Who else loves brunch? I think of it as the ideal meal for any type of daytime entertaining, where two meal periods can be combined into one wonderful feast. Brunch is more than often a casual get-together, enjoyed on weekends or vacations where strict timelines do not exist. Brunch is the perfect occasion to serve these Grapefruit Prosecco Cocktails for your whole family to enjoy. They add a whole new level of yum to brunch time entertaining.

Brunch is one of those occasions that can be enjoyed as an event all its own and for no other reason than the desire to share a relaxing afternoon with family and friends. I highly suggest serving one or two main dishes, such as my Broccoli, Bacon and Cheese Pie or my Bacon, Tomato and Cheddar Breakfast Casserole. And filling in the gaps with fresh pastries, such as this Fresh Cherry-Almond Coffee Cake. Since brunch epitomizes both casual entertaining and festive celebrations, almost anything will go!

Due to the more informal nature of brunch and the flexible menu, it’s a great time to celebrate with family and friends of all ages.

What Is The Difference Between Prosecco and Champagne

Prosecco is a light, fruity sparkling wine from Italy, while Champagne is from France. The methods to make them are also different. The “traditional method” is used to make Champagne, while Prosecco is made with the “tank method”. Champagne is aged in bottles under high pressure so the bubble finesse is fine, persistent and sharp. Prosecco is aged in large tanks with less pressure so Prosecco bubbles are lighter, frothy and spritzy with less persistence. Grapes grown to make Champagne hale from a cooler region than where grapes for Prosecco are grown. This alone makes Champagne a leaner and more acidic wine.

Is Prosecco Sweeter Than Champagne

Prosecco is generally a little sweeter than Champagne. The bigger and looser bubbles and tropical fruit flavors make it a perfect choice to use in sparkling cocktails. In short, Prosecco won’t overpower the flavors of other spirits and modifiers used in your drinks. It’s the perfect choice for these Grapefruit Prosecco Cocktails.

Tips For Successful Brunch Entertaining

• Choose a serving style – formal or informal
• Select a location that’s right for the style you chose ~ dining room, eat-in kitchen, outdoors
• Choose a menu that combines make-ahead dishes with last minute preparations
• Do as much advance cooking possible the night before
• Choose serving vessels and utensils the day before and have them ready
• Create or purchase a simple centerpiece or floral arrangement as a focal point on the table
• Set the table the day before if guests are to be seated at one table
• If food will be outdoors have mesh domes available to prevent bugs from landing on the food

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Grapefruit Prosecco Cocktail

Serve these Grapefruit Prosecco Cocktails for brunch or on the patio for a perfectly crowd-pleasing sipping experience.

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Keyword Grapefruit Prosecco Cocktail

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 0 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 4 glasses

Calories 194kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Cointreau, divided
• 1/2 cup fresh grapefruit juice, divided (about 3 grapefruit)
• 2 cups prosecco, divided
• 4 grapefruit wedges for garnish

Instructions

• Pour one tablespoon Cointreau, two tablespoons grapefruit juice and a 1/2 cup prosecco into each of four chilled Champagne flutes (or wine glasses). Stir slightly with a long-handles spoon to mix.
• Garnish each glass with a small grapefruit wedge and serve immediately.

Notes

Keep all ingredients chilled in the fridge before making this cocktail.

Nutrition

Serving: 1glass | Calories: 194kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 0.1g | Potassium: 50mg | Sugar: 12.8g | Vitamin C: 12.4mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 0.1mg

The post Grapefruit Prosecco Cocktail appeared first on Noble Pig.

As a child, every special occasion called for a Shirley Temple. As a grown-up, that same hurt-your-teeth, sweet drink should be replaced with the Dirty Shirley, a grown-up version of the Shirley Temple cocktail. I think you’re going to love its refreshing and delicious vibe.

The 1930’s were packed with parties for the child star actress, Shirley Temple Black. It’s rumored she often complained about being surrounded by adults who were enjoying cocktails that she herself could not enjoy. A quick-thinking bartender from the famous Chasen’s Bar in Beverly Hills whipped up the famous namesake Shirley Temple drink in her honor.

