Tag Archives: champagne

Three Words: Boozy Ice Cream

Cocktails / July 6, 2017 / No Comments.

Now that it’s summer, it’s inevitable that you’re often going to crave a refreshing drink and a delicious frozen treat. Well, we here at DIA say embrace your cravings! Listen to your gut! Don’t keep yourself from enjoying the finer things in life! Treat. Yo. Self!

If we’ve convinced you to indulge, these Delish boozy ice cream recipes are unarguably the best ways to do so. Here are some of the sweetest ways to get yo drink on. Sometimes you can have it all.

How to Make: Piña Colada Nice Cream
Ingredients:
4 15 oz. cans cream of coconut, plus coconut water
3 cups chopped pineapple, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup Malibu Rum
Toasted sweetened coconut, for garnish
Directions:
Flip over cans of cream of coconut and chill in the fridge at least 3 hours, ideally over night. When ready to whip, turn right-side-up and open.
Spoon coconut cream into a large bowl and use a hand mixer to beat until creamy. Set aside.
In a blender, blend pineapple with rum and the reserved coconut water from one can.
Fold pineapple mixture into whipped coconut cream until combined, then transfer to a 9″x5″ baking dish.
Garnish with more pineapple and toasted coconut. Freeze until firm, 4 hours, then serve!

How to Make: Mudslide Ice Cream
Ingredients:
2 cups heavy cream
1 14.5 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup chopped chocolate
1/4 cup hot fudge sauce, plus more for serving
2 tbsp. Kahlúa
2 tbsp. Baileys Irish Cream
Directions:
In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat heavy cream until stiff peaks form, 5 minutes.
Fold in sweetened condensed milk until fully combined, then fold in chocolate, fudge sauce, Kahlúa, and Baileys.
Transfer mixture to a 9″x5″ loaf pan and add one more chocolate swirl on top. Freeze for 5 hours. When ready to serve, let soften 10 minutes. Serve with warm hot fudge.

How to Make: Rosé Sorbet
Ingredients:
2 cups rosé, divided
1 1/4 cup sugar
3 cups frozen raspberries
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
Mint, for serving
Directions:
In a small sauce pan over medium heat, combine 1 cup rosé and sugar. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
In a blender. combine frozen raspberries and 1/2 cup roseé syrup. Process until smooth. Taste the mixture, adding more rosé syrup if desired. Pour into a loaf pan, cover with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, about an hour.
To make floats, scoop small portions into champagne flutes and top with more rosé. Add fresh raspberries and a sprig of mint to each glass.

How to Make: Cherry Amaretto Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups pitted and halved fresh cherries
3/4 cup milk
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp. Amaretto liqueur
1/3 cup pitted and chopped fresh cherries
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks
Directions:
Combine the 1½ cups cherries, milk, 1 cup of cream, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until the mixture begins to steam, then reduce heat to low and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and, using a blender or immersion blender, puree the mixture until smooth. Pour the mixture into a large bowl, preferably one with a pour spout, and stir in remaining cream. Chill until completely cold.
When ready to churn, stir in Amaretto. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions. When the ice cream has finished churning, place in an airtight container and fold in the remaining cherries and chocolate chips. Place is the freezer until completely frozen.

Ice Cubes That Are Everything But Boring

Cocktails / June 15, 2017 / No Comments.

My girlfriend and I were planning our first visit to her family’s home in another state. In preparation, girlfriend’s mom called girlfriend to ask what kind of things I like, so she could stock up and make it a comfortable visit for me. Very sweet of her. My girlfriend’s answer was … ice.

My now-mother-in-law might have thought I was insane, but if so, she kept it well hidden. And, sure enough, the freezer was packed to the brim with ice cubes when we arrived.

It’s true: I use a lot of ice. Love the stuff. I want my cocktails packed with ice to the brim. I want my cooler full of so much ice that my hand goes numb while I’m fishing around for a beer.

So I appreciate any innovations in the ice game. Like those frozen-coffee ice cubes for your iced coffee, which are brilliant.

And now: flavored ice cubes for your summer cocktail, courtesy of those geniuses at People Magazine. I thought identifying the Sexiest Man Alive was People’s best idea ever, but they’ve outdone themselves with this one.

My favorite is ginger-cucumber ice cubes for your mojito:

Add ¼ cup thinly sliced seedless cucumbers to ice cube tray. Stir together 1 tbsp. grated ginger and 1 cup water; pour over cucumber, and freeze. Serve in a mojito.

The honey-lemon cubes are a close second, though.

Dissolve 1/2 cup honey and 1 cup hot water then let cool. Stir in 2 tbsp. of fresh lemon juice and sliced lemon peel. Pour it into your tray and freeze. Serve with bourbon or iced tea.

