe that a solid 25% of what makes a cocktail memorable is the addition of some kind of fun garnish. Whether it's candied bacon in a Bloody Mary, homemade pickled onions in a Gibson, or a spicy citrus salt coating the frosty glass on your margarita, it's those little finishing touches that can take a drink from good to great.

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Spicy Green Juice (Green Bloody Mary Mix)

My number one issue with most green juice recipes is that they are always too sweet. Most classic green juice recipes call for the addition of apples or pears, which makes the drink much sweeter than anything I'd ever want to drink for breakfast (or really at any time of day!).

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Rosemary & Fresh Watermelon Margaritas

I used to be obsessed with a cocktail they served at restaurant near my old office (so many many years ago!). That drink was made with a mix of watermelon, rum, and rosemary syrup, and introduced me to the fact that watermelon and rosemary are great friends together. It's surprising, but it works.

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Top 10 Flavor Trends on Pinterest (+ delicious ways to eat them!)

I'm endlessly fascinated by the way food trends and flavors change from year to year, and even from month to month. As someone who is constantly cooking and experimenting, I love seeing how quickly new flavors and ingredients can go from super niche to practically ubiquitous.

I recently attended an event hosted by Pinterest at the Museum of Food and Drink here in New York where they announced their 2016 Pinsights Flavor Report--a round-up of trending flavors, ingredients, and pairings that are rocking everyone's worlds (and mouths!) right now.

Read on for those top ten flavor trends (plus some recipes to get you inspired to give each one a try!)

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The Chorizo Negroni

Well, I finally figured out a way to drink chorizo!

A few months ago I was checking out restaurant menus while making weekend plans, when I noticed a bacon-infused cocktail featuring "housemade" bacon vodka on one of them. It's not the first time I'd seen bacon cocktails, but it was the first time I started to think about the technique involved in making booze taste like meat.

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Watermelon Frosé Cocktail (Frozen Rosé)

Last summer I went to a party where they served frozen rosé wine slushies by the pool. I remember that I really loved the concept, but was left less-than-impressed with the execution; they tasted more like ice than anything else.

As I usually do in these cases, I got home and promptly tried out my own version of the frozen drink with raspberries and a touch of honey.

The result--these Raspberry Rosé Wine Slushies--was a hit and became one of my favorite recipes that year.

Then a couple months ago, I suddenly started seeing everyone talking about something called "Frosé."

Frosé?

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Fresh Ginger Margaritas

I require that my margaritas be very strong and very sour.

I actually prefer all my cocktails this way. I want practically no liqueur or sweetener or anything--just the good top shelf booze, tons of citrus, and a fun addition like ginger or cucumbers or jalapeños. I like my drinks fresh and herbaceous and bursting with bold flavor.

If you ever go out to drinks with me, you'll probably hear me quizzing the servers about the sweetness level of their drinks. I'll often skip the house menu and just flat-out order a mojito with no sugar or a margarita with no triple sec or just plain old good tequila with soda and lots of limes.

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A Simply Orange Brunch Party (Orange Muffins + Orange Rose Mimosas)

Though we do have little pockets of green here and there, New York City has never really been known for its nature. This is especially true during the colder months when hibernation is basically the only sane option, and a proper dose of sunshine requires a seat on a plane headed due south.

I admittedly love any excuse to get out of town, but unfortunately, that isn't always possible.

The next best way to cure a case of urban cabin fever? Finding a way to bring a bit of nature home through the things we eat and drink!

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Orange Rose Mimosas Recipe

A dash of rose water and fresh lemon juice adds an elegant and floral twist to a classic mimosa. Enjoy this easy recipe at your next brunch party or event.

This is perfect with my Orange Sunshine Muffins, or click here for more citrus-themed brunch recipe inspiration!

This recipe was created in sponsored collaboration with Simply Orange. Thank you for supporting amazing companies like Simply that make it possible for me to keep bringing you great new recipes!

Orange Rose Mimosas
Makes 2 mimosas, multiply as necessary

Ingredients
4 ounces chilled Simply Orange juice
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon rose water
Chilled dry prosecco, cava, or champagne.

