holiday cocktails

Celebrate the Holidays with Chambord

December 22, 2020 by Natalie Leave a Comment

Celebrate the holidays with Chambord! I’ve teamed up with my friends from Chambord to give you a last-minute gift idea plus two holiday cocktail recipes. I understand better than anyone what it’s like to procrastinate to the very last minute to buy gifts and to plan what you’re making for the holidays. It is me. Every. Single. Year.

Chambord makes the perfect gift for a hostess, last-minute gifting or stocking stuffer. The bottle is so unique and elegant and looks amazing on your home bar or entertaining area. Pretty and delicious? Sounds great to me!

Every drop of Chambord is produced at a chateau wholly dedicated to Chambord in Cour-Cheverny in the Loire Valley of France. It’s made with 100% natural ingredients and uses whole, fresh fruit in the production process and contains XO Cognac, which is aged longer than VS or VSOP. So you can feel great about using it in your cocktails.

A very easy cocktail you can whip up in no time for Christmas or even the New Year is The Chambord Royale by simply adding 1/4 oz. of Chambord to your favortie glass of Champagne or Prosecco and garnishing it with a raspberry, blackberry or both.

I’ve made my own little spin on this cocktail by turning it into a larger format punch for easy entertaining at-home or socially distanced. In addition to Chambord all you do is add lemon juice and your spirit of choice. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Chambord Royale Punch

1/2 cup of Chambord

1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice

1 cup of your spirit of choice (I recommend gin or Cognac)

Top off with a bottle of sparkling wine

lemon wheels, for garnish

raspberries, for garnish

blackberries, for garnish

Add lemon juice, Chambord and spirit to punch bowl. Then add ice and top with sparkling wine. Garnish with lemon wheels, raspberries and blackberries.

This Chambord Royale punch is decadent and wonderfully effervescent. It’s the ideal accompaniment to meats and cheeses for a cocktail hour or beside a rich holiday meal. Might I add that a sparkly punch is always wonderful and appropriate for NYE.

Whether you’re spending it with your closest family members or even apart from them, Chambord makes the perfect gift. If you’re spending it apart, gifting a bottle and then making the Chambord Royale cocktail or punch over Facetime/ Zoom might be a fun way to connect with your loved ones this season. Regardless have a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year and please celebrate responsibly.

Order directly via Drizly and you can get $5 credit on your first order* using promotion code CHAMBORD. Also don’t forget to tag your Chambord cocktails with #makethemomentmagnifique over on Instagram.

This is a Drizly offer. 21+ subject to terms and conditions of Drizly. Void where prohibited. Offer Expires 3/30/21. Thanks for supporting the sponsored posts that make Arsenic-Lace happen.

Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate

December 20, 2019 by Natalie Leave a Comment

There’s nothing I love more than a hot chocolate on a cold night. In fact, that’s about all I love about cold nights because I hate the cold! I made this Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate the other night when we had a snow squall. What’s a snow squall you might ask? I had to ask google the same thing. It is a very abrupt and short-lived snowstorm with blizzard and whiteout conditions. Thankfully I had my friends over at Exotico Tequila to help me through it and this Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate to keep me warm.

Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate, makes 2 cups

2 cups milk

4 oz. Exotico Tequila

2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tbsp. demerara sugar

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

1/8 tsp. chili powder

1/8 tsp. ground cayenne (you can omit this if you don’t want it too spicy)

bittersweet chocolate shavings, for garnish

marshmallows, for garnish

To make your Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate whisk cocoa powder, sugar, cinnamon, chili and cayenne together until combined. Add your milk to a small saucepan and place on the stove over low heat. Add in your dry ingredients and stir until all ingredients are incorporated and the cocoa has melted into the milk, about 10 minutes. Stir in your vanilla extract.

Add 2 oz. of tequila to your serving vessel, I used enamel mugs, and then pour the hot chocolate. Garnish with mini marshmallows and chocolate shavings.

