Let’s raise a glass to some of our zestiest styles
Cocktail season is all year round at Joe Browns – and what better way to spread a little cheer right now, than making ourselves a cheeky little drink and raising a toast to all the good things we enjoy in life.
Exotic, tropical, fruity, spirited, a fabulous fusion of ingredients – but enough about our new ranges, let’s take a look at our favourite cocktail recipes!
When looking for inspiration for some fabulous summer cocktails, what better place to start than our Cool and Quirky Dress.
It’s fresh, it’s zesty and it’s full of summer spirit! Perfect for BBQs in the garden and adding a bit of colour to your day.
This dress reminded us of a really simple but totally gorgeous cocktail recipe – the orange and pomegranate mimosa, a lovely aperitif for a lazy summers’ evening.
This recipe will make around 6 drinks.
You’ll need 3 cups of orange juice – which you will get by squeezing 8-10 oranges. You can use a carton of shop-bought orange juice, but it won’t give you that lovely zing that you only get with a fresh orange.
When you have juiced the oranges, making sure you get out all of the flesh, strain the juice and put it in the fridge.
When it is cool (and you are ready to go!) take an ice cold bottle of Cava or Prosecco and fill a champagne glass to around two thirds full.
Top with some of the orange juice, a small amount of cold cranberry juice, and, if you have them, add a few dried cranberries for effect. Finish off with a slice of orange.
Now you can wow your friends with your cocktail making as well as your dress!
(This recipe also works really well with mango juice and a fresh strawberry!).
This lovely vintage cardigan with its hand crocheted lemons made us think of one of our favourite cocktails the margarita – BUT, made with zingy lemons rather than lime
(well you wouldn’t expect us to do everything the normal way would you!)
The margarita was apparently invented in Texas in 1948, by bartender Santos Cruz who was looking to impress the famous singer Peggy Lee. Peggy is a shortened name for Margaret and the Spanish for Margaret is Margarita – and voila - there it was born!
So, how to make one - grab a cocktail shaker and add the following…
2oz of tequila, ¾ oz triple sec and couple of dashes of whiskey sour mix.
Take a lemon and cut it into four – then squeeze each quarter into the shaker.
Add ice and shake, shake, shake!
A margarita can be served on or off the rocks but we prefer it nice and cool, and the glass too…
If you take a glass which has been in the freezer for 15 minutes, and wait until the condensation appears, you can then roll the rim in in salt to create the perfect finish and accompaniment. This is a key part of the margarita experience!
Fill the glass with more ice and strain over the juice into the glass. And enjoy!
This seasonal sizzler with its bold and bright watermelon print really made us think of those refreshing summer mojitos – we might not be enjoying one on the beach anytime soon, but we can certainly use a few to cool us down whilst we are home in the garden!
Invented in Havana, Cuba, the mojito was also the favourite tipple of Earnest Hemingway, famous author and clearly a man of great taste!
Now watermelon might not be everyone’s favourite fruit, but even if you’re not a big fan, you might just like this tipple!
And it’s so easy to make……
Take 3 to 4 chunks of ripe watermelon and put them in your cocktail shaker. Crush them for a few seconds to start the juices flowing. Then squeeze in 2 slices of lemon and add a handful of mint (scrunch it first to release those lovely flavours).
Then add 10ml of sugar syrup, 45ml of cranberry juice and a handful of ice cubes.
Now for the piece de resistance…. 45ml of white rum (or more depending on how merry you want to be afterwards!).
Shake it all together for a few minutes and sieve over a glass of ice.
So, whatever your favourite tipple is, mix it up with a little tropical style and start Living La Vida Loca… in the garden!