cocktail Archives - Cupcakes and Cutlery

DIY Leather Stir Stick

January 23, 2015 by Sharon Garofalow Leave a Comment

I’m on the fence about a cute drink stirrer. In some cases they are totally useless. Does your drink really need a quick stir? Not usually. But they do look cute. And this DIY leather stir stick was super simple. So today, I’m in to them. All images by Tammy Mendoza.

Things you need: Wooden Skewers, super strong scissors, leather scraps, wire and a glue gun (not pictured because why would you take a glue gun to the desert?)

Things you don’t need: Herpes, Ugg boots in California (yes I have them but I feel just terrible about it), Tory Burch flip-flops (let’s be honest. they are super overpriced. you know those shoes are really the same as Havianas that they’ve slapped that big gold medallion on.)

Cut your leather pieces. I made mine sort of geometric and non-matching. Oh hey, witchy old lady hands. Look at the size of those knuckles! Ok, I’m done now.

I gave each piece of leather a dab of hot glue to adhere it to the skewer. And then simply wrapped wire around it in a haphazard way.

Boom. Now your drink stirrers are too cool for school. And if you left this champagne punch sitting, it would actually separate which would mean that you could use your stir stick for its intended use. But what are you doing leaving this delicious punch sitting around undrunk? I think I need to see other people.

All images shot for Cupcakes and Cutlery by Tammy Mendoza.

Filed Under: Craft / DIY, Entertaining Tagged With: cocktail, diy, Leather Stir Stick

Easy Lemon Pellegrino Vodka Cocktail

September 12, 2012 by Sharon Garofalow 2 Comments

I can’t take credit for this cocktail recipe. A friend made it for me as we lounged in her pool one hot, hot, summer day. But it is ridiculously delicious, super refreshing and painfully easy so I knew I had to share.

All you need is some vodka and some Pellegrino Limonata (not found at every grocery store, so keep your eyes out so you know where to find them when you need them). A cute glass doesn’t hurt either (these are from IKEA).

It may seem like you would want to pick out your drink accessory after your drink is made, but think about it. You don’t want to spill your beverage as you fight your guests over who gets to be the mermaid.

Simply pour 3 parts Pellegrino Limonata in to your glass.

Add one part vodka (I might suggest an organic vodka as I have heard positive things about lack of hangover, or less severe symptoms when drinking an organic version).

Add ice and a cute little cocktail stir stick and you are ready to try out your new favorite cocktail.

I love this recipe because it is easy to make just one or a bunch of them. One can served about 3 of these lowball glasses so you can either have a lovely evening with a few gal pals or a rip roaring night by yourself. I’m not here to judge. Do what you need to do (but see above about organic vodka…) These can also be made with another flavor of Pellegrino but I really prefer the Limonata. It is the most refreshing of the options so it is perfect to get you through these last HOT days of summer. Moving in to fall, the blood orange option might be nice. And if you want to get all gourmet on this beeyotch think about muddling some fresh herbs.

Huge thanks to my pal Carole for opening my eyes to this easy drink and to Lauren for helping me shoot and test these. You are a good friend to be willing to day drink for the sake of my blog and readers. :)

Filed Under: Drinks, Recipes Tagged With: cocktail, recipe

Seagram’s new Flavored Seltzer Waters

July 10, 2012 by Sharon Garofalow 5 Comments

I love flavored seltzer waters. I don’t like to drink a ton of calories so I really enjoy sparkling waters. I think they are super refreshing and have mystical healing powers. OK, I know that isn’t true but an old boss of mine used to swear that the fizz cured headaches. I always have sparkling water on hand for any ailment I may have. Maybe it is just a pick me up, but I like to think it helps me get well. But I also just find them really refreshing and a perfect afternoon beverage on a hot day.

Seagram’s sent me their new flavored sparkling seltzer waters to try. I was super excited because I usually add a squeeze of lime (one of my all time favorite flavors) to my water and end up wasting 3/4 of it because I have no other use for it aside from my beverage. With these I get a variety of flavors to try without needing to do anything but pop open a can and no waste. Naturally, I tried the Key Lime flavor first. If you are not already a fan of sparkling seltzer waters, you may not enjoy these. These are FIZZY, like, super duper fizzy, the kind where it almost hurts to swallow. I LOVE that! The added flavor was not overpowering but you also didn’t have to search for it either. It was a good balance of flavorful and refreshing and delightful to drink. I was unable to try to the Blackberry Raspberry flavor as it froze/exploded in my fridge. Science is weird.

The Orange Citrus ended up being my favorite flavor. And while I didn’t use any of these in a cocktail, I just KNOW these would be sensational. The fizz and flavor would be an awesome mixer for your favorite spirit. I think I will keep some of these on hand for summer sipping. These would also be the perfect addition to your party bar set up. You would need little else than these flavored sparkling seltzer waters, a few bottles of the most popular liquors and some fun glassware to keep your guests happy. They would provide tons of options for your guests with minimal effort by you. Find these delicious drinks at your local grocery stores.