K Sarah Designs

Thirsty Treats // Avocado Mango Martini

Happy Happy Friday, all!

So, I just realized it's been way too long time since I've posted a cocktail recipe, and thought this had to be rectified immediately :)

And really, what better way to jump back on the cocktail bandwagon than with an avocado martini?! Now, I know it sounds a little weird (avocado? in a cocktail?), but let me assure you this drink tastes fairly magical. I'd even go so far as to say it's one of the best cocktails I've ever tasted.

I first tried it at Cafe Fiore in Ventura over the Thanksgiving holidays, and loved it so much I was determined to replicate it myself. It has a fruity mango flavor, tart, crisp lime juice, and creamy avocado that sort of balances everything out. Though it's not the prettiest thing to look at, it sure is delicious! I hope you give it a try.

Avocado Mango Martini

- juice of 1-1.5 limes (depending on how juicy they are)
- 1/4 small avocado (or 1/8 of a large avocado)
- 1.5 oz. fresh mango juice (I used this Bolthouse Farms one)
- 3 oz. Cruzan Mango Rum

Juice 1-1.5 limes into a cocktail shaker. Muddle the avocado into the lime juice until it has a smooth consistency. Add the mango juice, mango rum, and fill with ice. Vigorously shake the mixture, and pour/shake/wiggle the mixture into a martini glass (this martini is a little thicker than a normal martini due to the avocado, so you really have to shake it into the glass). Enjoy!!

*Note: I'll be the first to admit that I'm not normally a fan of flavored liquors, and I usually find it annoying to purchase a specific alcohol to make a drink, but in this case, the Mango Cruzan Rum is pretty necessary. Just a heads up!

Have a great weekend!

Thirsty Treats // Triple Citrus Whiskey Sours

Happy Happy Friday!

I don't know about you, but I'm pretty freaking ready for the weekend! And why don't we kick it off a bit early with these Triple Citrus Whiskey Sours?

I admit I take no credit for the deliciousness of this drink. It comes courtesy of my brother, Paul, who has pretty much perfected the ratio of ingredients in this classic cocktail. He made these for a few of us during a recent trip to Tahoe, and definitely made a fan out of me.

The ingredients are simple: three fresh citrus juices combine with a swirl of honey and a hefty shot of whiskey, resulting in one amazingly delicious and flavorful cocktail.

Triple Citrus Whiskey Sour

- Juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon, depending on quality & juiciness of fruit
- Juice of 1 small orange (or 2 small clementines)
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- 1 large swirl of honey or agave nectar (about 1-2 tsp.)
- 2 oz. favorite bourbon (the good stuff makes a difference here)

Add all of the above to a low ball glass (or small mason jar like me!). Stir until the honey is dissolved. Taste, and adjust sweetness if necessary - the amount needed will vary depending on how sweet or sour your fruit was. Add plenty of ice, and stir to chill the drink. Garnish with a sprig of mint, and enjoy!

Have a great weekend!

Thirsty Treats // Bourbon Citrus Slush

I think I've decided that the slush (it's a very technical name, isn't it?) is probably my favorite summer drink so far. During this ridiculously hot weather, the only thing that appeals is something super cold & icy, and this drink definitely fits the bill... Plus, the great part is that it's icy without actually being watered down with ice, which means, in case you're keeping score here, your booze doesn't get watered down in the process. Win!

This particular drink is a friend's recipe that I adapted by using all fresh fruit juices & stevia instead of the juice concentrates & sugar that were in the original... which practically means it's a healthfood, right? I'd like to think so :)

Anyway, I think it turned out very very delicious, and I may or may not have already had 2 glasses... you know, purely in the name of blog, taste-testing scientific research :)

Yayyy Friday!

Bourbon Citrus Slush

- 1 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
- 2 cups fresh-squeezed meyer lemon juice**
- 3 cups bourbon whiskey (I cheated & used Jack Daniels)
- 1-1.5 cups stevia or sugar, depending on how tart your juice is
- 2 cups strong tea, chilled to room temp (I steeped 4 bags of tea in 2 cups water)
- 3 cups additional water

**Note: if you don't have access to meyer lemons, I would probably do 1.5 cups orange juice and 1.5 cups lemon juice, or even 2 cups orange juice to 1 cup lemon juice, since regular lemons are so much more tart & acidic than meyers.