Later in life, Temple admitted she did not like the drink because it was so sweet. I have to admit as a kid, the reason I loved the drink was because it was so sweet! As grown-up the Dirty Shirley is definitely where it’s at. As far as I’m concerned the Dirty Shirley ranks right up there with my lemon drop martini and cosmopolitan cocktail recipe. Try them all and decide for yourself.

Looking For More Cocktail Recipes? 

• Hemingway Daiquiri ~ perfect for book club
• Icy Hibiscus Margarita
• The Best Bloody Mary Ever

What Does Dirty Shirley Mean

The dirty Shirley is a cocktail version of the famed Shirley Temple mocktail we all enjoyed as kids. So many people ask if there is a male version of the Shirley Temple. Yes there is! It’s the Roy Rogers. A Roy Roger’s drink is also non-alcoholic made with coke and grenadine syrup. I don’t think I’ve ever had one. Have you? It also sounds sickeningly sweet!

When you add alcohol to a previously known non-alcoholic drink, it makes it “dirty”.

What Flavor Is Grenadine

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It is not cherry! I thought grenadine was this neon-cherry flavored syrup. Nope! Grenadine is actually a sweet-tart syrup made with pomegranate juice and loads of sugar. It is also non-alcoholic.

All grenadine is not created equal. Now, if you’re making a kid’s Shirley Temple, use Rose’s brand or this one that we can all find at the grocery store. Your kid’s will not like the high-quality grenadine used in cocktails. Trust me, they want the yucky sweet stuff.

Here are some grenadine brands I recommend for a grown-up cocktail. They do cost a little more and can be a little harder to find. But it’s worth the effort. B.G. Reynolds’ Hibiscus Grenadine and Small Hands Food Grenadine are two of my favorites.

Ingredients

• Top shelf vodka
• fresh lime juice
• grenadine syrup
• ginger beer
• maraschino cherries or brandy soaked cherries

Don’t be the bartender who garnishes their drinks with only one cherry. As a kid it was always such a bummer to get my Shirley Temple and the stingy bartender had only added  one cherry . Be generous!

How To Make One

• Add all listed ingredients in a cocktail shaker, except the ginger beer.
• Add large ice and shake vigorously. Add ginger beer and stir or roll the cocktail shaker. You do not want to shake the ginger beer since it is carbonated. At this point I like to taste the cocktail for balance.
• If it’s too sweet I add more lime to taste. Strain the drink over ice and garnish with lime wedges and lots of cherries.

MORE MARASCHINO CHERRY RECIPES

• Maraschino Cherry Ice Cream
• Soft Baked Maraschino Cherry-Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Cherry Tassies

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Dirty Shirley: Adult Shirley Temple

The Dirty Shirley is a grown-up version of the famous Shirley Temple cocktail. This Dirty Shirley cocktail pays homage to the child star known to complain that her namesake drink was too sweet. 

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Keyword Adult Shirley Temple, Dirty Shirley, Dirty Shirley Drink, Dirty Shirley Temple, What's a Shirley Temple

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 1 glass

Calories 226kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Ingredients

Dirty Shirley:

• 2.5 oz top shelf vodka such as Tito's
• 1 oz fresh lime juice
• 0.25 oz grenadine syrup
• 3 oz ginger beer
• Garnish with lime, maraschino cherries or brandy-soaked cherries

Instructions

Dirty Shirley:

• Place all ingredients (except ginger beer) into a cocktail shaker and add large ice. Shake cocktail shaker vigorously. Add ginger beer and roll the cocktail shaker once. Taste for balance, adding more lime if you prefer. 
  2.5 oz top shelf vodka such as Tito's, 1 oz fresh lime juice, 0.25 oz grenadine syrup, 3 oz ginger beer
• Strain over fresh ice. Garnish with, maraschino cherries or brandy-soaked cherries for a more adult taste.
  Garnish with lime, maraschino cherries or brandy-soaked cherries

Notes

Nutrition information is only an estimation and variation will occur based on the ingredients/brands you use. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1glass | Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 37.8g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 8.8g | Sodium: 4.2mg | Potassium: 29mg | Fiber: 0.8g | Sugar: 15.4g | Vitamin C: 3.1mg

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Dirty Shirley: Adult Shirley Temple Cocktail appeared first on Noble Pig.

