People say Happy New Year. I’m wishing you a Happy Heart.

The happiness I wish for everyone this new year is a happy heart, no matter what comes your way. Happy hearts make the world a better place, help you live longer, and help those around you live longer.

Just dip a sugar cube into bitters, add a Luxardo cherry and an orange peel to a glass. Splash in some cognac. Add your favorite bubbly. Add sugar cube. Luxardo cherries are expensive, but worth it and nothing like those bright red ones on top of sundaes. The spiced cherry bitters by Woodford Reserve is because I love cherries, but you can use angostura bitters.

Forgive the cute little glasses. My champagne glasses broke this week. Flutes do keep those bubbles, but these are like little champagne shots, something out of the ordinary.

Print

Cherry Cognac Champagne Cocktail

Cherry Centric Champagne Cocktail

Course Cocktail

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• Luxardo Maraschino Cherries
• Champagne or Sparkling Wine
• Orange Peel
• Sugar Cube
• Angostura bitters or Woodford Reserve spiced cherry bitters
• Cognac

Instructions

• I used small glasses to make champagne shots. However, a flute will keep your bubbles.
• Put cherry and orange peel into glass.
• Splash with cognac approximatley 1 to 4 champagne amount.
• Dip sugar cube into bitters and place in glass.
• Top with champagne.

The post Cherry Cognac Champagne Cocktail and a Happy Heart appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

In a pinch for a dessert at Christmas time. How about something sparkly, dramatic, super easy brainless in fact, but oh so easy.

I don’t know about you but I need easy recipes at the Holidays. In theory, I can plan massively genius Pinterest dinner parties. But if you could sometimes see behind the scenes.

Not only is this easy, it’s beautiful. I love sparkles, bling, diamonds, and bright colored drinks. This is fun.

This is a reincarnation of a post I wrote a few years ago, and it was labeled a Christmas Cocktail. I realized, however, that I usually serve this as dessert.

You can make the homemade pomegranate sorbet if you want to. It’s really good, as I added rum in it.

There are many ways you can do this. I made a homemade pomegranate sorbet. However, most of us don’t have the time. Make it easy and buy the sorbet. Keeping red, you can choose pomegranate or raspberry strawberry. It’s up to you. Start with a little frozen fruit  in the bottom of the glass, Pour the champagne halfway and then top it with a small scoop of sorbet.

Done. Delicious. Refreshing. Even Dazzling.

Make your holiday cocktail dessert at the table. It just adds a little pizazz.

Print

Holiday Cocktail Served as Dessert with Sorbet and Champagne

Turn a cockail into a dessert, using your favorite sorbet with champagne.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1 bottle champagne
• frozen fruit choose pomegranates, raspberries, strawberries
• 1 pint sorbet choose raspberry, pomegranate, strawberry

Instructions

• Put a teaspoon full of frozen fruit in bottom of cocktail glass
• Top with scoop of sorbet
• Pour Champagne over sorbet

If you like Pinterest like I do, please follow me.

Subscribe to Spinach Tiger and Never miss a recipe.

Connect with me on Instagram. I’d love to see what you’re up to.

Let’s have a great holiday together!

The post Holiday Cocktail Served as Dessert appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Often times, a cocktail will illicit a memory. Manhattans take me back to my hopeful college days, where I worked as a waitress, catering to a sophisticated retro crowd that also ordered stingers and gimlets.  Martinis take me back  to my travels with co-workers and good times we had around our love of vodka in what seems like another life ago.  This Pomegranate Christmas cocktail takes me back to December 1, 2009,  when I hosted an online food bloggers event to remember those who died of AIDS. It was called Red to Remember and many food bloggers participated in raising awareness by cooking a red dish which was posted in this round-up.

This year I meant to post something red again in time for World AIDS Day, but something terrible happened. I didn’t remember, at least not in enough time. I could have kicked myself a bit because I should have kept “Red to Remember”  a yearly event. My memory was jogged when  Kristina, a fellow food blogger,  not only remembered World AIDS Day, she remembered me and my story  with a private  tweet.  Her compassion jolted my senses and I took a moment to grieve and reflect before I  jumped over to her blog,  Former Chef,   to find her latest post, a lovely cranberry cocktail. It was red and took my breath away.  I remembered my  original red to remember post, pomegranate sorbet made with dark rum had an accompanying cocktail that never got any love.  I think it was waiting for today.

On December 1, World AIDS Day was mentioned in the news . Some of it was heart warming, some confusing. The biggest news of the day was that of a 13-year old honors student who was denied access to Milton Hershey private school on the basis of his HIV positive health status. The decision is controversial and there is a petition circling, asking the school to reconsider. The news struck home because I grew up near the  Milton Hershey campus. It reminded me how destructive this disease is beyond the physical implications.

