Deck the Halls Mocktail + A Holiday Recipe Exchange!

This year, I'm excited to take part in Eat the Culture’s 2023 Holiday Recipe Exchange: Party Pairings for All the Holidays! Holidays often revolve around communal moments – sharing stories, laughter, and, of course, food. This year's roundup is all about those delightful 'lite bites' and drinks that set the tone for festive gatherings.

I had the pleasure of partnering with Ashley of Pink Owl Kitchen who crafted delicious New Orleans BBQ Shrimp. This dish pairs perfectly with my Deck the Halls Mocktail. Learn more about Eat the Culture and find a complete list of recipes from all participants here.  Share these recipes with your friends and loved ones and follow each participant by using the hashtags #HolidayswithETC, #PerfectPartyPairings, and #ETCHOLIDAYS2023  on Instagram.  

And speaking of the holidays, they have always represented the time of year where my favorite things combine (faith, family, friends--and food!) and ignite my merry-making.  With the backdrop of the world today, I'm anticipating the upcoming holiday season more than ever.  

And to celebrate the many special moments, gatherings, soon-to-come memories, and merriment, I'm toasting to this season--and decking the halls!--with a festive, effervescent and beautiful sip.  Cue my easy and fun Deck the Halls Mocktail. 

I'm talking a worthy signature drink (for easy entertaining) that's adaptable for any occasion from a kids' party, to a Girls' Night, to Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Eve, and beyond.  It's the drink that you'll love to sip and serve, again and again.  It's been in my holiday repertoire for a couple of holiday seasons now, and I'm thrilled to share and make your holidays all the merrier, brighter and tastier.  

A really special wow factor happens to be the festive ice cubes that serve the double duty of both chilling—and adorning—this drink.  Like mini frozen ornaments, they boast orange, rosemary, cranberry, and star anise.  A beautiful compliment to the gorgeous drink hue, these ice cubes elevate this drink and make it a feast for the eyes.

So now that we’re agreed that this will be making the rounds during the holiday season, let’s cheers to safe, festive… 

Happy Sipping!

Deck the Halls Mocktail

Ingredients:

Festive Ice Cubes* (recipe to follow)

Ginger beer

Grenadine syrup

Orange slices  

Maraschino Cherries

Festive Ice Cubes:

Ingredients:

Cranberries (frozen or fresh)

Orange Slices

Fresh rosemary sprigs

Star Anise

Water

Special Equipment: Ice cube tray/mold

Method:

Place cranberries, an orange slice, rosemary sprigs and star anise into an ice cube mold or tray compartments.  Add water and freeze overnight.

Add festive ice cube(s) to a glass.  Pour over ginger beer.  Add a splash or two of grenadine. Garnish with orange slices and cherries. Enjoy and cheers to a fabulous holiday season!

Toast With This!: Cider Mimosas

When it comes to stress-free entertaining, one of my hallmark tips is to serve a signature drink--be it a mocktail, cocktail, or whatever suits your sipping fancy. It does the double duty of marking the occasion, while keeping the effort level low, freeing you up to spend more time with your guests--the ultimate reason we gather, no?

So just in time for your Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving, and all around holiday soirees, I've created a delicious, festive sip that's a grown-up twist on one of my favorite seasonal beverages, apple cider.  And with only four ingredients, it couldn't be easier to make--and toast with--my cider mimosas.

Happy Sipping!

Cider Mimosas

Ingredients:
1 part Chilled Prosecco
1/2 part Apple Cider
Fresh thyme and rosemary

Method:
Pour prosecco and top with cider.  Garnish with fresh herbs and enjoy!

{Toast With This!}: Strawberry Spritzer

Enduring the Summer heat is a lot more bearable when you're sipping on a cool, effervescent and refreshing drink that boasts the season's bounty.  And with that in mind, I recently added another favorite to my mocktail repertoire.

Inspired by my love for homemade everything, I set about to create a strawberry puree, accented with a hint of fresh lime juice.  And can I just tell you--it was sooo good.  (Like, spoonfuls in the middle of the day, straight from the container, kind of good. Don't judge me.)  From there, the possibilities became endless for how to make the most of the berry-licious concoction.

Freeze into sorbet.  Spoon over ice cream.  Make into a seasonal spritzer.  The latter of these was my immediate go-to, but the other options are still very much alive.

And this "non-recipe", recipe of sorts, couldn't be easier to pull off--or transform with additional or alternate flavors.  One technique x endless options = happy cooking at its finest.

So cheers to more of Summer's luscious flavors...and to Happy Sipping!

Strawberry Spritzer
Ingredients:
1 lb. fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
Juice of 1/2 lime, plus more to garnish as desired
1/2 cup sugar
Club soda
Ice Cubes

Method:
Place strawberries in a blender or food processor and blend into a puree.  Strain puree through a fine mesh sieve.

Add in sugar and lime juice and stir well to combine.  Store in an airtight container for 8-12 hours or overnight to chill mixture.