Hemingway Daiquiri Recipe

It’s widely known that Ernest Hemingway enjoyed a drink or two, with much of his free time spent in bars in Paris, Key West and Havana. Cuba was most definitely his favorite escape during Prohibition to smoke cigars and drink rum. Hemingway had a love affair with the classic Daiquiri, but diabetes forced him to pay attention to his sugar intake.

In 1921, Barman Constantino Ribalaigua, of the Floridita Bar in Havana, created the Papa Doble or “Hemingway Daiquiri.” The original recipe has no sugar (simple syrup) or Cointreau added, which I find unbalanced. My version of the recipe has added mouthfeel and pops with just the right amount of citrus flavors.

I love an icy, cold, cocktail and my take on the Hemingway Daiquiri ranks right up there with my versions of The Most Refreshing Lemon Drop Martini and The World’s Best Cosmopolitan Cocktail.

What Does Maraschino Liqueur  Taste Like

Maraschino liqueur is a must for every well-stocked bar and will become the secret weapon of your liquor cabinet. While Maraschino liqueur will never be the star of the show in any cocktail, it plays one the most important supporting roles in many classic cocktails.  When it comes to the Hemingway Daiquiri, using the Maraschino liqueur allows you to lower the addition of simple syrup.

Maraschino liqueur and specifically the Luxardo brand is one of the very few liqueurs in the world produced by distillation. Luxardo is distilled in small copper pot stills from ripe marasca cherries, their crushed pits, honey, leaves and sprigs and some other proprietary ingredients. By leaving the cherry pits in with the fruit during distillation, a wonderful almond-like flavor shines through. The distillate is left to mature for two years in Finnish ash wood vats and is then diluted and sugared.

Maraschino liqueur does not taste like cherries. In fact, the nose smells of lemon, pine and tree bark. Upon tasting, you’ll find the finished product to have a very floral, flavor profile, with a nutty mid-palette taste. It has a very clean finish with a syrup-like consistency. And even though Luxardo has matured for years in wood vats, it has a clear color.

What Can I Substitute For Maraschino Liqueur 

Unfortunately, there is not a good substitute for Maraschino liqueur. Kirsch does have a similar flavor profile, but it is completely dry, so using it will leave the drink unbalanced.

What Makes A Daiquiri, A Daquiri

A daiquiri is a gaggle of cocktails whose three main ingredients are:

• rum
• citrus juice (mainly lime)
• sugar (or other sweetener)

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What Garnish Should I Use 

• grapefruit peel
• lime wedge
• Luxardo cherries ~ totally worth it

What Equipment Do I Need To Make A Daiquiri

• cocktail shaker
• hand-held citrus juicer ~ get every ounce of juice out of your lemons and limes
• garnish knife

Might I suggest enjoying this daiquiri with my favorite Hemingway classic….what a perfect afternoon that would be.

Print My Take On The Hemingway Daiquiri Ernest Hemingway became obsessed with the daiquiri after spending time in Cuba. This is my take on the special recipe created for him in his honor.   Course Drinks Cuisine American Keyword My Take On The Hemingway Daiquiri Prep Time 5 minutes minutes Total Time 5 minutes minutes Servings 1 person Calories 260kcal Author Cathy Pollak Ingredients 2 oz white rum 0.5 oz Cointreau 0.5 oz Maraschino liqueur 1.5 oz fresh lime juice 1.0 oz fresh grapefruit juice 0.25 oz simple syrup Instructions Gather ingredients. Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Strain into a cocktail glass (chilled is best). Float a small amount of finely crushed ice on top. Garnish with grapefruit peel. Serve immediately. Nutrition Serving: 1glass | Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Potassium: 96mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin C: 30.5mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 0.4mg

 As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post My Take On The Hemingway Daiquiri appeared first on Noble Pig.