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Pour into a 9x12 (or larger) glass dish (one with a lid would be ideal, but you can also just cover with plastic wrap like I did).

Freeze at least 6-8 hours, or until it's set (overnight is best!). When you're ready to serve, remove it from the freezer, and "flake" the slush with a spoon. This is easy to do, since the ice isn't hard; rather, it's more of a slush (imagine that!). 

Add the slush either directly into cups or into a pitcher so that everyone can help themselves. Garnish with lemon slices and mint sprigs. Enjoy!

As a sidenote, if you don't have fresh fruit, or are making several batches for a large group, you can sub the fresh-squeezed juice for concentrate. Everything stays the same except the following:
- 7 (instead of 3) cups water
- 12 oz. frozen lemonade concentrate
- 6 oz. frozen orange contentrate
- reduce sugar to your preference of sweetness (probably 1/4-3/4 cups)

Thirsty Treats // The Ultimate Bloody Mary

Over the past few years, I've had some really delicious bloody mary's and some truly horrendous ones, too. One of those horrendous ones happened this past weekend, and I'm not even exaggerating when I say it tasted like smoky, toxic poison. Oddly enough, it was at a (normally) legit bar & brunch spot in SF where I've had only great things in the past. Strange.

So, after this less-than-stellar bloody mary experience, I was determined to make my own darn version - one that actually tasted good (or, you know, didn't taste like poison), and was loaded up with all kinds of fun garnishes... because let's be honest, when it comes to bloody mary's, the more garnishes, the better, am I right? Plus, I was pretty excited to use the pickled green beans I made a few weeks ago for the swizzle sticks!

Anyway, this is what I ended up with, and I have to say, it's pretty deeelicious!

The Ultimate Bloody Mary

- 3 cups tomato juice, chilled 
- 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 1 Tbsp. prepared horseradish
- 1/2-1 Tbsp. dijon mustard, to taste
- 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 small clove of garlic, minced
- 3/4 tsp. tobasco, or other hot sauce
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. celery salt
- 3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- vodka

For garnish, any of the following:
- pickled green beans (I recommend these, or make your own)
- large green olives
- pickled pepperoncini peppers
- cherry tomatoes
- lemon or lime wedges
- celery sticks

Pour the tomato juice in a pitcher. In a small bowl, wisk together the horseradish, dijon mustard, worcestershire, tobasco, minced garlic, and the lemon and lime juice. Add this mixture to the tomato juice, and add in the salt, pepper, and celery salt. Mix everything together, and give it a taste. If desired, add additional worcestershire, horseradish, hot sauce, salt, or whatever you like. Chill the mix for at least an hour before serving.

When ready to serve, add your desired garnishes to a skewer. Fill a glass with ice, and add 1 shot of vodka. Top with bloody mary mix, give it a stir, and add your garnish skewer. Enjoy!

Oh, and Happy Happy Friday!

Thirsty Treats // The Sungold Zinger

Before hearing about this drink, I had never really thought of putting tomatoes in a cocktail other than a bloody mary. So when a sweet reader, Laura, sent me this cocktail recipe that included cherry tomatoes, but was in fact not a bloody mary, I was intrigued. Intrigued to the point where I had to make it that day, as soon as I got home!

And boy, am I glad I gave it a try! It's different than any cocktail I've ever had in that if you didn't know the ingredient list, you'd be hard pressed to pinpoint the specific flavors in it. The star of the drink is, of course, the Sungold Cherry tomatoes, but the addition of lemon juice, agave nectar, sea salt, and gin truly gives it such an interesting and well-balanced flavor. It's sweet, salty, tart, and savory all at once, and I'd almost liken it to a more zesty, slightly salted sip of fresh orange juice (with a bit of a kick, of course!). I loved this completely unique cocktail, and I will most certainly be making them again.

