Latest news with #summerparty
CBS News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Summer spread recipes from Ritual House
Summer spreads and cocktails with Ritual House Summer spreads and cocktails with Ritual House Summer spreads and cocktails with Ritual House Executive Chef Edwin Smith, of popular downtown restaurant Ritual House, is helping us throw a summer party. Here's a few of his recipes to create the perfect summer spread! (Photo Credit: KDKA) Beer BBQ Shrimp Leinenkugel summer shandy bbq sauce grilled corn cucumber salad Grilled Corn & Cucumber Salad grilled corn - 1 cup red onion julienned fine- 1/4 cup cucumbers quartered, seeded and diced- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes quartered- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar- 3 tbsp sugar- 2 tbsp basil chopped- 2 tbsp paprika- 2 tsp salt - 2 tsp pepper- 1 tsp Leinenkugel Summer Shandy BBQ Sauce Leinenkugel summer shandy - 1 bottle/can sweet baby rays bbq- 2 cups honey- 3 tbsp 1. heat beer to cook off the alcohol (bring to a simmer and cook for 5 min) 2. add bbq sauce, and honey simmer to incorporate flavors Watermelon & Cucumber Salad watermelon, cucumber, heirloom tomato, feta , lemon basil vinaigrette Salad Recipe cubed watermelon cubed cucumber cherry heirloom tomatoes cut in half crumbled feta sea salt cracked pepper 1. Place cubed items in a checkerboard pattern alternating randomly 2. dress with vinaigrette drizzled over the top 3. finish with crumbled feta cheese. cracked pepper and sea salt Honey Dill Vinaigrette Recipe white balsamic vinegar- 1/2 cup fresh orange zest & juice- 1 each honey- 2 tbsp fresh dill- 1.5 tbsp dijon mustard- 1 tbsp chopped garlic- 2 tsp olive oil- 2 cups s&p - to taste 1. In a mixing bowl combine all ingredients except the oil 2. mix vigorously to incorporate all ingredients 3. slowly pour the oil into the base to emulsify (the vinaigrette should slowly thicken as you add the oil. 4. check the seasoning and add the desired amount of salt and pepper
Forbes
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Perfect Fruit Cocktail Pairings With Spirits for Every Occasion
Cheering with cocktails, summer party outdoors getty There's something a little magical about a well-balanced cocktail. It's not just the booze or the fancy glass—it's the alchemy that happens when the brightness of fruit meets the structure of a good spirit. Get it right, and it's like biting into the perfect piece of citrus at the exact right time of year. Get it wrong, and, well… it tastes like someone dumped a juice box into your whiskey. Luckily, I'm here to help you avoid the latter. Whether you're crafting something classic or going full-on tropical fever dream, fruit can completely transform a drink—but only if you pair it with the right base spirit. Here's your guide to making fruit-forward cocktails that actually sing. Orange getty Best with: Vodka, gin, tequila, rum, whiskey If cocktails had a flavor foundation, citrus would be it. Lemon, lime, grapefruit, orange—they're not just there to make things tart. They bring brightness, structure, and just enough acidity to keep even the booziest drink feeling crisp and clean. Citrus loves to mingle with just about every spirit. Vodka and gin are no-brainers. Tequila and rum, especially in summer, thrive in citrus-based cocktails. Even whiskey can shine here (hello, Whiskey Sour). Want to give your bourbon a wake-up call? Add lemon. Tequila feeling one-dimensional? Grapefruit's got you. The key is freshness. No one's cocktail ever improved with pre-squeezed juice in a plastic lemon-shaped bottle. Get yourself a citrus squeezer. Your bar (and your friends) will thank you. Best with: Rum, tequila, mezcal, vodka Pineapple, mango, passionfruit—if these fruits were people, they'd be the first ones to show up at the tiki party and the last to leave. They're bold, they're sweet, and they need a spirit that can keep up. Rum is the obvious match here. There's a reason the piña colada is a thing. But tequila and mezcal also play surprisingly well with tropical flavors—especially when you're building something smoky-sweet with a punchy finish. Even vodka can be a solid choice if you're looking to keep things clean and let the fruit really take the spotlight. Try shaking up a passionfruit caipirinha or a pineapple mezcal sour and see if you don't immediately start Googling flight deals. Cherries getty Best with: Bourbon, brandy, gin Peaches, plums, cherries, apricots—these are the fruits that don't shout, but when used right, they steal the show. Think of them as the velvet in your cocktail—lush, slightly floral, and surprisingly versatile. Stone fruits shine with spirits that bring a bit of depth and sweetness to the table. Bourbon and brandy are go-tos here, especially in Old Fashioned riffs or juleps. But gin? It can be a secret weapon, especially when paired with something like muddled peach and a little lemon. If you're leaning classic, try a cherry Manhattan. Feeling playful? A peach bourbon smash is your late-summer love letter in a glass. Best with: Vodka, gin, rum, tequila Berries are small but mighty. A few raspberries or a handful of blackberries can turn a basic highball into something cocktail-bar-worthy. Strawberries and blueberries bring subtle sweetness, while blackberries and raspberries lean more tart. Berries are happy in most spirits' company, but they especially shine with vodka, rum, and gin. Muddled into mojitos, stirred into sours, or blitzed into syrups, they bring both flavor and a pop of color to the glass. Want a no-fail crowd-pleaser? Try a blueberry bourbon lemonade or a raspberry gin fizz. It's brunch-adjacent perfection. Best with: Whiskey, brandy, bourbon, gin If fall had a flavor profile, this would be it. Apples and pears are the cozy sweater of cocktail ingredients: understated, a little sweet, and perfect for sipping slowly. These fruits are a natural match for oak-aged spirits like bourbon and brandy, but they also shine in gin-based drinks, especially when accented with spices like cinnamon or nutmeg. Apple cider mules and pear gin spritzes are underrated hits that deserve more time on the menu. Bonus: they're cocktail-friendly well into winter, making them some of the most versatile fruits on your bar. dof. getty Best with: Vodka, gin, tequila Watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew—they may not be the first fruits you think of when mixing drinks, but they should be. With their high water content and soft sweetness, they make for incredibly refreshing cocktails that are perfect over crushed ice. Pair with vodka, gin, or tequila for drinks that feel light but still pack a punch. A watermelon basil smash or a cantaloupe tequila spritz? That's how you do patio season right. Need a little inspiration? Here's your fruit-forward hit list, guaranteed to impress without overcomplicating things: Fruit doesn't just belong as a garnish—it should be part of the flavor architecture. When you find the right match between spirit and fruit, your cocktail stops being a drink and starts being an experience.
Times
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Six of the best crémants, the other French fizz
S ummer party season will soon be upon us and for sheer mood-lifting exuberance nothing comes close to a glass of bubbles. Of course, if your budget allows you can indulge your guests in a some elegant champagne. But to be honest, at a drinks party when it's all smiles, the wine isn't the focus and there are plenty of alternatives that won't require a second mortgage. Personally, although I enjoy prosecco it can be too sweet. Cava, which is made in the same way as champagne with a secondary fermentation in the bottle, albeit with different grape varieties, can be very good but unfairly some of your guests may recoil when they see the label. A better choice is France's other fizz, crémant, a dry