I love sweet and savory dishes and drinks and this Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate checks all those boxes. It’s decadent and rich and warming from the chili and cayenne. I have a very high tolerance for spice and while I don’t find this overwhelmingly spicy, you can omit the cayenne if you think this recipe will be too spicy for your taste. Exotico Tequila is so perfect for this drink. Chocolate and spices complement the sweet earthy notes in tequila and other agave spirits.

This is not only a great drink to serve on Christmas Eve or for dessert on Christmas Day but you can also enjoy it all winter long. A hot cocoa bar is a great idea to set up for a party or gathering and I put together some ideas in this post. While I will be enjoying this Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate for as long as the temperature dips below 45 degrees there’s nothing like sipping on a warm drink in front of the Christmas tree.

I hope you decide to make this drink and Happy Holidays from me and Exotico Tequila! xo

Cranberry Orange Marmalade Sour

November 22, 2019 by Natalie 1 Comment

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. Mostly because of the food. Turkey, gravy, stuffing, cranberries, pumpkin pie… I could go on and on. A part of me is a bit sad that I’ll be missing that this year as I head on down to Nashville on Thanksgiving. But I got a little taste of Thanksgiving this week when I made this Cranberry Orange Marmalade Sour with my friends at Exotico Tequila.

I really enjoy coming up with different ways to enjoy drinks that fit the season. This drink is perfect to serve alongside all the dishes that you’ll be whipping up on turkey day. I can only assume that you’ll have cranberries in the house so making the cranberry syrup for this drink will be easy peasy.

Cranberry Orange Marmalade Tequila Sour, serve 1

2 oz. Exotico Tequila

3/4 oz. lemon juice

3/4 oz. cranberry syrup*

1 heaping barspoon of orange marmalade

Sprig of rosemary, for garnish

*Cranberry Syrup, makes 1 cup

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1 cup fresh cranberries

First, make your cranberry syrup which is super easy! Add sugar, water and cranberries to a saucepan and simmer on low heat. Stir frequently until all cranberries have started to pop. After the cranberries have fully cooked, about 10 minutes, the syrup should be looking bright red. Remove from heat and let completely cool. Strain out cranberries and store syrup in a bottle or jar in the refrigerator.

After you’ve made your cranberry syrup it’s time to make a Cranberry Orange Marmalade Tequila Sour. Add tequila, lemon, cranberry syrup and orange marmalade to a cocktail shaker. Fill shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a sprig of rosemary.

I love this cocktail so much! The cranberry syrup is tart and the orange marmalade provides sweet, citrusy and jammy fruit notes. The rosemary is delightfully fragrant. And well, the tequila, it’s Exotico Tequila so it’s perfect in everything as far as I’m concerned. If anything embodied Thanksgiving in a glass it would most certainly be this drink 100%. The cranberry syrup makes this Cranberry Orange Marmalade Tequila Sour such a lovely hue as well. I wish fresh cranberries were around ALL YEAR!

I hope you consider making this for your Thanksgiving festivities next week. I’ll be en route to Nashville to sell my book at a holiday market for Black Friday and Small Business Saturday at Ft. Houston. If you’re local to Nashville stop by, grab a book and say hi! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Chocolate Easter Bunny Shots

April 20, 2019 by Natalie Leave a Comment

Ever since last year when my friend Ashley over at Craft & Cocktails posted her Easter on Easter Island cocktail (IN A HOLLOW CHOCOLATE BUNNY) I’ve been dying to recreate something similar. I spotted some mini chocolate Easter bunnies while shopping the other day and I knew what needed to be done. I needed to chop their little ears off and fill them with something delicious. Can you blame me? They’re hollow and they were asking for it!