Sungold Zinger Cocktail

- 4 Sungold Cherry tomatoes (or another sweet cherry tomato)
- pinch of sea salt
- 1/3 oz. agave nectar
- 3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2-2 oz. gin (preferably 209, but not necessary)

Muddle the tomatoes, salt, and agave syrup together in a mixing glass. The muddled tomatoes is what gives this drink that vibrant orange color - so fun! **I think it would also be delicious to throw in a few fresh basil leaves & muddle them with the above - I'm going to try this next time!**

Add the lemon juice and gin, and shake well with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, and garnish with another tomato on the rim. Enjoy!

Happy Friday, all! Hope your weekend is truly fabulous!

Thirsty Treats // The Plantation

Happy Friday, all!

I don't know about you, but I'm ready for a Friday Happy Hour, and this drink full of fresh citrus, basil, and gin really hits the spot. I love all of the fresh fruit & herb flavor in this cocktail - it's definitely a keeper for the summer months!

The Plantation

- 1.5 oz. gin
- 0.5 oz. Cointreau
- 1.5 oz. fresh grapefruit juice, preferably Ruby Red
- 1/2 fresh lime
- 4-5 leaves fresh basil
- Sprite Zero (or a combination of club soda & simple syrup/agave nectar)

Cut the half lime in half again so that you have 2 quarters of a lime. Add to a glass/cocktail shaker and muddle well until limes are juiced and the rind has given off flavor. Add basil leaves to glass and muddle some more until basil is bruised, but not shredded. *Note: if you're using simple syrup & club soda instead of Sprite Zero, you'll want to muddle the above with the simple syrup.

Fill the glass with ice, grapfruit juice, gin, and Cointreau, and shake well. Fill a cocktail glass with ice, and strain drink over ice. Top with Sprite Zero (or club soda), give it a stir, and garnish with basil leaves.

*Recipe adapted from Cocktail Remedy

Thirsty Treats // Kiwi Ginger Cocktail

Happy Happy Friday, ya'll! It's that glorious time of week again - cocktail time!

I made this drink a few weeks ago, when my kiwi addiction was still in full swing. I had some fresh ginger that needed to be used and a couple kiwis, so decided to combine the two into a drink. And oh man, was it good!

If you like ginger, this is a great option - it has that distinctive, refreshing crispness from the ginger, and a mixture of tart and sweet from the lime and kiwi. Also, if you don't have kiwi on hand, lots of other fruits would work (most berries, mango, or pomegranate are all good choices)... this one's very easy to adapt, and really screams summer. Cheers!

Kiwi Ginger Cocktail

- 1/2 fresh lime
- 1 kiwi, diced
- 1/4 tsp. peeled, finely grated ginger
- 1.5 oz. light rum (or vodka or gin - whatever floats your boat)
- 6-8 oz. ginger ale (I like diet Canada Dry)

Cut the half of the lime in half again. Squeeze one of the wedges into a glass, and place the other wedge into the glass. Add half of the diced kiwi and all of the grated ginger to the glass and muddle everything together. *Note: The ginger should be grated so finely, it's almost the consistency of a paste - if you don't have a microplane to accomplish this, you could always add a couple of thinly sliced pieces of ginger & muddle those.

Next, fill the glass with ice, and add the alcohol. Top off with the ginger ale, give it a stir, and garnish with a lime wedge & more of the diced kiwi, if desired.

Et voila! Enjoy your super refreshing a tasty drink!

Thirsty Treats // Blackberry Agave Margaritas

Happy Friday!

Sometimes there really is nothing better than a homemade, fresh-squeezed margarita. This version is a simple mix of fresh lime juice, agave nectar, tequila, triple sec, and muddled blackberries. The berries add just a bit of a sweet fruit flavor, and the result is a refreshing, not-too-sweet margarita in a vibrant purple color.

What's also great about the base of this margarita is any kind of fruit can be added to it. If you don't have blackberries on hand, just sub in strawberries, blueberries, mango, or kiwi, to name a few! They'd all be delicious!

