Wine Time
By Nikki Myers
Two weeks ago, I hosted a cocktail event called Fresh to Death Cocktails at Passion Vines in Somer’s Point. We focused on incorporating fresh herbs and fruit into our drinks for a refreshing summer experience as we sipped three delicious cocktails. I do about four cocktail tastings a year and every single one sells out – it’s a humbling and hectic experience to say the least, and I look forward to it each season. If you missed out on this last cocktail tasting, I’ve got a taste of the fun right here for you. Here are recipes for the crowd’s top two favorites from the night. Enjoy!
Thyme to Shine
Ingredients:
- Citrus Infused Vodka
- Fresh thyme
- Grapefruit Juice
- Rose’s Lime Juice
Infusing the Vodka:
Pour 1 750ml bottle of vodka (we used Tito’s) into a larger jar to leave space for the fruit. Add 1 orange, 2 lemons, and 1 lime, sliced. Add a large handful of fresh thyme. Let steep for up to 1 week, shaking daily. Strain.
Making the Drink:
Fill a shaker with ice. Add 1.5oz infused vodka, 2 oz. grapefruit juice, and ¾ ounce Rose’s Lime Juice. Shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with more fresh thyme to serve.
Mint Condition
Ingredients:
- Peaches
- Allen’s Peach Schnapps
- Bacardi Silver Rum
- Club Soda
- Fresh Mint
- Lime
- Orange Juice
Muddle 2 slices of peach, 3-4 mint leaves, ½ oz orange juice, and ¾ oz. of lime juice in a glass. Add ½ oz. Peach Schnapps and 1 oz. Bacardi. Fill with ice. Top with a splash of club soda, stir, and serve garnished with lime and mint.
These will taste just as good prepared in your own kitchen as they did the night we all drank them at the event. That being said, I still hope to see you at the next cocktail event in the fall, where we’ll taste three more original seasonal cocktails. Dates will be released soon, so keep an eye on the website (passionvines.com) for tickets, or call the store at (609) 601-8463. See you there!
Nikki serves as Event Leader and Educator at Passion Vines Wine & Spirit Company, which has provided her countless resources on her wine journey. She estimates that she knows approximately .001% of all there is to know about wine (most notably, the fact that there is an infinite amount of things to know about wine). Most nights, she can be found sipping quirky dry reds from obscure regions.
