"Big Game" Cocktails

New Jersey is hosting the "Big Game" this year, the first one in an outdoor stadium where it might get cold. (Housekeeping note: if you're not sure what the "Big Game" is, ask a friend for details, but it will be played at MetLife Stadium on February 2nd). And as New Jersey's leading wine & spirits retailer, we're here to help.

For the craft beer aficionado, we've already set some great specialty tappings at our Lawrenceville store in the 10 days prior to the Big Game. We'll add more tappings to our Woodbridge store's agenda as well. For everyone, we'll have an assortment of special events, tastings, and more (such as WPST broadcasting live from our Lawrenceville store on February 1) in the days leading up to the Big Game. Keep checking our social media, emails, ads, and in-store announcements for further information.

In previous blog posts, we've offered a number of cocktail recipes. If you check through the tags for "cocktails", you can easily reference those older posts. We will continue to offer you cocktail recipes, so that whether you're hosting or attending a party, you'll have an interesting beverage to offer. Today's first two recipes are already sized for a crowd.

Winter Sangria

Not just a summer drink, and a very different recipe. Prep time for this is really about 10 minutes.

Ingredients

2 cups no-pulp orange juice
3 to 6 ounces orange liqueur (such as Grand Marnier, Cointreau or Gran Gala)
2 tablespoons honey
1 cinnamon stick
2 blood oranges or clementines, supremed (remove the skin, pith, membranes, and seeds, and to separate its segments into thin slices)

1 Granny Smith apple (or other tart apple), cored and chopped into 1/4-inch cubes
1 Anjou (red) pear, peeled, cored and chopped into 1/4-inch cubes
2 liters sweet sparkling red wine, chilled (Banfi Rosa Regale or other Brachetto)
1 liter lemon lime soda, chilled

Method

In a large pitcher or punch bowl, whisk together orange juice, orange liqueur and honey. Add cinnamon stick, blood oranges, apple and pears, stir to combine. Set aside at room temperature to macerate, at least 1 hour, until ready to serve. Add wine and soda, stir gently to combine, and serve immediately over ice.

San Souci Punch

Ingredients

2 cups orange-pineapple juice
1 cup ginger ale
1/2 cup dark rum (Myers or Goslings)
1/4 cup sweet and sour mix
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 orange, sliced into wedges, for rimming and garnish

Method

In a large pitcher, stir together juice, ginger ale, rum, and sweet and sour mix. On a plate, mix sugar and nutmeg. Wet the rims of each serving glass with an orange wedge. Press the rims into sugar-nutmeg mixture. Serve drinks over ice and garnish with remaining orange wedges.

Drink recipes from www.foodnetwork.com.

From our friends at Campari America, we'll send you off with a better way to think about this week's temperatures.

Polar Vortex

Ingredients
2 oz. Flor de Caña Rum
4 Mint Leaves
1 Scoop Chocolate Ice Cream
 ½ oz Vanilla Syrup
½ oz Licor 43
Caramel foam*

Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend for a few seconds. Pour into a chilled martini glass and top with layer of caramel foam and mint sprig.

For caramel foam:
2 oz. Heavy Cream1/2 oz. Liquid Caramel SyrupDash of Cinnamon
Combine heavy cream with syrup + cinnamon in a dry shaker until emulsified.

Now never let us speak those two words again, unless they are in reference to this tasty beverage.