It’s 5:00 somewhere has got to be the best excuse in the book to grab a drink. As I write this, it’s 5:20pm in Lisbon, Portugal. By that math I could have a wine with lunch. But people would scowl and wonder if I had a problem.
And I don’t. Really.
Fortunately, brunch has made it acceptable to start your day drinking a wee bit earlier than lunch and way earlier than 5:00. The happy hour rises at dawn with mimosas, bloody marys, and bellinis! They really can be the perfect complement to a late-morning meal of fresh asparagus and prosciutto crepes or hearty frittatas.
We’ve made over two of our favorite brunch cocktails – the mimosa and the bloody mary. They use whole, fresh ingredients rather than junky mixers and have inspired new tastes on standard classics.
The Blood Orange Mimosa uses three ingredients: Splashes of champagne, blood orange juice, and a hint of fresh basil. Your guests will be toasting you for this delightful addition to brunch. Prettier, sweeter, and possibly more refreshing than a basic OJ mimosa, this one is as charming as it is delicious.
INGREDIENTS
Yields 4, 6-ounce servings
2 cups champagne or sparkling white wine
1 cup blood orange juice (fresh-squeezed if you can get the whole fruit)
4 large basil leaves
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Place a fresh basil leaf in each of four glasses then fill each with a 1/2 cup of chilled champagne.
2. Top each glass with a 1/4 cup each of juice.
3. Make a toast and enjoy!
These recipes are two of 13 healthier breakfast and brunch recipes in our original e-cookbook, Baker’s Dozen. Preview here or download for just 99¢ here.
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The Bloody Rosemary is a wake-up call for the senses. There have got to be as many ways to prepare a bloody mary as there are ways to prepare brunch, but each is always unique. At their core, bloody marys jump start tomato juice with vodka, hot sauce, and a number of other garnishments that make them more savory, more spicy, and maybe more sweet.
Our twist on this wide-eyed cocktail is garnished and flavored with a beautiful sprig of fresh rosemary rather than a stumpy ‘ole piece of celery. The intoxicating aroma of this hearty herb and the slap-in-the-face of the hot sauce might cure whatever ails you!
Fresh lemon juice, cracked black pepper, Kosher salt, and as much worcestershire and hot sauce as you can handle round out this very mature glass of tomato juice.
INGREDIENTS
serves 2
1 cup tomato juice (we used V8 low-sodium)
1 tbsp. fresh-squeezed lemon juice
2 oz. chilled vodka
4-6 shakes worcestershire sauce
4 shakes hot sauce
fresh cracked black pepper
pinch Kosher salt
2 sprigs rosemary
INSTRUCTIONS
1. In a cocktail shaker place the rosemary sprig, fresh lemon juice, and ice. Use a wooden spoon to muddle the rosemary to release the herb’s oils. Set to the side.
2. In a large glass add the tomato juice, vodka, worcestershire, and hot sauce. Pour over the ice in the shaker, close and give two or three vigorous shakes.
3. Fill a tall glass with ice, pour the shaker, and finish with a fresh rosemary sprig.
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images by Kacy Meinecke and Dana Shultz for DietsInReview.com