Mix together 1/4 cup of puree and 3/4 cup of club soda.  Pour over ice, serve and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit 

{Atlanta Plugged In}: The Perfect Summer BBQ

Summer has (unofficially) been on the horizon since Memorial Day and will make its official debut in a matter of days.  Despite the accompanying heat waves and humidity that typically mark this time of year, it's the perfect season for casual entertaining, dining al fresco, and everyone's favorite: barbecues. 

Last week I had the thrill of appearing on Atlanta Plugged In to share some of my favorite recipes and tips for hosting--and enjoying--The Perfect Summer BBQ.  (Awesome, huh?!) 

It was such a great time of sharing food, tips, cheers and laughs.  And in case you missed it, I'm sharing the video clip from the day below--along with the featured recipes that were also a hit at my previous Summer Pop Up Cooking School!

A creative twist on traditional BBQ fare, I know you'll enjoy them as much as we all did.

WATCH HERE ~ 
Atlanta Plugged In: The Perfect Summer BBQ

MAKE ~
Sangria Mocktails
Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho
Gourmet Meatball Sliders (Recipe coming soon!)
Berry & Balsamic Shortcakes

Happy Eating!

 

Toast With This!: Blackberry Ginger Soda

With so much happening in the world today, not the least of which involves addressing the very serious matter of the lingering impacts of systemic racism, there has never been a better time to celebrate and amplify the voices and impact of black people, including our culture, cuisine, businesses and more.  And with that comes the (perfectly timed) celebration of Juneteenth on June 19th., which commemorates the final act of emancipation from slavery under the Confederacy, two and a half years following President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation.

My personal celebration will include an exciting collaboration with fellow black culinary creatives for a virtual Juneteenth Cookout. With a bevy of recipes in tow, showcasing the exuberance, flavors, and resiliency of a people destined for freedom, I'm inviting you to join us by raising a glass of my favorite Blackberry Ginger Soda, an ode to the original Juneteenth staple of Red Soda Water.

“Watermelon and red soda water are the oldest traditional foods on Juneteenth,” said Dr. Ronald Myers, head of the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation.  

Red represents perseverance and spans much of the celebrated cuisine.  So if you haven't guessed by now, it's a delicious, empowering time of jubilee! 

See my original post below that includes the easy four-ingredient recipe and join in the celebration with a toast to freedom, joy and better days ahead.  You can also grab the recipes of the additional collaborators below for exceptional menu ideas for your very own Juneteenth cookout.
****************

Original Post:

If last week's solstice didn't carry enough of a bang to convince you that Summer has officially arrived, then this past weekend's sweltering heat offered a not-so-gentle reminder.  And almost as fast as I welcomed the season, I began seeking a refreshing sip to usher in a much needed cool down.

While running my Saturday morning errands, I stopped in one of my favorite stores and landed upon the inspiration for this beautiful & ohh so good drink: rich, sweet blackberry syrup and sparkling dry ginger.  My wheels instantly began turning and the resulting mocktail was born.  I couldn't resist garnishing it with stunning blackberry king ice cubes, for added flair, and topping it off with a couple of splashes of club soda.

The punch from the ginger, coupled with the sweet blackberry essence and fizzy soda, makes this the perfect drink to toast the season--and it should definitely be in rotation in your sipping and entertaining repertoire.  It's a casual, pour-as-you-like, non-recipe of sorts so make it your own, leading with the ginger as the base and accented with blackberry syrup and club soda to finish.

Happy Sipping!

Blackberry Ginger Soda

Ingredients:

Sparkling Dry Ginger (or ginger ale), chilled

Blackberry Syrup

Club Soda

Blackberry Ice Cubes

Method:

Fill glasses with ice cubes.  Pour desired amount of ginger into glass, followed by a few drizzles of the syrup.  Top with a couple splashes of soda.  Stir to combine and enjoy! 

The Juneteenth Cookout Recipes Round-Up:

A Girl Called Adri | Blackened Catfish   

Beautiful Eats & Things | Spiced Grilled Peaches

Black Girls Who Brunch | Brown Butter Sweet Potato Cake   

Brazilian Kitchen Abroad | Brazilian Collard Greens with Bacon    

Britney Breaks Bread    | Buttermilk Fried Chicken with Sour Cream and Honey Sauce    