Directions
Combine the orange juice, lemon juice, and rose water in a mixer and stir well. Divide into two champagne flutes or wine glasses. Top with sparkling wine until it doubles in volume or reaches the top of the glass. Serve immediately.

Tip: if making these for a crowd, mix up a the juices and rose water first and chill, then pour into individual glasses and top with bubbly as necessary. Keep everything very cold and only open the sparkling wine or champagne right before serving.

 

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Nicaraguan Macuá Cocktail

One of the first things I tried on my trip to Nicaragua this past Fall was a Macuá cocktail. Noted as the national drink of Nicaragua, the fruity tropical cocktail is named after the equally bright and lovely parrot, which is native to Central America (a Macaw, in English).

A simple mix of fresh lime juice, guava juice, and rum (preferably the local favorite, Flor de Caña), the drink is a not-too-sweet welcome to this gorgeous Central American country.

I was there to learn how to surf along with a group of other US-based travel writers and bloggers, and we were in the process of traveling from the airport in Managua to the beach city of San Juan del Sur where the surf retreat we attended (CHICABRAVA) is headquartered.

We stopped off for lunch and pictures in the lush courtyard of a cute restaurant in Granada, a welcome respite after a day spent traveling by plane and car.

With my own tropical roots, guava has long been one of my favorite fruits, and the flavor is one that always wakes up sweet memories of afternoons on my grandmother's balcony in Puerto Rico sipping cold fruit juice, or the fruity pastries and custards we grew up eating.

As much as I love dessert, I'm not a fan of overly sweet cocktails, but found that the balance of flavors is just right here. I recommend using a bottle guava nectar (Goya makes a good one), or whisk up your own by sweetening frozen guava puree to taste. (Again, Goya is probably the way to go for this ingredient.)

If you're lucky enough to make your own guava puree from fresh fruit, well then I'm insanely jealous of your good fortune!

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Loved this recipe? Here are three other Cocktail Recipes you might like:

• Double Apple Spritzer Cocktails
• Pomegranate Rose Champagne Cocktails
• Spiced Apple Cider Rum Punch Cocktail

And let's connect so you can find out the next time I post! Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates.

Thanks so much for reading

Macuá Cocktail Recipe
Serves 1, multiply as needed

Ingredients
2 ounces white rum (Nicaraguan Flor de Caña rum is most traditional here)
2 ounces guava juice or nectar, shaken well before measuring—both pink and yellow guava work
1 1/2 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
Cocktail cherry and lime slice, for garnish

Directions
Combine rum, guava juice, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice, cover and shake until shaker is frosty.

Fill a tall cocktail glass with ice and strain in drink. Garnish with a cherry and slice of lime, and serve.

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Apple Cider Mojitos

This is how we drink mojitos during the winter: local apple cider, warm winter spices like cinnamon and clove, fresh mint, and limes.

It's a seasonal twist on the drink that so often fills my glass throughout the sweltering summer months. And while I still (and will always) prefer sweltering to freezing, it's a lovely way to help the frigid months go by.

I actually served this easy cocktail at the baby shower I hosted for one of my very best friends this past weekend. The theme was cozy and wintery, so it was a perfect match.

My friend's name is Mónica, though I've always called her "Moe," for short. At the party we called these "Moe-jitos," and fortunately they were delicious enough that people forgave me for (and even laughed at!) the awful pun.

The drink starts just like other mojitos, muddling together fresh mint, rum, and lime. But gets a warming twist with the use of the more richly flavored gold rum (instead of the lighter white) and spiced apple cider.

It might seem like a bit of an unusual combination, but the flavors all work beautifully together. It's an easy one to pull together in large pitchers if you're entertaining a crowd, or to just whisk up for yourself if you're craving something special.

(I love this one for fall or winter brunches, too!)

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Loved this recipe? Here are three other Winter Cocktail Recipes you might like:

• Double Apple Spritzer Cocktails
• Pomegranate Rose Champagne Cocktails
• Spiced Apple Cider Rum Punch Cocktail

And let's connect so you can find out the next time I post! Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates.

