How to Have the Absolut Best Passionfruit Cocktail

November 22, 2017

When it comes to alcohol one of my go-to liquors especially around the holidays is vodka. And the only brand I trust is Absolut Vodka. Its smooth, refined taste is always a hit when entertaining/hosting friends and loved ones, something I just love doing around this time of the year. Which is why this season I'll be sharing Absolut Elyx at social gatherings. Absolut Elyx is the ultimate expressions of Absolut Vodka, which sets out to revitalize the vodka market as the world's first single estate copper crafted luxury vodka. The renowned taste of Elyx is thanks to their unique copper catalyzation process, that makes it a spirit of exceptional quality, depth, and rich silky smooth character. So in today's post, I'll be discussing why copper makes vodka better as well as a festive cocktail recipe just in time for the holiday season.

Every drop of Absolut Elyx is produced using winter wheat grown on one single estate in Southern Sweden. The raw spirit is further rectified using a vintage copper still from 1921 which is hand operated to make their unique fine spirit. The use of the hand-operated copper still involves traditional skills and techniques known only by a select few. It is their special way in which they use copper to give Absolut Elyx that rich silky mouthfeel and extremely smooth finish.

When it comes to sharing and having a good time with loved ones, it has always been quality over quantity. Everything from the quality of the liquor to the quality of the stemware has to be of high standard. And I just adore making more sophisticated cocktails instead of vodka n sodas in plastic cups. Even healthy ones, like this fresh and fruity cocktail recipe.

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COPPER CUP #16

Ingredients:

3 Parts Absolut Elyx

3 Parts Fresh Passion Fruit Puree/Juice

1 Part Homemade Vanilla Cordial*

Top Champagne

Vessel: Copper Cup

Garnish: Fresh Passion Fruit and/or Mint Method

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a copper cup over crushed ice, top with champagne and garnish

Stop by the Elyx Boutique and check out their timeless stemware and bar tools. Of at the very least, treat yourself to some Absolut Elyx and celebrate in style - you can rest assured it's a purchase you'll feel good about and a guaranteed social favorite because Copper Makes It Better! What do you guys think of this recipe? Would you give it a try this holiday season? How delicious does passion fruit juice sound right now?! Don't forget to save this recipe for later and leave your comment down below!

LOVE & XX'S,

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Spiced Apple Margaritas

September 3, 2017

Happy Labor Day weekend! I'm staying in town relaxing and prepping for NYFW along with brainstorming and creating content for my favorite season, fall! There's no drink quite like the margarita- whether it's frozen or on the rocks, from delicious variants like Chipotle to strawberry and more. That's why Margaritas are the #1 cocktail in the U.S., with 70% of them made from scratch in our very own homes... But there's a well-kept secret that turns an ordinary home-made margarita into an extraordinary one--Agavero Orange. Which is why I've partnered with Agavero Orange Liqueur, a tequila based liqueur that is the perfect addition to any margarita recipe. It's Gran Centenario Tequila's perfect match, and it's your dance partner, party pleaser and top-secret ingredient.With summer coming to an end, I wanted to create a fall-inspired margarita cocktail. Enter: Spiced Apple Margaritas!

photos + recipe by: © Suzanne Spiegoski — photos + recipe by: © Suzanne Spiegoski

Spiced Apple Margaritas

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1.5 parts Gran Centenario Plata

.75 parts Agavero Orange Liqueur

1.5 to 2 ounces apple juice

1 oz fresh orange juice (about half an orange, juiced)

Dash all spice & cinnamon

Star anise, apple & orange zest for garnish

Cinnamon/sugar/salt rim blend and garnish

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

½ tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:

On a small plate, use a fork to blend the sugar, salt and cinnamon. Run a wedge of orange around the top of each drinking glass, then turn the glass down at a 45-degree angle and roll the top of the glass through the cinnamon, sugar and salt blend. Fill the glasses with ice and set them aside.
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Feel free to make 2 to 3 drinks at once. Pour in the tequilas, apple juice, orange juice, all spice, and cinnamon. Put on the lid and shake the cocktail for about 20 seconds. Strain the cocktail into the prepared glass(es) and add a star of anise if you’d like. Garnish with a slice of apple and orange zest. Cheers!

Agavero Orange Liqueur is a delicious blend of 100% agave tequila infused with orange and agave nectar. It is subtle enough for sipping, but also an ideal orange liqueur for the ultimate Margarita as it offers a robust tequila flavor coupled with the ripe citrus of Mexican oranges. So I paired the orange liqueur with Gran Centenario® Plata - it adds extra depth and character to crafted cocktails. The tequila is also delicious as a chilled shot. I paired the Tequila's with more orange and apple flavors, spicing it up with some ground all-spice and cinnamon. Lastly, I garnished the drinks with star anise, to not only enhance the flavor but to maintain a rustic sort of fall cocktail.

