MOST POPULAR POSTS

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

The Best Party Cocktail You'll Ever Have

My mom turned sixty last February (!), and we're throwing her a long-awaited family party this coming weekend. My brother, sister and I have been brainstorming surprises for her party, which I'll keep secret until next week--and I'm also in charge of drinks. Happily, my friend Anna suggested this incredible cocktail, which we're definitely whipping up this weekend...





The Best Party Cocktail You'll Ever Have: A Rosemary Gin Fizz

Recipe:
1 cup rosemary simple syrup (Boil one cup of sugar in one cup of water with a couple rosemary sprigs thrown in. Boil until the sugar is dissolved. Let cool.)
1 cup gin
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 bottle of Prosecco (or 2, if you want the cocktail to be lighter)

Stir ingredients together in a punch bowl or carafe, and garnish with sprigs of rosemary.

Delicious! Anna made some last week, and they were light and refreshing, yet still packed a punch. Would be perfect for a garden party or to kick off a dinner party, don't you agree?
P.S. Ombre balloons, and more best recipes, including bourbon banana bread and chocolate-chunk cookies...

(Photos by Laura Ratliff for Cup of Jo. Thanks, Laura!)

67 comments:

  1. such pretty and delicate drinks!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This looks like heaven...I'll be trying it this weekend :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh yes! A Hendrick's gin & tonic with rosemary and cucumber is my cocktail of choice - this is right up my alley! (Though I'll have to tuck this recipe away for another few months til our little nugget is born). Have one for me! :) Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  4. oh that looks amazing!
    i also like the sound of a 'live basil gimlet'
    happy birthday to your mom!!!!

    ps my drink link:
    http://sageisland.blogspot.com/2012/05/making-mondays-magical.html

    ReplyDelete
  5. oooh a live basil gimlet sounds amazing!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Love it! I'll try making it this weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  7. there's a huge revival of old-school drinks here in baltimore and at one place, they had a similar drink but for garnish, they lit the rosemary sprig which created a lovely woodsy scent that went very well with the cocktail.

    ReplyDelete
  8. OK, if there's one thing I love just as much as my wine, it's my good ole gin cocktail. Silly question about making simple syrup as I've never made it before - does the sugar just dissolve all the way just when mixed with the water? Am I looking to create a reduction from it? Or, does it dissolve pretty clearly when brought to a boil (and then I should aim for 3 minutes boiling like that?)?

    Becca

    ReplyDelete
  9. oh, this looks so FRESH. thanks for sharing! xo.

    ReplyDelete
  10. What kind of gin did she use? A dry gin like Bombay Saphire or something more unique like Hendricks?

    ReplyDelete
  11. @Becca Sugar dissolves pretty quickly once you heat the water up. You don't boil it until it becomes a reduction. Just keep stirring until the sugar crystals dissolve and then take it off the heat.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I did my own twist on the rosemary gin fizz with using white wine and tonic. Turned out pretty good if I say so myself. :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love to see gin cocktails getting some love. There's too much vodka in the world.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thanks Jacqueline! And my pots thank you for saving them from overcooking sugar :)

    Becca

    ReplyDelete
  15. I'll Have Another (oh how timely). I made an amazing cocktail in a watermelon "keg" last weekend (complete with spigot and all). http://www.thebookofjimmy.com/the-book-of-jimmy-the-thesis/ It's got me on the cocktail prowl.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Looks delicious, and probably has less calories than a pisco sour :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. looks yummy! :D

    ReplyDelete
  18. Something else thats a little different and adventerous but refreshing is what I call the Spicy Grapefruit .. Stoli "Hot" and Grapefruit Soda (Like Izzy). Garnish with grapefruit peel. Amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous11:55 AM

    I hate gin - does anyone think this would work with vodka? Pine needles, man.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous11:56 AM

    This looks totally amazing! So refreshing. Can't wait to try it!

    ReplyDelete
  21. What time are you serving?

    ReplyDelete
  22. Kimberly O'Shea11:59 AM

    I am dying to hear what you do! My mom is also turning 60 this year and we are trying to figure out what to do...much to her chagrin!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous12:17 PM

    I love prosecco, so mixing this cocktail with it sounds so refreshing, elegant, but also "buzzy"! The rosemary spring on the glass adds such a sophisticated touch.

    ReplyDelete
  24. now I desperately need old school champagne coupes!

    ReplyDelete
  25. I made rosemary syrup last year and used it to baste a duck we were BBQing. It was very yummy but this drink looks like an even better use of the syrup! Thanks for the great idea.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Michelle2:18 PM

    PERFECT! Im having a cocktail party this weekend and wanted something summery and fresh... this will do JUST FINE!

    (another good one is pomegranate bellinis with a lime twist during the holidays ) anything with prosecco is wonderful

    ReplyDelete
  27. Mmm, what a different use of rosemary!

    ReplyDelete
  28. very tasteful is aswell a "thyme fizz" had one of these some weeks ago in a great bar in copenhagen!

