The Happiest Hour {Mint Paloma}

Before my trip to the Bahamas last summer, I was completely satisfied with making cocktails from the bottle. Then, I has the most amazing fresh squeezed cocktails at this little bar on Lubbers. It changed my cocktail theory for life. Spring is the perfect time to indulge in fresh fruits and squeeze out some amazing libations. I took a trip to the farmer's market last weekend and picked up an array of seasonal fruits for beverage making. First on the list, a twist on the classic Paloma. I added a bit of fresh muddled mint to add another dimension of flavor to the favorite tequila cocktail. It's a light, refreshing sipper for those warm afternoons ahead. Here's the recipe!

:: Ingredients ::
Juice of 1/2 Grapefruit
6 Mint Leaves
1/4 Cup Tequila
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lime Juice
1/4 Cup Club Soda

:: Directions ::
1. Place mint leaves in the bottom of a glass and muddle.
2. Add grapefruit juice, lime juice, tequila, and shake to combine.
3. Pour over ice and top with club soda.
4. Sip and enjoy!

The Happiest Hour {Lime Margarita}

Welcome to Margaritaville! I told you to beware of Jimmy Buffet themed posts this week. Tomorrow we are off to Jacksonville for the Buffet concert and I can barely contain my excitement. All night long I'll be sure to be sipping on my favorite Buffet themed beverage, the margarita. While I consider myself to be a margarita aficionado, I've been struggling to find the perfect fresh squeezed margarita since our trip to the Bahamas this past June. However, with a bit of trial and error, I think I may have perfected it. Here's my recipe for the perfect fresh squeezed lime margarita.

:: Ingredients ::
12 Limes, juiced
4.5 Cups Tequila
1.5 Cups Simple Syrup
1/4 Cup Triple Sec
1.5 Cups Orange Juice

:: Directions ::
Combine ingredients in a pitcher. Stir to mix and pour over ice to serve.

The Happiest Hour {Blood Orange Margarita}

If you tuned in yesterday you were able to catch the back story on my love of blood oranges. Ever since my first trip to Italy, the flavor was something I craved since finding the product here was close to impossible. Ever since that time, it has steadily become more available in specialty stores. Saturday morning though, when strolling through my local grocery store for breakfast ingredients, we stumbled upon blood orange juice made by no other than Tropicana. Almost unable to believe my eyes, I grabbed the bottle as fast as I could and my head stared realign with cocktail ideas. Since this week is all about my favorite things, I decided to create a drink combining two of my favorite things, margaritas and blood oranges. It's sweet and amazingly delicious! Here's the recipe...

:: Ingredients ::
2 oz Clear Tequila
2 oz Blood Orange Juice
1 oz Sweet & Sour Mix
1 oz Grand Marnier
1/2 oz Grenadine
Lime Slices
Sugar (optional)

:: Directions ::
1. Combine tequila, blood orange juice, sweet & sour, Grand Marnier, and grenadine in a shaker.
2. Rim glass with sugar, pour margarita over ice, garnish with lime and enjoy!

Stock the Holiday Bar

Tis the season for holiday parties! They can be such fun to attend, but if you are hosting your own it, like any other party, can get a bit overwhelming. You want to make sure all guests are pleased and have something there they enjoy, but can't tailor a menu to everybody's taste. The same goes for the bar. Some people prefer vodka over gin, whisky over scotch, craft beer over commercial styles, and champagne over wine. Either way, you want to make sure there is something there for everybody but don't want to break the bank buying everything in the liquor store. Fear no more! Here is the guide to stocking the perfect holiday bar. You won't break the bank and everybody is sure to be pleased. With these staple items guests can make the cocktail of their choosing. Happy Holiday bar stocking!

Liquors:
1 Vodka
1 Rum
1 Whisky
1 Tequila

Wines:
1 Red
1 White
1 Sparkling (Champagne, Prosecco, etc.)

Mixers:
Coke
Sprite
Sweet n' Sour
Orange Juice
Cranberry Juice

Additions:
Limes
Cherries

Fiesta Time

Put away the bourbon, it's time to transition our Derby Party into a Cinco de Mayo Fiesta! I was born to drink margaritas so, trust me, we are going to plan the best fiesta in the time it takes for you to read (and me to write) this post. Here it goes. Start by clearing your table and house of all racing paraphernalia. Pack away the Julep mugs and unpack the margarita glasses. Create fringe streamers by taping together half sheets of tissue paper and cutting slits about half way up. Layer them on one wall behind a tequila and margarita bar to draw focus to one area. Hang a pinata full of margarita accessories like mini bottles of tequila, limes, and small sweet n' sour mixes. Treat guests to sombreros and maracas for a night of fun. Want to throw the ultimate celebration? Hire a mariachi band to serenade guests. The key to throw the perfect Cinco do Mayo party is lots of color. It's one thing you can't be afraid of on this holiday. The more beautiful bright shades you mix the better. Complete the siesta with a taco bar and a vibrant outfit to party into the night! 

This Party Inspired By {Margaritas}

There's something about the summer that makes me crave margaritas. I love them. I'm kind of obsessed and kind of crave them all the time. Does anyone else have this problem? Anyways, in my current obsession, I have found inspiration in the limey flavor. While not normally one to gravitate towards bright colors, when throwing a margarita bash, it's only necessary to deck the room with lime details.  Not to mention, when throwing a margarita soiree, your food should match accordingly. Try margarita cupcakes and guacamole bruschetta. Pretty delish right? Amp up the cuteness by serving your margaritas in mini Patron bottles and your guests will swoon over the adorableness!