Brownbelle | Watermelon Hibiscus Whiskey Smash   

Butter Be Ready | Chicken and Waffles   

Chef and Steward | Watermelon and Feta Salad   

Chef Curl Ardee | Honey and Butter Cornbread   

Chenée Today | Lemon Icebox Pie   

Christy Irene | Crawfish Etoufee    

Collards Are The Old Kale | Guaymas Shrimp   

Confessions of a clean foodie | Mint Peach Spritzer    

Cooking to a T    Jamaican | Beef Patties   

Cooks with Soul | BBQ in Jar   

Dash of Jazz | Golden Pineapple Pound Cake   

Dish It With Tisha | Honey Jerk Shrimp   

DMR Fine Foods | Blackberry Ginger Soda   

Dom N' The City | Pound Cake   

Domestic Dee | Easy Berry Fruit Salad   

Dude That Cookz | Cajun White Beans   

Erique Berry Co | Three Green Summer Salad   

Ethically Living | Vegan Jackfruit Jamaican Patties   

Food Fidelity | Nigerian Beef Suya Skewers

Food Is Love Made Edible | Smothered Okra with Chicken & Sausage   

FoodLoveTog | Braised Cabbage & Johnny cakes    

Forks and Straws | Cassava Corn Waffles with Shrimp Creole   

Geo's Table | Curried Potato Salad   

Gristle & Gossip | Sweet Potato Honey Cornbread Cake    

Heal Me Delicious | Trinidadian Callaloo   

Immaculate Ruému | Chin-Chin   

Jamieson Diaries | Crockpot Smoked Red Beans   

Kenneth Temple | Red Velvet Biscuit with BBQ Brisket    

Kenya Rae | Pork free baked beans   

Lenox Bakery | Sweet Potato Cheesecake    

Maple Points | Peas & Rice – Guyanese Style   

Marisa Moore Nutrition | Fresh Peach Iced Tea

Meiko and the Dish | Strawberry Cornbread Skillet Cobbler   

Murielle Banackissa | Vegan Saka Saka (Congolese Cassava Leaf & Spinach Stew)   

My Fabulous Food | Black eye peas with smoked turkey    

Nik Snacks | Easy BBQ Pork Ribs   

On Ty’s Plate | Watermelon Limeade   

Open Invitation Entertainment | Coconut Collard Greens   

Orchids + Sweet Tea | The Ultimate Vegan Mac + Cheese

Our Perfect Palette | Jollof Rice

Peaches 2 Peaches | Vanilla Cake With Caramel Poached Pears   

Pink Owl Kitchen | Strawberry Buttermilk Biscuits   

Razzle Dazzle Life | Southern Peach Cobbler   

Rosalynn Daniels | Southern Tomato Pie   

Savor and Sage | Black-Eyed Pea Salad   

Savory Thoughts | Jus Citron (Haitian Lemonade)   

Seasoned To Taste | Cajun Shrimp Deviled Eggs   

Sense & Edibility | Blackberry Cobbler   

Simply LaKita | Candied Yams   

Slice & Torte | Fried Softshell Crab   

Slight Kitchen Werk | Roasted Sweet Potato Salad   

Sweet & Sorrel | Baked Jerk Chicken   

Sweet Savant | Black Eyed Peas and Sweet Potato Salad   

That Green Lyfe | Vegan Red Red Stew (Spicy Ghanaian Black-Eyed Peas) and Plantain   

The Dana Renee Way | Sweet Potato Cornbread   

The Hangry Woman | Jamaican Jerk Wings   

The Hungry Hutch | Southern-Style Sweet Tea   

The Kitchenista Diaries | Grilled Lemon Pepper Wings   

The Vgn Way | Juneteenth Hibiscus Strawberry Vegan Ice Cream    

This Worthey Life | Strawberry Soda   

This African Cooks | Ghanaian kebabs Whole30 style    

Vegan With Curves | Slow Cooker Black Eyed Pea Sweet Potato Soup   

Whisk it Real Gud | Southern Sweet Potato Pie   

Toast With This!: 21 Mocktails For Your Sipping Pleasure

I know this statement may be greeted with a bit of a *side eye* by some, but it. is. possible. to enjoy a refreshing and wonderful non-alcoholic cocktail, affectionately known as a mocktail.  Whether you're looking to lighten up your usual sipping repertoire, or mocktails are your normal routine, here are 21 to indulge your sipping pleasure (courtesy of BuzzFeed).

And if you're still longing for more, check out the recipes page and my Sips board on Pinterest for more toast-worthy inspiration!

Happy Sipping!

Photo Credit: 40aprons.com

Toast With This!: Watermelon Agua Fresca

Holding onto Summer until the very end (and possibly beyond) means I'm making the most of the late-season ingredients I have on hand, like luscious, sweet watermelon.  I never need a recipe to indulge (straight from the rind will do just fine), but on a recent occasion I decided to turn it into something extra special--and supremely delicious.  A refreshing, summer-y, mocktail of sorts: Watermelon Agua Fresca.  Because that's what you do with leftover melon, right?

Anyway, it couldn't be simpler--or more perfect--to toast the final week or so of the official season.  So here's to late summer indulgence in all its glory and to...

Happy Sipping!

Watermelon Agua Fresca

Ingredients:
Halved watermelon, cubed and seeds removed
Mint simple syrup (recipe follows)
Juice of 1 1/2 to 2 limes

Method:
Add watermelon to a blender and puree until smooth.  Add in 3 tablespoons to 1/4 cup simple syrup and lime juice and blend to combine.  Check mixture for flavor and add more syrup or lime juice, to taste.

Strain mixture through a sieve and chill.  Serve over ice and enjoy!

Mint Simple Syrup
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
Fresh mint leaves

Method:
Add sugar and water to a small saucepan over medium heat.  Allow sugar to fully dissolve and remove from the heat.  Add mint leaves to the syrup and steep for at least 15 minutes.  Strain syrup into a container and discard mint.