Chocolate Easter Bunny Shots, makes 3 shots

1 1/2 oz. Kerry Gold Irish cream

1 1/2 oz. Coffee Liqueur

1 1/2 oz. Coconut Cream

3 mini hollow chocolate Easter bunnies

To make your serving vessels you will need 3 mini hollow chocolate Easter bunnies. Run a sharp knife under hot water and then cut at the base of the chocolate bunnies ears. Kinda morbid, I suppose, but I promise this is going to be delicious. An edible serving vessel that pairs perfectly with your drink is pure brilliance!

Next, mix all of your ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake. Strain into each bunny and serve immediately.

I love coconut, chocolate, and coffee all on their own, but these flavors also go so well together. These Chocolate Easter Bunny Shots are creamy and sweet and make the perfect boozy dessert option to serve your guests at Easter dinner. Not only is serving a shot in a little chocolate Easter bunny too damn adorable, but the best part is you get to eat the bunny after. I hope you’ll make these fun Chocolate Easter Bunny Shots and if you do chime in on the comments below. Cheers and Happy Easter everyone! xo

Bitter Blood Orange French 75

December 30, 2018 by Natalie Leave a Comment

Can 2018 get the hell out of town already? Sending this year off with something bitter and sparkling because it only seemed appropriate. I took a popular classic champagne cocktail, the French 75 (gin, lemon, simple, champagne), and changed it up a bit by adding fresh blood orange juice and Campari. My bitter blood orange riff on the French 75 is the perfect cocktail to send 2018 packing.

The original French 75 was created by Harry Macelhone at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris in 1915. The cocktail was said to have such a kick that it felt like being shelled with the powerful French 75mm Howitzer field gun. The cocktail was popularized in America at The Stork Club in NYC and with its publication in the Savoy Cocktail book in 1930. It also makes an appearance in one of my favorite Humphrey Bogart movies, Casablanca.

Bitter Blood Orange French 75, makes 1 serving

1 oz. gin

1/4 oz. campari

1/2 oz. blood orange juice

1/2 oz. simple syrup

Champagne or Prosecco

First add all ingredients (except champagne) to a cocktail shaker, fill completely with ice and then shake vigorously. Strain into a coupe glass and top with champagne. Garnish with a slice of blood orange.

The changes that I made to this classic cocktail were so simple yet made such a huge impact on the flavor. Blood oranges have deep red flesh and the flavor is much more intense than a normal orange. This fruit is sweet, bitter, and has a slight hint of raspberry flavor. They pair perfectly with Campari, which is also crimson red and has a bittersweet taste with distinct notes of cherry, cascarilla, clove, rhubarb, cinnamon, and orange peel. As a result of the color of both of these ingredients, and their delicious flavors we are left with a delicious and stunningly hued cocktail.

While many great and positive things happened in my life during 2018, unfortunately, it has come to a bittersweet ending. It only felt right to make a bubbly and bittersweet cocktail to coincide with that. I’m looking forward to the future, continuing to grow my business, and making some big life changes in 2019. But most of all I am most excited for a fresh start and a chance to be happy again. I’m raising my glass and wishing you all a very Happy New Year! xo

All I Want For Christmas is Gin: Peppermint Negroni

December 23, 2018 by Natalie 1 Comment

Hey everyone! Just thought I’d jump in here and squeeze in one Christmas post before it’s too late. I needed something easy to make for Christmas so I variated on one of my favorite classics and made a Peppermint Negroni. Sorry for being MIA the last few weeks but life has taken some crazy turns and I needed to step away and take care of myself. I will probably share more about that soon but let’s just say I’m more excited to start a new year than you could possibly know. So let’s have a drink, shall we?

Peppermint Negroni, makes 1 serving

1 oz. peppermint tea-infused gin (I used Brooklyn Gin)

1 oz. sweet vermouth

1 oz. Campari

Making a tea infusion is a super simple way to change up a classic. I decided to infuse the gin for this one because it is the highest ABV of the three ingredients so I know it would infuse pretty quickly. I used two peppermint tea bags and steeped half a bottle of gin for an hour and then removed the tea bags. That should suffice taste wise but give it a test and if you want it more peppermint forward add another tea bag or leave them in for longer.

