Cocktails Archives | Pumps & Iron

Grapefruit Mimosas with Frozen Berries (+Giveaway)

January 6, 2017 by Nicole 83 Comments

Happy Friday! This weekend I turn 29 (what??) and I fully plan on celebrating with a couple of these champagne cocktails at Sunday brunch. A traditional mimosa is made with orange juice, but I’ve always preferred grapefruit juice (trust me). Adding frozen berries makes for a pretty and delicious garnish while also keeping the drink chilled. Just three ingredients so it’s a totally doable cocktail if you’re hosting guests or celebrating a special occasion.

You’ll get sweetness from the berries and juice, so I’d stay away from using a sweet champagne or sparkling wine for mimosas. I’m using Belaire Brut (this isn’t a sponsored post, but they did send me a gift package of bubbly–thanks, Belaire!). With champagne and sparkling wine, “brut” means it’s dry or unsweetened. Belaire is a great option because it’s champagne quality at half the cost. After all, unless you’re Lil’ Wayne, you wouldn’t dilute a ridiculously expensive bottle of champagne with fruit juice. 😉

Grapefruit Mimosas with Frozen Berries

Ingredients

Brut champagne (or sparking wine of choice)
Grapefruit juice (fresh squeezed or bottled, but avoid sweetened juices)
Berries of choice (raspberries, blackberries, strawberries)*

Instructions

If you buy fresh berries, put them in an airtight container in the freezer the night before you plan to enjoy the mimosas.
The ratio of champagne to grapefruit juice should be roughly 2:1 or 1:1, depending on your taste preference.
Drop in a couple frozen berries and enjoy!

Notes

*You can buy frozen berries, but if you're concerned about presentation, I'd recommend buying fresh berries and then freezing them overnight yourself (they'll look "prettier").

https://pumpsandiron.com/2017/01/06/grapefruit-mimosas-with-frozen-berries-giveaway/

If you’re hosting a daytime event, you could use this basic combo (champagne + fruit juice + frozen berries) to set up a make-your-own mimosa bar. Set out the champagne, juice options (I’d recommend orange juice, grapefruit juice and pomegranate juice) and frozen berry options (raspberries, strawberries, blackberries). Let guests create their own mixture–really can’t go wrong with any of those combos!

Reader Giveaway

I’m teaming up with my friend at Luc Belaire (the phrase “my friend at” is tossed around a lot in the blogging world but I mean friend friend–we went to high school together!) to give one reader a case of bubbly. You’ll get six bottles, two of each expression (Brut, Rose and Luxe). You’ll also get four Belaire glasses and a limited-edition backpack designed by street artist Ben Eine.

You must be 21 to enter. Giveaway is open to US residents. There are two ways to enter. You can follow me and Belaire on Instagram or, if you’re not on Instagram, you can leave a comment on this blog post telling me what your favorite cocktail or mocktail is. Use the widget below to record your entry/ies. I’ll pick a winner Monday. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Cheers to the weekend!

Filed Under: Cocktails, Giveaways & Discounts, Recipes

Refreshing Mint Watermelon Juice

July 13, 2014 by Nicole 11 Comments

Hope you all enjoyed Friday’s entertaining little detour from the health & fitness posts–let’s get back to what I’m drinking 99% of the time (i.e. not beer). 🙂

Nothing says “summer” like watermelon, right?? Growing up, my cousins and I would have watermelon seed spitting contests, and in case you’re wondering (I know you are, since we’re all eight years old here…), the key to getting maximal distance is to roll the seed in your tongue to create a chute, and launch it from there with a forceful exhale.

WIth knowledge like this, I’ve pretty much got “The Cool Aunt” title on lock. Not that I’m an aunt, but you get where I’m going.

This juice is so refreshing! And would taste amazing as a cocktail. Make a big batch, throw in some vodka, and you’ve got a summer BBQ home run.

Refreshing Mint Watermelon Juice

Yield: 14 oz (roughly)

Refreshing Mint Watermelon Juice

Ingredients

2 heaping cups chopped watermelon
½ cucumber
1 lime, peeled
1 handful mint (about 5 sprigs)

Instructions

Peel the lime. Use a peeler to remove the green, but keep some of the white coating underneath (lots of nutrients in there!).
Run everything through your juicer.

https://pumpsandiron.com/2014/07/13/refreshing-mint-watermelon-juice/

Hope you had a fun weekend!

Filed Under: Cocktails, Juice, Recipes

Cherry Sangria with Peaches & Mango

July 16, 2012 by Nicole 8 Comments

If you follow me on Twitter, you know that I went for a nice, healthy bike ride this weekend on the Vineyard. Destination: the liquor store. Oops.

It my defense, it actually made the bike ride a better workout because pedaling back with a jumbo bottle of wine strapped to my back was challenging. Anyone who says alcohol is bad for your health is clearly lying. And if you’re going to completely negate your workout by indulging in a few adult beverages, trust me, this sangria is worth it. It is SO delicious.

Here’s what you’ll need:

A 1.5 liter bottle of fruity white wine (I chose Cavit Riesling)
½ cup of brandy
2 cups club soda
4 cups pitted, halved cherries
2 mangos, skin removed and sliced
2 peaches, sliced
6 sprigs of thyme

To make this heavenly beverage, mix the wine, brandy and cherries together in a bowl. Refrigerate for 7 hours.

Add in the peaches and mango and refrigerate for another hour. The reason I held off on adding them was to give the sangria a predominately cherry taste. I also love eating the fruit at the bottom of my glass, and the less time the fruit spends in the wine/brandy, the less booze-sodden it is.

Add the thyme and club soda before serving.

I adapted the recipe from a cherry sangria featured in Cooking Light magazine, but removed all the sugar for a healthier twist. And, as I find with most recipes, the sugar wasn’t even necessary—the sangria turned out perfect.