For more options, check out people.com. People, this ice aficionado thanks you.

Image via People.com

Here’s To Love

Cocktails / February 14, 2017 / No Comments.

Happy Valentine’s Day! To help you celebrate, we’ve concocted a list of drinks that you’ll love even more than the preens you spend it with. Enjoy!

1. The Champagne Drink

You’re classic fancy pants bubbly with a twist. Literally. Just a dash of bitters, 1 sugar cube, and a lemon twist in your favorite champagne will make you realize how lucky your S.O. is to be with you. Recipe: Epicurious’ Classic Champagne Cocktail

2. The Red/Pink Drink

It there’s a time to drink some red and fruity, it’s today. But to make it a little less lame and little more yum, we’ve serving up The Love Bite. It’s a layered shot that tastes like an orange/cherry creamsicle with a kick. Recipe: The Love Bite Shot

3. The Sharable Drink

Scorpion Bowls aren’t exactly what you think of as a romantic drink, but since you can share it, it seems pretty lovey dovey to me. And you can always add more straws if you’re into that sort of thing. Recipe: Jeff Mauro’s Scorpion Bowl

4. The Chocolatey Drink

Coffee liqueur, Irish Cream, Crème de cacao, and Grand Marnier make for one delicious way to top off the night. To top off your drink, and your date, use whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and a cherry. Recipe: Chocolate Coffee Kiss

5. The On Fire Drink

If Valentine’s Day isn’t going your way, try this cocktail. It’ll give you a buzz and the name will make you smile. Recipe: Flaming A**hole

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Our Favorite Christmas Eve Cocktails

Cocktails / December 24, 2016 / No Comments.

Santa’s on his way. The tree is lit. Presents are wrapped. It’s time to drink. Here is a list of our favorite Christmas Eve cocktails (thanks to GourmetGiftBaskets.com)

Champagne Parfait Cocktail: This drink is a perfect toasting cocktail. Take your favorite champagne (or any sparkling wine, Prosecco, Brut, etc), add a little bit of gin, any fruit liqueurs and fresh berries to create a delicious and beautiful drink. The different berries will float at different levels, hence the the parfait look.

La Vie En Rouge: “Life in Red” mixes Grand Marnier, fresh cranberry juice, and fresh rosemary. Its bright flavor and fragrant aroma make a great after-dinner drink. Float a few cranberries in the glass for garnish.

Christmas Eve Hot Chocolate: The adult version of your favorite childhood drink. This recipe mixes coffee, chocolate and liquor. A perfect night cap.

Holiday Sparkler: If you’re hosting a large party, this a great punch bowl recipe. With Cava, fresh mint, triple sec, lime juice and cranberry juice, it’s a bright and festive drink you can make the day before your party to let the flavors really develop. It also makes a great substitution for mimosas on Christmas Day!

Mulled Wine: Also known as Glogg or gluwein, the spicy hot wine drink is perfect for a cold winter night. All you really need is dry red wine, port wine, Grand Marnier, and a bunch of oranges and some cinnamon sticks. Cook it up on the stove or even in a Crockpot to keep it warm throughout the evening.

Mistletoe Martini: A mix of chilled cranberry tea, orange and lemon juices, and vodka. A little bit of sugar cuts the tart flavors.

Eggnog: Is it even Christmas if there isn’t any eggnog? We don’t think so. Spike yours with bourbon or spiced rum for a smooth Christmas drink.

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Her Shot: Booze for that Bikini Bod

Cocktails / August 1, 2016 / No Comments.

We all love sipping on our favorite, fruity cocktails by the beach, but wouldn’t it be even be better if we could do so and not take have to ingest all of the calories? Some drinks, such as frozen margaritas, can have over 700 calories, and ain’t nobody got time for that. Check out this list of low cal cocktails that you can enjoy all summer long without the stress and concern of your health. Plus, they’ll help you keep up that bikini bod for the rest of the season…

Watermelon Martini (200 calories)
Directions: blend a cup of de-seeded watermelon in the blender and then pour it into a glass with two ounces. (a little more than a shot) of your favorite vodka. Top it off with a spritz of lime juice and a pinch of sugar for a refreshing summer sip.

The Bubbly (120 calories 5 oz. flute)
Make your own signature cocktail by adding in sliced strawberries or peaches for a pop of color and a bit of fruity flavor in your favorite champagne.

Gin and Tonic (90-180 calories depending on the amount of gin used)
Try mixing one to two shots of gin (depending on how many drinks you plan on nursing) with zero-calorie diet tonic water. Then add a little squirt of lemon juice or lemonade, a small pour of grapefruit juice, or an orange slice for some added flavor.

Skinny Girl Pina Colada (200 calories)
Use Skinny Girl’s Island coconut vodka to make the perfect low-cal pina colada! Add some coconut milk, pineapple juice, agave, and ice. Mix it and drink up.