To make the Peppermint Negroni add all of your ingredients to a mixing glass and stir on ice. Strain into a rocks glass over a large cube and garnish with an orange twist. Perhaps even a candy cane on the side. Not going to lie, I totally stirred this with a candy cane and then ate it. It’s Christmas, what can I say?

All I want for Christmas is Gin.

I love how a simple tweak can change a cocktail entirely plus make it more festive for the holidays. Enjoyed quite a few of these last night by the tree. I hope you’ll give this Peppermint Negroni a try for Christmas Eve or Christmas. As always I would love to hear your thoughts below and I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas. xo

Cranberry Mulled Wine for Fall Entertaining

November 19, 2018 by Natalie 1 Comment

Warm drinks are so cozy and soothing to the soul this time of year. To be perfectly honest, my soul has been feeling a little down lately so it needs all the soothing it can get. I’ve teamed up with Santa Margherita Wines to share a super easy mulled wine recipe that is perfect for Fall and holiday entertaining. The only thing better than indulging in a warm cozy cup of spiced wine is sharing it with the people you love.

I used Santa Margherita Chianti Classico Reserva for this Cranberry Mulled Wine recipe. An authentic Italian Chianti made from grapes grown in the heart of Tuscany’s Chianti Classico region. The aromas of this complex red wine range from cherries and plums to gladiolus flowers and earthy flint which makes it a perfect pairing for the baking spices associated with mulled wine. In addition to using classic mulled wine ingredients, I also added cranberries to make it festive for Thanksgiving!

Cranberry Mulled Wine, makes 6 servings

1 bottle of Santa Margherita Chianti Classico Reserva
1/2 cup cranberries
1/4 cup honey
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 tsp. fresh nutmeg
1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 small oranges
10 whole cloves
3 whole star anise

First slice one orange into wheels and juice the other orange. If you’re using a vanilla bean instead of extract, split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the bean into the wine. Add your wine, spices, juice and fruit to a saucepan and turn the heat up to medium, until the wine is hot. Reduce heat to a very low simmer and keep warm until ready to serve. Before serving use a slotted spoon to remove all of the spices from the wine, and then ladle into mugs. Garnish with cranberries, a cinnamon stick, and a slice of orange.

Mulled wine has a distinct, spiced flavor brought out all the more by sipping it hot. If you prefer something boozier, you can add a few ounces of brandy, bourbon, rye or even rum! I love the tart and fruity finish that the cranberries added to this mulled wine recipe. Santa Margherita Chianti Reserva made the perfect base for the mulled wine because of it’s bright, round, warm, dry, earthy finish.

It’s been a little hard for me to get into the holiday spirit this year. Even just thinking about making this mulled wine has me more excited for Thanksgiving though! I hope you’ll try this Cranberry Mulled Wine recipe and please send some holiday cheer my way in the comments below. xo

Trick or Treat: The Monster Fizz

October 26, 2018 by Natalie 1 Comment

I’m just here for the BOOS! That’s why I’ve teamed up with my friends at KINKY Beverages to bring you the perfect Halloween treat—the Monster Fizz.

I worked with KINKY Beverages over the Summer to develop this Tropical Mango Frosé that turned out so delicious! Ever since then I’ve really enjoyed using their liqueurs to compliment other spirits in cocktails. KINKY Green Liqueur is a fusion of super premium vodka distilled five times with flavors of crisp green apples and pears. Not only does KINKY Green give this drink its spooky green hue but it also adds delicious fall flavors to the Monster Fizz. I’ve added a monster candy skewer garnish to make this drink super fun for all your Halloween festivities!