    ReplyDelete
  29. It sounds delightful!!! xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  30. This is going to be my new summer drink! Sounds so tasty.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Such a great idea, I would have never thought of using rosemary! :)

    x mandy

    http://mandykoster.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  32. Hoho I wonder if I am not going to bring this cocktail instead of the habitual Rose at our weekly picnic along the Hudson River...
    Looks very fresh indeed!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Last week I made a simpler version of this cocktail with limoncello, prosecco, and a sprig of rosemary. It was super easy and so refreshing! My friend and I called it "the fence post" (which we thought sounded very farm-to-table-ish:)). I have a feeling I'll be drinking these all summer...

    ReplyDelete
  34. Yum! Gin is one of my favorites and I like the twist on this cocktail. I should give it a shot this summer!

    ReplyDelete
  35. Is this recipe from the gramercy tavern? It sounds like something they have in their recipe book of cocktails (which I highlight recommend) :)

    ReplyDelete
  36. Anonymous10:38 PM

    I. am. salivating. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  37. I've actually been really into rosemary drinks lately. It started earlier this spring when I had a rosemary grapefruit drop as an appéro at my bf and I's 5 year anniversary dinner. Then I discovered a great bar with a Rosemary Collins. Delish!

    ReplyDelete
  38. Love prosecco cocktails! Try this pretty 'prosecco squash' it has clementines and mint! So pretty and smells and tastes fab! http://btypes.com/2012/05/21/prosecco-squashes/

    ReplyDelete
  39. I would live in one of these beauties all summer! Pick me random selector thing!

    ReplyDelete
  40. This sounds like the perfect thing to kick back with after a long day at work.

    ReplyDelete
  41. It looks so delicate and summery...

    ReplyDelete
  42. Looks delish and perfect for the party! I posted a similar recipe HERE, if you'd like to check it out!

    ReplyDelete
  43. Aside from an as-boring-as-it-gets gin & tonic, I never give gin a chance. But this cocktail might be making an appearance at a summertime fete or two this year.

    ReplyDelete
  44. I've been smashing mint & blackberries in the bottom of a cup, then adding gin and tonic.. it's perfect for summer!

    ReplyDelete
  45. This party drink will definitely go down a treat in our home. And I love the Hellenic flag style napkins, I've not seen anything like those in the UK. Xρόνια πολλά!

    ReplyDelete
  46. I made this for New Years! It's amazing! Happy celebrating :)

    ReplyDelete
  47. What a tempting idea... love the idea of herbs in cocktails.

    You should definitely try St Germain - an elderflower liquor from France. Great with prosecco or gin.

    www.randomlyhappytoday.blogspot.co.uk

    ReplyDelete
  48. Fabulous. I just bought a Rosemary plant and was wondering if I was ever going to cook with it. Turns out gin was all that was missing!

    ReplyDelete
  49. This looks like the perfect beverage for this evening's bbq party! Thanks for sharing the recipe!!

    ReplyDelete
  50. Joana2:44 PM

    Just made this for friends as a pre-lunch cocktail- it was a huge success! Excelent recipe!

    ReplyDelete
  51. Thank you!! I made these today for our Eurovision Song Contest party and they were amazing. Better, alas than the songs. These are becoming staples at our house.

    Yawn....off for a snooze now. They're quite strong.

    ReplyDelete
  52. Summer3:56 AM

    Dear Jo, Hello from London! My wonderful friend Virginia also made these for our Eurovision party on Saturday night - but with a twist! She substituted the rosemary for basil and it was totally delicious!

    Thanks for sharing.

    Summer & Virginia
    x

    ps. we are also going to a trapeze class in June!!

    ReplyDelete
  53. I totally believe that this will be the best cocktail that I will ever have. I am a rosemary girl (seriously, I'll add rosemary to most recipes) and gin is my go-to liquor. Can't wait to make this!

    ReplyDelete
  54. Is the cocktail really her recipe? I can't wait to make that.


    Frozen cocktails

    ReplyDelete
  55. Made this over the holiday weekend, it certainly way refreshing and yummy!

    ReplyDelete
  56. good and kindly post,welcome to out good quality but cheap price Coach Factory Outlet website.

    ReplyDelete
  57. Love this recipe. It is a no-fail! I made the same one last year for a summer family party!

    http://theproperdrink.com/rosemary-lemon-sparklers

    -JAG

    ReplyDelete
  58. Its looks like perfect beverage for me.Amazing and delightful too.christian dating

    ReplyDelete
  59. add a shot of blueberry vodka instead of the gin and you've got a roseberry. delish!

    ReplyDelete
  60. This is a delicious cocktail that was a real hit. I went with a very middle of the road gin as there is no sense wasting the good stuff when this has so many other ingredients in it that you don't really taste the gin.

    ReplyDelete
  61. Jo, thank you, this was a fantastic party cocktail, which everyone loved! I was so happy that it could be mixed in advance.
    Tina

    ReplyDelete
  62. good and kindly post,welcome to out good quality but cheap price Coach Factory Outlet website.
    Global Information Network

    ReplyDelete
  63. Makes me want summer breezes off the lake. Saved for the perfect day.

    ReplyDelete
  64. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  65. Great post. This recipe looking wonderful, Is that this recipe ingredients from the Gramercy Tavern? It feels like one thing they need in their recipe book of cocktails. Beverage Market Research

    ReplyDelete

Nice comments only, please! (That means you, anonymous.)

Site design by Apartment One
Federated Media Publishing - Style