Recipes from How Stuff Works & Skinny Girl

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Her Shot: DIY Mimosa Bar

Her Shot / May 12, 2016 / No Comments.

With summer quickly approaching and the sun coming out to play, it’s time again for backyard parties and weekends of cocktail canoodling. What better way to kick off a summer Sunday than with a twist on a brunch time classic: Mimosas. And who doesn’t like a bottomless boozy brunch with more than just the original orange juice mimosa? So get ready to become the hottest new DIY bartender with your own Mimosa Bar. Here is a step by step of how to do it and do it right:

What you will need:

Bubbles: 1 bottle usually makes around 8 mimosas, so depending on the size of your party make sure to grab enough bottles of cava, prosecco, or champagne. Make sure they are cold and stored in an ice bucket.
Water: Club soda for a non-alcoholic version is always a good idea as well as water to refresh your guests.
Ice and Ice bucket: The ice bucket ensures that the bubbles are always chilled.
Garnishes: Add some flare to the glasses with a sugar rim. Use sliced fruit to rim the glass before dipping in sugar then use the same fruit slice to add garnish. Try fruits like strawberries, oranges, raspberries, blackberries or blueberries. For a different taste try carrot strings with a carrot-orange mimosa.
Juice: The juice for the mimosa bar makes the drink. You don’t have to stick to class orange juice, add some fun summer fruits like pineapple, pomegranate, blackberry, or grapefruit juices.
Glasses: Champagne glasses are always fun to use because you are using sparkling booze and this makes it feel like a celebration, but using a variety of shapes and sizes can add to a fun quirky style to the bar.
Juice Glasses and Labels: I put the juice in clear bottles so the juice color could be brought to life adding pops of color to the gathering.
Table Decor: Whether you want a tropical tiki bar feel or a classic backyard party you can customize your mimosa bar with any style of décor think chalkboard labels, flowers, candy, or beach toys and fake sand.

Ingredients by the numbers:

2 bottles of chilled champagne, cava, or prosecco
1 bottle of club soda for non-alcoholic version
1 cup strawberries, sliced
1 orange, sliced
1 cup raspberries
1 cup blackberries
1 cup of carrot strings
2 cups of orange, blackberry, pomegranate, pineapple, grapefruit, and carrot/orange juice
Sugar for rimming the glasses
Ice for ice bucket

Now DIY:

Set up table with decor, juice, rimmed glasses, garnishes, ice bucket, and champagne
Fill champagne glasses half way with juice
Top off with champagne and garnish

Yields: 16 servings

Cheers!

Recipe & Gif

Her Shot: Showering the Bride with Booze

Cocktails / March 10, 2016 / No Comments.

Now that spring is finally around the corner, wedding season is about to be in full swing. I mean, what communicates prosperous love other than the rebirth of all the things that were previously dead in nature? We’re going to go ahead and say just about nothing. Since love is in the air, we’re declaring that alcohol should be in your cup. So whether you’re planning a bridal shower, engagement party, or you’re the blushing bride to be, these nuptial-themed cocktails will prepare you for the upcoming months of matrimony.

Lavender and Peach Bellini: (serves 1)

1 part peach puree
2 parts sparkling wine
1 pinch of edible, nontoxic, dried or fresh lavender

Place the peach puree in the bottom of a champagne glass. Next, pour in the sparkling wine but DON’T STIR. Simply use a spoon to pull the puree up along the sides of the glass (otherwise you’ll lose the bubbles). Garnish with the lavender.

Recipe from epicurious.com

Just (Rose) Married Tequila: (serves 1)

1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 blackberries
1 ½ oz. tequila
1 oz. lime juice
¾ oz. Simple Syrup
Ice cubes

Combine rosemary sprigs, tequila, and simple syrup in an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Cover and shake for at least 30 seconds. Then strain concoction into an ice-filled glass. Garnish with additional rosemary sprig and blackberries.

Recipe from theknot.com

Endless Love: (serves 1)

1 1/2 oz orange flavored vodka
1/2 oz raspberry liquor
1/2 oz pomegranate juice
Top with sparkling wine
Garnish with and orange twist and a dried rosebud

Place vodka, liquor and pomegranate juice in an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake well, then pour in a glass and top with sparkling wine. Garnish with the orange twist and/or a dried rosebud

Recipe from potterybarn.com

Sweet On You Strawberry Vodka Lemonade: (1 pitcher)

2 cups sliced fresh sliced strawberries
1 cup granulated sugar
7 cups water, divided
1 ¼ cups lemon juice (about 6 lemons)
Strawberry flavored vodka (i.e. Pinnacle Strawberry Shortcake Vodka)

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring sugar, strawberries and 1 cup of water to a boil. Lower heat and cover; simmer for 10 minutes. Put mixture in a blender/food processor and puree; set aside and let cool. In a pitcher, mix together lemon juice, 6 cups of water and strawberry syrup – this is your strawberry lemonade. In a glass over ice, mix 1 part strawberry vodka with 3 patrs strawberry lemonade

Recipe from theknot.com

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Man Cave: The Chambong

Man Cave / December 29, 2015 / No Comments.

