Minted Blood Orange Pomegranate Punch

Hubby doesn’t drink any alcohol so I try to make drinks or cocktails when we have invited friends over, that he can enjoy without feeling left out! I start out with a non-alcoholic base, and then add alcohol. So at times it means getting really creative.

Photography by Heaven on Hearth

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White Wine Bowle

Light, refreshing…it’s a drink that I love to serve starting in spring and going straight through summer.

Photography by Felieca A. Cordle

 A “Bowle” is a cold beverage made of wine, sparkling wine and fruit, which can also be infused with herbs, rum, cognac or vodka and is served in a Punch Bowl. In Germany and Austria, it’s usually served at a party or for a special get together.

White Wine Bowle with Orange and Lemon Slices

I can remember the very first time I had a Bowle. It was at my friends Ursula’s house in Vienna. She had invited a few friends over. It had been a beautiful and warm afternoon and she made a Strawberry Bowle.

I remembered her using Remy Martin Cognac, sugar, Grüner Veltliner and a bottle of Henkel Trocken Sekt along with the strawberries. I have made many Bowles ever since for many occasions, in different ways, using a variety of fruit and liqueurs.

For this Bowle, I decided not to use any fruits that we would eat, just fruits that would look beautiful and spring like in a bowl or punch glass.

I used St. Germain Liqueur, made of elderflower blossoms that have a sweet delicately fragrant taste of citrus and tropical fruits. So, citrus slices would be perfect.

You need:
(Printable Recipe)

1 bottle of white wine, Sauvignon Blanc

1 bottle of sparkling wine

½ cup St. Germain Liqueur (Elderflower Liqueur)

1 orange in thin slices

1 lemon in thin slices

Lemon and Orange Slices

In a punch bowl, slice 1 orange and 1 lemon in thin slices with an OXO hand held mandoline slicer hand mandolin. They really come out nice and thin and will look beautiful floating in the drink, because all the slices will be exactly the same thickness.

Pour in ½ cup of St. Germain Liqueur. Then add a bottle of white wine, I prefer a sauvignon Blanc because it’s quite versatile and ranges from grassy to fruity flavors.

White Wine Bowle in a Universal Wine Glass

And just before serving, add 1 bottle of sparkling wine. The punch glasses turned out to be too small for my guests, so I packed a universal wine glass with ice and spooned 2 ladles of Bowle in each glass.

This really is a refreshing drink. This serves 8. Voilà. Prost!

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Watermelon and Mint Limeade

Watermelons are a great summer fruit. They are sweet, juicy and are known to cool you down on a hot summer day or night. I remember running around as a child in our garden and when I was finished playing, there was this big plate of watermelon slices that my grandma had waiting for me. I remember biting into the big juicy slices, having the heavenly sweet pink colored juice running down my arms. Now that I am older, I still love watermelon and the heavenly sweet juice. Experimenting with the juice in so many different ways has been fun. This is a drink that my family just loves.

Photography by Robert Demetrius

3½ cups watermelon juice (3 pounds watermelon)

3 ounces lime juice

4 ounces Minty Mint Simple Syrup

mint leaves

ice

Peel watermelon, cutting it into cubes and push through a juicer. Strain again, so that you have no pulp. If you don’t have a juicer, put the cubes in a blender with the lime juice and liquefy for a few minutes, ensuring no lumps are visible and that the watermelon has been completely broken down. Strain through a sieve.

In a large jug, mix watermelon juice, lime juice and minty mint syrup and a few mint leaves, just for effect. Add ice and serve. Voilà! It’s truly a refreshing drink. The subtle taste of the watermelon is brought out even more once the lime juice is added. You can even add some melon balls or small melon cubes to the glass, for decoration. If you are making this drink ahead of time, remember to stir before serving.

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Strawberry Rosemary Mojito and Strawberry Rosemary Cooler

This is a refreshing, cooling drink that will make quite an impression on your guests. Simple and very easy! Just the way I like it. Serve this drink in a tumbler, but a long drink glass will make a statement too. The  Aromatic Rosemary Flavored Simple Syrup really gives the drink a kick!