Monster Fizz, serves 1

1 oz. KINKY Green Liqueur

1 oz. gin

3/4 oz. lemon juice

3/4 oz. simple syrup

1 egg white

club soda

assorted monster candy for garnish

First, make your monster candy skewer. This part is so easy and super fun. I bought all my candy at Party City and Target but I’m sure you could find some fun monster candy at a specialty candy store too. I just arranged the candy in a way that made them look like little faces. The only tricky part to these is getting the smaller thin pieces of candy onto the skewer. My tip is to thread a small portion of the back of the candy onto the skewer instead of sticking it through the middle of the entire piece of candy. I did a few skewers before I realized this method was easier. The other great thing about these monster candy skewers is that you can make them as favors for a Halloween party or even use them as cake toppers too.

Now let’s make a Monster Fizz! Add the KINKY Green, gin, lemon, simple syrup, and egg white to a cocktail shaker and dry shake to incorporate all ingredients. Next, add ice and shake again very vigorously. Strain into a highball glass and top with soda. Garnish with a monster candy skewer.

This Monster Fizz is just too adorable not to mention the perfect cocktail to serve at a Halloween party. It’s super fruity, fizzy, refreshing and tart which makes the sour candy the perfect accompaniment to the drink. If you’re not throwing a Halloween party that’s okay, there’s no better way to get yourself into the Halloween spirit than by whipping up a few spooky cocktails.

Have a great weekend and Happy Halloween! I hope you’ll be making a few of these Monster Fizzes. Thanks to KINKY Beverages for supplying a delicious and perfectly hued spirit to make festive Halloween drinks with. Don’t forget to eat, drink, and be scary everyone! xo

Cara Cara Mezcal Sour

April 25, 2018 by Natalie 3 Comments

I’m gearing up to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with one of my favorite Mexican spirits, Mezcal. I’ve used this smokey agave spirit in a bright and refreshing Cara Cara Mezcal Sour that is perfect for the occasion. If you’re not familiar with mezcal or how it differs from traditional tequilas — I’m giving you the rundown on the blog today. My palate has transformed over the years and I think I’m ready to come out and say that mezcal has definitely become one of my favorite spirits.

Tequila is a type of mezcal, much like how scotch and bourbon are types of whiskey. The definition of mezcal is any agave-based liquor. This includes tequila, which is made in specific regions of Mexico and is made from only blue agave. Mezcal can be made from more than 30 varieties of agave. The most common varieties of agave used for mezcal are tobalá, tobaziche, tepeztate, arroqueño and espadín, which is the most common agave and accounts for up to 90% of mezcal.

While there is some geographical overlap, tequila and mezcal primarily come from different regions of Mexico. Tequila is produced in five places: Michoacán, Guanajuato, Nayarit, Tamaulipas and Jalisco, which is where the actual town of Tequila is located. Conversely, mezcal is produced in nine different areas of Mexico. They include Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, San Luis Potosi, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas, Michoacán, Puebla and Oaxaca. Which is where 85 percent of all mezcal is made.

Both tequila and mezcal are made from harvesting the core of the agave plant, otherwise known as the “piña.” However, that’s where the similarities in production end. Tequila is typically produced by steaming the agave inside industrial ovens before being distilled two or three times in copper pots. Mezcal, on the other hand, is cooked inside earthen pits that are lined with lava rocks and filled with wood and charcoal before being distilled in clay pots. While some large-scale mezcal producers have adopted modern methods, artisanal mezcal makers continue to use this more traditional method, which is the source of the smokiness commonly associated with mezcal.

Are we ready to make some drinks now? All this talk about mezcal has got me feeling thirsty!

Cara Cara Mezcal Sour, serves 1

2 oz. mezcal

1 oz. cara cara orange juice

1/2 oz. lemon

1/4 oz. agave

1 egg white

1 orange wheel for garnish, I used a candied orange

When I’m making sour cocktails I like to use a two-sided shaker. First, crack your egg and separate, only adding the white of the egg to the larger side of your shaker. I do this to keep the egg white separate from the rest of my ingredients until I’m ready to shake. Add the rest of the ingredients to the smaller side of your shaker. When you’re ready, pour the smaller side of your shaker into the larger side and dry shake. Open, add ice, and shake again. Shake as hard as you can! Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with an orange wheel.