What do you guys think of these spiced apple margaritas? I definitely wanted to try something different using fall-inspired ingredients. I was even thinking of a pumpkin spiced margarita, but given the fact that I don't have a blender in my kitchen at the moment, I found it to be rather more challenging to mix those kinds of ingredients together. Which is why I opted for apple and orange, the perfect combination with the Agavero Orange Liqueur and Gran Centenario Tequila. Enjoy the rest of the long weekend!

LOVE & XX'S,

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Sidecar Cocktail Recipe with Martell Blue Swift

August 18, 2017

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY MARTELL BLUE SWIFT & FLOWER DELIVERY NYC.

Blue Swift the first-ever Martell VSOP matured in French Oak casks and finished in Kentucky Bourbon casks. Enjoy on its own, over ice, lengthened with a mixer or as a cocktail. Characterized by delicate notes of candied fruit and plum, now complemented by the subtle sweetness of vanilla and toasted oak from bourbon casks. On the nose, I first noticed gourmet aromas such as banana and caramelized pears. Then a subtle sweetness appears, and notes of vanilla & coconut mixed with spicy and menthol are revealed. In the mouth, it is soft, round and gourmand. I taste deep and fresh notes of ginger and white candied fruits such as plums. I then felt the ample, smooth and long toasted oak finish from Kentucky Bourbon casks. Today's post is on the classic take on the 'Sidecar' cocktail with a recipe in partnership with Martell Blue Swift. Continue on to check out the easy-peasy recipe!

Martell Blue Swift Sidecar Cocktail

Ingredients:

Sugar

1 1⁄2 oz Martell Blue Swift

3⁄4 oz Cointreau

3⁄4 oz Fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Coat the rim of a cocktail glass with sugar and set aside.

(Do this a few minutes ahead of time so the sugar can dry and adhere well to the glass.) Add the remaining ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice.

Shake, and strain into the prepared glass.

Garnish with a slice of lemon.

And look at this truly original bouquet of lovely roses, daisy poms, stock, alstroemeria and monte casino in shades of pink and purple. I received these flowers from Flowers Delivery NYC and they are so beautiful! They totally made my day! And this Martell Blue Shift's VSOP finished in Bourbon Barrels is the perfect start to a great weekend! I have a classic recipe for the traditional sidecar cocktail above, so don't forget to take a peek and download! What are your plans for this weekend? Whatever it may be, hope it's a great one! Cheers :)

LOVE & XX'S,

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Rosemary Peach Gin Cocktail

April 30, 2017

Sponsored Post: Message for 21+. This post is sponsored by Seagram’s, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own. Play it Smart. Drink Responsibly.

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Rosemary Peach Gin Cocktail

Cocktail recipe + photos by © Suzanne Spiegoski — Cocktail recipe + photos by © Suzanne Spiegoski

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 Peach

4 Rosemary Sprigs

2 Tbsp Freshly-Squeezed Lemon Juice

1 20 oz. Ginger Ale

4 Tbsp. Rosemary Simple Syrup (1/2 Cup of Sugar, 1/2 Cup of Water, bring to a boil, remove from heat, add rosemary sprigs, stir, and let cool. Chill until ready to use.)

3 oz. Seagram's Extra Dry Gin

Directions:

Thinly slice half of peach. Make ice cubes with them by first adding the slice in each cube before adding water.
In a cocktail shaker, add ice, rosemary syrup, lemon juice, ginger ale and Seagram's extra dry gin. Shake well.

Pour over crushed ice evenly between two glasses.
Garnish with extra peach slices (optional) and rosemary sprigs. Serve immediately.

Happy Sunday, guys! I know I said I was going to post up a new cocktail recipe on Monday, but I was just too excited to wait until then! So here you have it, folks... a rosemary peach gin cocktail just in time for cocktail hour! It's always 5 'o clock somewhere, am I right? This recipe is so easy and delicious, let me tell you how to create this wonderful concoction! It'll be the perfect drink to unwind with for the rest of your weekend! Just peachy :)

I started with making ice cubes, but not any regular ice cubes, I put in some peach slices to bring a subtle flavor and fresh look to the drink. I've seen others use edible flowers, lavender, and other herbs when making ice cubes. And it's a great way to lightly infuse an adding taste while you drink it! The secret to the rosemary syrup is here: 1/2 Cup of Sugar, 1/2 Cup of Water, bring to a boil, remove from heat, add rosemary sprigs, stir, and let cool. Chill until ready to use.