Photography by Robert Demetrius

2 ounces of light rum (white rum like Bacardi or Havana Club)

juice of ½ a lime

3 tablespoons of Aromatic Rosemary Flavored Simple Syrup
2 ounces club soda

2 strawberries quartered and 1 whole for decoration

5 leaves of rosemary (optional) and 1 sprig for decoration

In a large tumbler, squeeze juice of ½ a lime, 3 tablespoons Aromatic Rosemary Flavored Simple Syrup, 2 strawberries, quartered and muddle, until the strawberries are crushed, leaving a few big bits to release the strawberry flavor. Then pour 2 ounces of rum into the tumbler, fill with ice cubes, top with 2 ounces of soda, and add the rosemary leaves and stir. Cut the remaining strawberry, lengthwise nearly in half and place on the side of the glass add a sprig of rosemary for the final touch before serving. Voilà! Now, doesn’t it make a statement. Prost!

Strawberry Rosemary Cooler

I have also created a non-alcohol version of this refreshing cocktail.

juice of ½ a lime

3 tablespoons of Aromatic Rosemary Flavored Simple Syrup 

4  - 6 ounces of lime flavored sparkling water

2 strawberries quartered and 1 whole for decoration

5 leaves of rosemary (optional) and 1 sprig for decoration

In a large tumbler, squeeze juice of ½ a lime, 3 tablespoons Aromatic Rosemary Flavored Simple Syrup, 2 strawberries, quartered and muddle, until the strawberries are crushed, leaving a few big bits to release the strawberry flavor. Fill tumbler with ice cubes, top with 4 ounces of lime flavored sparkling water, add the rosemary leaves and stir. If serving this drink in a long drink glass, fill with 6 ounces of lime flavored sparkling water. Decorate with a strawberry and sprig of rosemary. Voilà! Just sit back, relax and enjoy!


Please check back on Wednesday, I have some more recipes to share with you. Until then!

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Blueberry Mint Mojito and Blueberry Mint Fizz

Cool drinks are key for everyone, young and old when entertaining during summer. Keeps the party alive and kicking. I have added my Minty Mint Simple Syrup and Very Berry Blueberry Simple Syrup to give the drinks an even bolder flavor and color.

Photography by Robert Demetrius

2 ounces of white rum (like Bacardi Superior or Havana Club)

juice of ½ a lime

2 tablespoons of Minty Mint Flavored Simple Syrup

1 tablespoon of Very Berry Blueberry Flavored Simple Syrup

2 ounces club soda 

5 leaves of mint and 1 sprig for decoration

8 – 10 blueberries

In a long drink glass, squeeze juice of ½ lime, 2 tablespoons of Minty Mint Flavored Simple Syrup, 1 tablespoon of Very Berry Blueberry Flavored Simple Syrup along with 5 mint leaves and about 5 blueberries and muddle until the mint leaves are bruised and the blueberries are a bit crushed. Then pour 2 ounces of rum into the glass, fill with ice cubes, top with 2 ounces of soda and the remaining blueberries and stir. Add a sprig of mint as a decoration and Voilà! A refreshing long drink to start the party.

Blueberry Mint Fizz

For those that do not drink any alcohol, I have just modified the recipe a tad, just so that you don’t feel left out.

juice of ½ a lime

2 tablespoons of Minty Mint Flavored Simple Syrup

1 tablespoon of Very Berry Blueberry Flavored Simple Syrup

6 ounces club soda or lime flavored sparkling water

5 leaves of mint and 1 sprig for decoration

8 – 10 blueberries

In a long drink glass, squeeze juice of ½ lime, 2 tablespoons of Minty Mint Flavored Simple Syrup, 1 tablespoon of Very Berry Blueberry Flavored Simple Syrup along with 5 mint leaves and about 5 blueberries and muddle until the mint leaves are bruised and the blueberries are a bit crushed. Fill the glass with ice cubes, top with 6 ounces of soda or lime flavored sparkling water and the remaining blueberries and stir. Add a sprig of mint as a decoration and Voilà! How easy was that? Everyone gets to enjoy a long drink. Cheers!

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