The private boarding school, established in 1909, was started to help underprivileged  deserving students have a better chance in life. It’s a big mess, a law suit has been filed, and a new dialogue on living with HIV is taking place.  The irony of the lawsuit is Milton Hershey’s affiliation with Hershey Foods, which not only owns Hershey Chocolate but other boutique brands like Scharffen Berger, a favorite of many food bloggers. Reading the history of Hershey is fascinating on many levels, and it will be more interesting to see what comes of this current controversy.

I have just traipsed through the muddy waters of a personal story, but I try to keep it real. It still makes me nervous to talk about it, but I can’t seem to let it go. This post was ready for days, but I had hesitation because I know the stigma still exists and it’s uncomfortable.  Perhaps this was my way of coping with loss during the holidays. This still a Christmas cocktail, and I  raise my glass to the two men I have dedicated this blog to. Sometimes there is a joy inside a sadness and this Pomegranate cocktail will always have a special meaning and memory for me.

Tell me, do you have a certain cocktail that reminds you of a significant time in your life?

The Pomegranate Christmas Cocktail is refreshing as a starter with appetizers but is also a great dessert, because of the sorbet.

Print

Pomegranate Christmas Cocktail Remembers

A cocktail to remember World Aids Day, made with sorbet and champagne.

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup pomegranate sorbet.
• 1 bottle Champagne
• 1/4 cup pomegranate arils

Instructions

• Put 1/4 cup sorbet into martini glass.
• Freeze pomegranate sorbet in martini glasses or dessert long stem glasses.
• Pour champagne in as you serve. Keep in mind this sorbet is made with dark rum, so it's extra good.
• Garnish with pomegranate arils.

1. Freeze pomegranate sorbet in martini glasses or dessert long stem glasses.
2.  Pour champagne in as you serve. Keep in mind this sorbet is made with dark rum, so it’s extra good.
3. Garnish with pomegranate arils.

More Pomegranate Cocktails

Christmas Cocktail from Jamie Oliver

Pomegranate Martini from In Good Taste

Pomegranate Cosmopolitan from Whisk A Food Blog

Pomesake Sparkler from Kahakai Kitchen

The post Pomegranate Christmas Cocktail Remembers appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

This is my official Red to Remember recipe, for World AIDS Day, and remembering those who have lost their life to this virus. I had this idea to pay honor and tribute to two people I’ve dedicated my blog to who are no longer with me, yet they’ve never left me either. I grew up with them and always expected to grow old with them, but that didn’t happen and you can read about that here.

I’ve spent the whole day yesterday, reminiscing and remembering the things that made these men so great in my eyes. No one ever could take their place. My brother received the good citizenship award at the Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing for being that kind of guy who looked out for others. My cousin poured his love for food and wine all over me, being the sophisticated influence behind Spinach Tiger.

Putting faces to “people groups” and statistics often helps people see with a different heart.

My Brother, James with me.

My cousin, Sam with me.

I’ve been a bit lost without them, and what this means is that their life had immeasurable value. They didn’t achieve star status or fame, but they were as important to me as air, as trees, as water. They will be the first people I run to in heaven.

They deserve to be remembered.

Thank you readers for allowing me to have this voice. Thank you food bloggers for joining me, and due to the touching response, Cooking Red to Remember is extended to December 7. Thank you Maria, for your piece of jewelry offered up for auction. Please send me your link and picture by December 7 (USA) time, to be included in the round-up December 8.

The Sorbet
Every Christmas as far back as I can remember, I have used a sorbet for various desserts during the holidays. This year I will feature pomegranate sorbet for a few different signature desserts that are EASY and IMPRESSIVE. All you need to do is make this sorbet in a triple batch and you will have enough for three different dinner parties.

I need to express my thanks to Pom Wonderful for their shipment of pomegranate juice. I wanted to be clever with a special recipe, but at the end, this was the best way to showcase the great taste of the juice.

Recipe

• Fresh pomegranate for seeds
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar or 3/4 cups raw agave
• 2 cups pomegranate juice
• zest and juice of one lemon
• 3 tablespoons dark rum

1. Make a simple syrup of water and sugar by boiling until sugar is melted.
2. If using agave, just bring to simmer and make sure agave has mixed with water.
3. Add lemon juice, zest and pomegranate juice.
4. Simmer for 20 minutes. Cool completely by refrigerating for several hours to overnight.
5. Process through ice cream maker.
6. Add rum when once sorbet is firm. Stir a few more minutes.
7. The rum will keep the sorbet from freezing rock hard, but also adds amazing layer of flavor.
8. Freeze for two hours before serving.
9. You can place your sorbet in dishes with fresh pomegranates in advance.
10. Take out of freezer five minutes prior to serving.

Easy Dessert Cocktail
Freeze pomegranate sorbet in martini glasses or dessert long stem glasses. Pour champagne in as you serve.

The post Pomegranate Sorbet with Dark Rum appeared first on Spinach Tiger.