Okay, bear with us. Take yourself back in time to your early college days. You rolled up to a house party, squad deep, thinking you’re tough sh**. Within 5 minutes, someone hands you a massive funnel, which you later learn was called a beer bong, and challenged you to drink a whole beer. You accepted. Before you knew it, you had beer dripping from your face and all over your clothes. Way to go slick.

Fast forward to present day. You haven’t fully outgrown your binge-drinking years, but would never be caught dead with a beer bong in hand for fear of some serious judgement. Well, we have just the perfect alternative.

Enter: the champagne bong. Or, more formally, the Chambong.

This incredibly classy, uber dainty invention allows you to toss back some bubbly faster than you can say, “New Years resolution.” You still have time to get your hands on one before the clock strikes 2016, so make sure you do. That way, you’ll almost be as cool as the models in their latest promo video. Goals, right?

Wondering Which Bottle to Pop in 2016?

Wine / December 28, 2015 / No Comments.

Whether it is served in a beautiful crystal flute, or simply handed to you in a red solo cup, we know you are bound to have a few sips of champagne this New Year’s Eve. Sparking Wine, Prosecco and Champagne may not be everyone’s favorite day to day beverage, but when ringing in the New Year it’s tradition to toast with some bubbly and we want you to enjoy your first sip of 2016 as much as possible! Here’s a little guide to help you pick out the best NYE bubbles for your palette!

If you like your bubbly;

On the Sweeter Side: Try Ballatore Spumante ($10.00).
“It is made from sweet, tasty Muscat grapes harvested from vineyards near a small Italian town.” – International Business Times

The Dryer The Better: You may like El Xamfra Cava ($14.95).
“ It’s refreshing, dry and surprisingly complex for such an inexpensive bubbly.” – Paste Magazine

Rose All Day: Château Laglios Brut Rose NV Crémant de Loire ($19.99) is perfect for you!
“With some tannins, this is a full-bodied and ripe sparkling rosé. It has strong wild strawberry flavors that give the wine a very fruity character.” – Wine Enthusiast

Light on the Bubbles: Pick up some Solletico Prosecco, Veneto, Italy, 2012 ($12.00).
Prosecco is aged in large tanks with less pressure, therefore the bubbles are lighter, and have less of a bite. “This particular Prosecco shows notes of honeydew and flowers.” – Kitchn.com

Cheap Cheap Cheap: Get the most bang for your buck, Jaume Serra Cristalino Brut Cava ($8.00).
“A perennial favorite, this offers clean apple flavors at an unusually affordable price for such a completely dry style.” – Wine & Spirits

I really just DON’T love it: Try some Champagne infused treats, while you toast with your beverage of choice instead! These Champagne Truffles, Champagne & Strawberry Lollipops, and Champagne Cupcakes are all delicious choices!

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The Drunk Uncles Guide to Gifting: Best Subscription Boxes

Our Stories / December 17, 2015 / No Comments.

Nothing brings the family together like the holidays and a gulp or two of liquor. Still stumped on what to get someone on your list? We’ve got a few ideas for you based solely on what they prefer in their glass:

The phrase, “a gift that keeps on giving” has never been more applicable. Give a gift that will literally continue for three+ months. That way, whoever you end up gifting this to will think of your beautiful, shining, face with every drink they have.

Tasting Room – an uber-personalized service that creates a wine profile based on your tasting experience. It’s like they’re in your brain or something.

Mel & Rose Champagne Club – get in touch with your high-society side with this year long commitment to bubbles. Each month will bring two different sparkling wines or champagnes.

Wine Globe’s Rum of the Month Club – at the end of a long day, coming home to a new bottle of rum is just what you might need. Or want. Same thing, right?

Caskers – although this subscription is on the pricey side, it’ll mean the world to the whiskey lover in your family. Three bottles every quarter does magic.

Bitters and Bottles – be your own bartender with this self-help subscription to the ingredients for the best cocktails around.

The Craft Beer Club – as one of the most prevalent subscription services around, this one is simple. Expand you beer palate.

Club W – their line is, “right from the Vineyard to your doorstep.” While that’s hard to believe, the wines are just that good that we’ll agree to embellish upon the truth.

Flaviar – feel an urge to try more brands of spirits? You’re in luck. Gift this subscription, and coincidentally find your way over to your friend’s house.

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