With summer just around the corner, offer your guests one of these delicious cool beverages that is beyond ordinary.
Courtesy of Hostess with the Mostess
Champagne Freezes, Darling
Ingredients
4 scoops lemon sorbet
2 ounces chilled vodka, citrus vodka or limoncello (Italian lemon liqueur)
2 ounces prosecco or other sparkling wine or Champagne
2 sprigs fresh mint
Preparation
Blend lemon sorbet on low speed and pour in vodka or lemon liqueur in a slow stream. Add prosecco or Champagne. Pour cocktails into a chilled martini glass and serve, garnished with a sprig of mint.
Pink Grapefruit, Strawberry & Champagne Granita with Sugared Strawberries
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
3/4 cup water
1 cup small strawberries, hulled (about 6 ounces)
3/4 cup fresh pink or ruby grapefruit juice
2 1/4 cups chilled brut Champagne
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
9 teaspoons mascarpone cheese*
18 whole small strawberries
Preparation
Stir 3/4 cup sugar and 3/4 cup water in large saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Cool. Puree 1 cup strawberries in processor. Whisk 1/2 cup puree into sugar syrup. Mix in grapefruit juice, then Champagne. Pour mixture into 8-inch square metal baking pan. Freeze mixture until firm, stirring every 2 hours, about 6 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; keep frozen.)
Mix remaining 1/2 cup sugar and lemon peel in pie plate. Spread 1/2 teaspoon mascarpone around pointed tip half of each whole strawberry. Dip in lemon sugar to coat mascarpone.
Moisten rims of 6 Martini glasses with water; dip rims into remaining lemon sugar. Scrape fork across surface of granita to form ice shavings. Mound granita in glasses. Garnish with sugared berries and serve immediately.
*Available at Italian markets and some supermarkets.
White Peach, Cassis & Champagne Floats
Ingredients
6 medium-size white peaches, halved, pitted, each half cut into 4 wedges
2 pints peach ice cream
3/4 cup crème de cassis (black-currant liqueur) plus additional for drizzling
2 cups chilled brut Champagne or sparkling wine
Preparation
Place 3 peach wedges in bottom of each of 6 tall glasses. Top with 1 scoop ice cream, then another 3 peach wedges. Add second scoop ice cream and top with 2 more peach wedges. Drizzle each with 2 tablespoons crème de cassis. Pour 1/3 cup Champagne into each glass. Top with 1 scoop ice cream, drizzle with additional crème de cassis, and serve.