When the rosemary syrup is ready to use, I added it into a cocktail shaker with regular ice, lemon juice, ginger ale and Seagram's Extra Dry Gin. Shake well (be careful when you open ha ha!) and pour over glasses with added peach cubes, (about 3 per drink). Garnish with peach slices (this is optional as I didn't do it as I felt it would've clutter the beautiful peach cubes) #foodphotography #problems #lol and rosemary twigs. Hope you guys enjoyed this recipe and will give it a try! It's the perfect spring/summer cocktail! Let me know what you think. Can't wait to start doing more cocktails in the future! Until next time, thanks for stopping by and I hope you all had a great weekend!

LOVE & XX'S,

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Lavender Soju Lemonade

August 25, 2016

Happy Thirsty Thursday, everyone! I'm delighted to share with you not only a new cocktail recipe, but my very first food & cooking video, made by yours truly! I literally did everything by myself! Just a quick mention: I know a lot of you have asked me in the past who does my photos, who edits them, etc.; when many have assumed they were strictly done by my husband (who, yes, is a pretty well-known and very talented photographer) but besides the editorial fashion shoots we try and do once a week, everything else is my own content! And when it comes to video editing, that's all done by me too. Interesting fact? I learned how to cut & edit music, plus video, from my childhood figure skating days! And with photos of myself, if it is not mentioned that it's a self-portrait photograph, the pictures of me are done by my love. :)

Now back to the lecture at hand... ha ha! I've been in a creative rut lately, feeling like my recent work has been flat. Something didn't fit quite right. Yes, I'm a perfectionist and am completely guilty of being hard on myself (too much at times). But as they say, 'when life gives you lemons, make lemonade!' I've never worked with lavender in terms of culinary use, and when the idea of a refreshing yet soothing cocktail came up on a 'last days of summer' drinks story, I knew these little enchanting flowers were the perfect choice! Plus, having the excuse to buy extra lavender is always a good one. My whole apartment smells inviting yet calming.

My favorite part was removing the flowers from its stems. The aroma is intoxicating, I couldn't get enough of it! You can steep it for less or more than the 10 minutes I did. For a lighter scent, I'd recommend 5 minutes. If you really want to kick it up a notch, I'd go for a little bit longer than the 10. Observe the coloring, as the more it steeps, the darker the color. I also really enjoyed watching the colors combine with each other. The dark purple with the bright, vibrant yellow from the lemon juice. You can also use a juicer if you're not a fan of squeezing 'em by hand.

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Lavender Soju Lemonade

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1c. lavender flowers
2c. boiling water
2c. cold water
1c. lemon juice
1c. sugar
5fl. oz. soju
1 tray ice cubes

Directions:

Place freshly cut lavender flowers in a pitcher; pour the boiling water over lavender; cover with plastic wrap and allow to steep 10 minutes; strain and discard the lavender from the water and return the water to the pitcher. Add cold water, lemon juice, and sugar to the pitcher and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add in soju, mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with a stem of lavender. Enjoy!

I also used pure organic cane sugar to be on the healthy side. (Even though I'm a sugar addict) And then the most important ingredient! I always use Charm Soju when it comes to this Korean liquor. It's my favorite and the quality is high. The secret is to add it last. You'll want the sugar to completely dissolve before mixing in the soju. I kept it light and simple when it came to serving the drinks. Over several ice cubes and a stem of lavender, I kept the garnishing straight-forward. But the idea of also turning these cocktails into a slushies did come to mind. Or perhaps Korean shaved-iced? Now that would be a fun cocktail to do! (Hint, hint!)

Korean Soju Fusion Lemonade Cocktails Recipe

Thanks so much for stopping by and checking out the latest cocktail recipe I created! Be sure to check out the how-to video I also made down below! (Full steps included.) We hope you enjoyed the lavender Korean-fusion inspired lemonade we shared with you today and that you are soaking up as much fun in the sun before summer ends. Coming up on the blog, a brand spanking new travel diary (so excited to go!) and lots of NYFW coverage. It's gonna be a crazy, hectic next couple of weeks so brace yourselves! ;) Stay tuned...

Videography + photography, styling + editing by: Suzanne Spiegoski

Hey everyone! I got into a bit of a creative funk the past few days, so instead of whining about it I did this! It's my first food & cooking video! Better yet, it's how to make lavender soju lemonade! Cheers!