Thanks so much for reading

Apple Cider Mojitos
Makes 1 cocktail, multiply as desired

Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces gold rum
1 1/2 ounces fresh lime juice or 1 lime, cut into wedges
6 mint leaves
6 ounces spiced apple cider
Ice
Cinnamon sticks, apple slices, and mint sprigs, for garnish

Directions
In the bottom of a tall cocktail glass, combine rum, lime juice or wedges, and mint leaves. Use a wooden muddler or the handle of a wooden spoon to mash together for a few seconds. Add ice, then pour in apple cider until it reaches the top. Garnish with a cinnamon stick, apple slices, and a sprig of mint.

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Cranberry Sauce Margarita

What is the best way to use up leftover Thanksgiving cranberry sauce? Drink it!

In margarita form, that is!

This ridiculously good Cranberry Sauce Margarita is made with leftover homemade cranberry sauce (yes...it has to be homemade. The jelled canned stuff won't work here.), tequila, fresh lemon juice, and a bit of triple sec.

It's beautifully tart and tangy and strong. (I can attest to that last part after testing this recipe a couple times. Ooops!)

Oh and you know what? You don't even have to wait until after Thanksgiving to enjoy it. Skip the pinot noir and mix up a pitcher of these instead. Your guests will love you.

You'll notice that I used fresh lemon juice in my margarita instead of the usual lime. I actually prefer the way the lemon tastes with the cranberries, but give it a try both ways and see what you prefer.

And since homemade cranberry sauce tends to differ, use that as a guide when determining how much acid to add. If your sauce is super sweet, you may want more lemon juice. If it's a bit tart? Then less.

Taste and see what works best for you.

Cheers and Happy Thanksgiving!

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Loved this recipe? Here are three other Fall Cocktail Recipes you might like:

• Double Apple Spritzer Cocktails
• Pomegranate Rose Champagne Cocktails
• Spiced Apple Cider Rum Punch Cocktail

And let's connect so you can find out the next time I post! Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates.

Thanks so much for reading

Cranberry Sauce Margarita
Serves 1, multiply as desired

Ingredients
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup homemade whole berry cranberry sauce (do not use canned or "jellied" style cranberry sauce--you need the chunky stuff)
1 tablespoon triple sec
1/4 cup reposado tequila
Ice
A few whole fresh cranberries, for garnish

Directions
Combine lemon juice, cranberry sauce, triple sec, and tequila in a large shaker. Add ice, cover, and shake vigorously until outside of shaker is frosty.

Fill a cocktail glass with ice and strain drink into glass. Garnish with a few whole cranberries, and serve immediately.

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Spiced Apple Cider Rum Punch Cocktail

I know this season is usually all about hot apple cider, but I'd love to suggest something a little different: spiced apple cider mixed with rum and fresh lemon juice, served very very cold over ice.

I served this refreshing Spiced Apple Cider Rum Punch at a party I hosted last night, and can report that it was a total hit. The punch bowl was completely empty by the end of the night, and several guests asked for the recipe.

And honestly? It's so simple!

This is a great recipe to keep in your back pocket for any parties you're hosting this winter (or...if you're just craving something different for happy hour).

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Loved this recipe? Here are three other Fall Cocktail Recipes you might like:

• Double Apple Spritzer Cocktails
• Pomegranate Rose Champagne Cocktails
• Spiked Hot Apple Pie Cider

And let's connect so you can find out the next time I post! Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates.

Thanks so much for reading

Spiced Apple Cider Rum Punch Cocktail
Makes 1 cocktail, multiply as needed

Ingredients
1/4 cup gold rum
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 pinch ground cloves
1 cup apple cider
1 orange slice
1 cinnamon stick
Ice, for serving

Directions
Combine gold rum, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a cocktail glass. Stir to combine. Fill glass with ice. Add apple cider. Garnish with cinnamon stick and orange slice. Serve immediately.

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