Blackberry Agave Margaritas

- 8 fresh blackberries
- 2 lime wedges
- 1 oz. fresh lime juice
- 0.5-1 oz. light agave nectar (depending on how sweet you like yours)
- 2 oz. silver Tequila
- 0.5 oz. of Cointreau or Triple Sec (optional)

In the bottom of a glass, muddle 5-6 blackberries with 1 of the lime wedges. Fill the glass with ice. Next, fill a cocktail shaker with ice, and add the tequila, triple sec, lime juice, and agave nectar. Shake well, and strain into the glass over the blackberries. Give it a stir, and garnish with the remaining fresh blackberries & lime wedge. Enjoy!

*Recipe adapted from Camille Styles

Cheers to a long, holiday weekend!

Thirsty Treats // Cucumber Lemon Cocktail

One of my favorite flavors to add to a cocktail is cucumber - it adds a refreshing crispness that I really love. The main components of this cocktail are cucumber, lemon, and gin, though it's easy to adapt with what you have on hand. Substitute lime for the lemon, or add some muddled mint or basil for some additional freshness. I made this one with fresh mint, but if you don't have any fresh herbs on hand, it's still very tasty without it.

As with many of the cocktails I make, I used my trusty (and oh-so-fancy!) Sprite Zero to add a low-calorie sweetness, citrus flavor, and carbonation all in one fell swoop. However, if you're more of a purest, and are into the whole simple syrup + club soda combination, go for it! It's delicious that way as well.

Cucumber Lemon Cocktail

- 5 thin slices english cucumber, peeled
- 1/4 lemon, wedged (or lime)
- 1-1.5 oz. gin
- 3-4 oz. Sprite Zero (or simple syrup + club soda)
- 4 leaves fresh mint or basil, optional

In a tall glass, muddle the cucumber, lemon (or lime) wedge, and mint (if using). I like muddling the actual wedge of lemon or lime as opposed to just juicing them, because you get some of the added flavor from the zest in addition to the juice. Fill the glass with ice, and pour in the gin. Next, pour in the Sprite Zero, and give it a stir. Garnish with additional cucumber slices, lemon, lime or mint, and enjoy!

Thirsty Treats // Spiked Strawberry Lemonade

Fresh-squeezed lemonade has always been one of my favorite drinks - in my mind, nothing quite says summer like an ice cold glass of it. And even though it's not quite summer, it's starting to feel an awful lot like it around here (it's supposed to be nearly 90 degrees this weekend!)

Anyway, I needed to use up the last of some strawberries, and thought strawberry lemonade would be the perfect way to do that. Then I figured, why not add some booze and make a cocktail out of it? Well, I have to say it was a good choice - this strawberry lemonade is delicious sans alcohol, but it's pretty killer with a shot of vodka thrown in :)

I used meyer lemons for the lemonade, so if you can get your hands on some, you're in for a treat. If not, regular lemons also work, you probably just have to add a bit more sugar since they're more tart. Anyway, I think I've found my new summer drink!

Spiked Strawberry Lemonade

- 1 1/2 cups fresh-squeezed lemon juice (I needed 5 meyer lemons)
- 1/2 cup sugar (or more, if you prefer a sweeter lemonade)
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled & halved
- 3 cups cold water
- vodka
- fresh mint, for garnish

Add the sugar to the fresh lemon juice & stir until dissolved. Taste to see if it's sweet enough, and add more sugar if it's not. Note: if you're using regular lemons, not meyer lemons, this is when you may decide to add more sugar.

In a blender, puree the halved strawberries with 1/2 cup of the water until smooth. Pour the puree into the lemonade pitcher, through a fine mesh sieve - this will catch all of the strawberry seeds & large pieces of pulp! Note: you may have to use the back of a spoon to help force the juice through the sieve.

Stir the lemonade & strawberry juice layers together, and add the remaining cold water. If you want a sparkling lemonade drink, you can always sub sparkling water, club soda, or citrus soda in for a portion of the water - it's delicious this way, too!

When ready to serve, fill a glass with ice, pour in a shot of vodka, and fill with the strawberry lemonade. Give it a stir, and garnish with a sprig of mint! Enjoy!

Happy Happy Friday!