I recently made a delicious no-bake mimosa tart for Palm Springs Style that I topped with candied oranges. I had a few extras so I garnished this drink with a candied orange. You can use a fresh slice or check out that post to see how I made the candied oranges. It was so easy and they turned out oh so delicious. You should probably just make that mimosa tart while you’re at it. You’ll thank me!

I think this Cara Cara Mezcal Sour is my favorite sour ever! Cara Cara oranges have a distinct pinkish-red and orange flesh. It’s not just their beautiful color that makes them stand out — they have a remarkable taste that goes right along with it. Compared to traditional navels, Cara Caras are sweeter, slightly tangy, and less acidic, with a hint of red fruit, like cranberry or blackberry. Using Cara Cara in this drink made it so bright, fruity, and refreshing. Plus I love that peachy hue it has!

I loved garnishing it with an orange wheel because the egg white foam kinda puffed up around it. It was seriously stunning! I hope you have some fun plans for Cinco de Mayo. I’ll be sipping on mezcal, most likely in the company of tacos. That’s not too far off from everyday life though. 😉 Stay tuned for some more drink ideas for Cinco de Mayo. I have some delicious drinks going up on Palm Springs Style and A Beautiful Mess because there can never be too much tequila!

Frozen Irish Coffee

March 14, 2018 by Natalie 1 Comment

I love St. Patrick’s Day because it strangely reminds me of my favorite city, New Orleans. Although
I’ve never spent St. Paddy’s there, my favorite Irish bar, The Erin Rose, serves my favorite incarnation of the Frozen Irish Coffee. I’ve shared quite a few recipes for it over the years, and I might not know the exact recipe (it’s a secret), but every time I play around I feel like I get one step closer. Let’s just say if you’re taking the approach of making a milkshake then you’re on the right track.

Frozen Irish Coffee, serves 1

1 1/2 oz. Irish whiskey (I used Jameson)

1 1/2 oz. Irish cream (I used Kerry Gold Irish Cream)

1 1/2 oz. cold brew coffee (I used Stumptown)

1 scoop of coffee ice cream

cinnamon whipped cream, grated cinnamon, and grated coffee, for garnish

My favorite spec for a Piña Colada is equal parts and I really feel like it works super well for this Frozen Irish Coffee as well. Add all your ingredients to a blender pitcher with 1/2 cup of ice and blend on high until smooth. If you want a less thick consistency you can add a bit more coffee or even milk to thin it out. I drink my coffee VERY strong and that is why I used cold brew in this recipe. Using cold brew also makes the coffee flavor stand out more in the drink. If you aren’t looking to be super caffeinated you can use regular coffee, just make sure it’s cold and not hot. Adding hot coffee to a blended drink will make it too diluted.

Pour your Frozen Irish Coffee into your desired serving vessel, in this case, I used highballs and garnish with cinnamon whipped cream, grated cinnamon, and grated coffee. To make your cinnamon whipped cream add 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract, and 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whip on high speed with the whisk attachment until thick peaks form. Spoon over the top of your drink and finish with grated cinnamon and coffee.

This Frozen Irish Coffee is not just perfect for St. Patrick’s Day but absolutely perfect to enjoy all Summer long. St. Paddy’s Day is the finish line of Winter for me. We’re SO close to Spring, it’s staying light out longer, and I can feel the brisk air finally starting to subside. If we can hold out a little bit longer, I promise there are sunny skies and warm days up ahead. You can bet I’ll be drinking quite a few of these Frozen Irish Coffees until next Fall. Hell, maybe I’ll even catch a flight down to NOLA to enjoy one at The Erin Rose. Cheers, Happy St. Patrick’s Day, and Happy ALMOST Spring everyone!! xo