Easter is about renewal and rebirth, and Drink Me readers know the invigorating experience a refreshing, well put-together cocktail brings. We want to make sure your Easter brunch table is as interesting as it is colorful, and that this weekend has something in it for the grown-ups too. Here are 13 outstanding cocktails and details on where to get them, or how you can make your own. Either way, we’ve 13 ways to make this Sunday brunch worth the calories.
Copita Violetta
Jenny Schneider, Bar Manager of Copita Tequileria y Comida, brings us this fabulous cocktail for our Make Easter Fun article. Simple flavors done right are Jenny’s definition of the authenticity of a well-crafted cocktail. Copita is the vision of legendary restaurateur, Larry Mindel, and San Francisco food personality and cookbook author, Joanne Weir. Located in the heart of downtown Sausalito, California, Copita is a neighborhood restaurant, serving seasonal modern Mexican cuisine. A well-curated tequila list and a number of tequila cocktails round out the experience. Copita is open Monday – Thursday, 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m., Friday, 11:30 a.m. – 11 p.m., Saturday, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. 739 Bridgeway, Sausalito, CA 94965, (415) 331-7400 . For more information visit us at: copitarestaurant.com/ and on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Ingredients:
5 oz Maestro Dobel Diamante infused with butterfly pea flower
0.5 oz Creme de Violet
0.5 oz Creme de Pampelmousse
0.5 oz lemon juice
1 oz Grapefruit juice
The Fratellanza
Mr. Espresso’s Fratellanza cocktail recipe below was created in partnership with the Oakland based coffee roaster Mr. Espresso and Spencer Gaddi of Oliveto Restaurant and Cafe in Oakland
Ingredients:
5 oz. Villa Zarri Brandy
.25 oz. Simple Syrup
Double shot of Mr. Espresso Espresso (1.5 oz.) or 3 oz. of Drip Mr. Espresso Coffee
Vanilla Bean Espresso Cream*
Method:
Add brandy, simple syrup, and coffee into a small coupe glass or Irish coffee glass, leaving ½ inch room for the cream. Stir ingredients with a bar spoon then pour the cream over the back of a regular spoon to fill remainder of the glass. Spoon shaken Vanilla Bean Espresso Cream on top of the brandy, espresso, and simple syrup mixture, serve immediately.
*To Make Vanilla Bean Espresso Cream
Place a cocktail shaker in the freezer until well chilled, at least 10 minutes. Remove shaker from the freezer and add 1.5 oz. heavy cream. Split a one-inch piece of vanilla bean, scrape the seeds into the heavy cream, and discard the pod. Add sugar to taste. Shake vigorously until thick and frothy, at least 20 times. Pour in double shot of espresso a little at time and continue shaking vigorously until you reach a desired taste and consistency.
The Good Friday
From Philly-based Hudson Austin of The Wine Merchant, this is a twist on the classic Tequila Sunrise. Tequila can be under-utilized by many mixologists, and often feared by many drinkers as tales of over-indulging on this high-proof spirit abound. Using higher quality tequila and a unique juice choice make this cocktail a delightful Easter starter.
Ingredients:
2 oz. premium Blanco Tequila – brands similar to Milagro, Patron, etc
6 oz. Mango Nectar – Goya is available in most grocery stores
1 oz. Premium Grenadine – Jack Rudy Cocktail Co.
Method:
Fill a highball glass with ice or use one large ice cube, pour grenadine in first allowing it to settle. Add tequila and then nectar. Garnish with a cherry and orange slice
Cucumber Bloody Mary
Stowe Mountain Lodge in Stowe, VT came up with this creative Cucumber Bloody Mary for us. If you’re remotely in the vicinity, know that this cocktail is worth the trip.
Ingredients:
5 oz. Silo Cucumber Vodka (as a side note, it’s distilled in VT)
4 oz. Stowe Mountain Lodge Garden Fresh Bloody Mary Mix made up of crushed black peppercorn, diced jalapeno, fresh cilantro lime and lemon juice fresh horseradish, celery seeds, one clove of minced garlic and English cucumber puree
Salt rim and add cucumber ribbon
Garden of Easter
Created by Urosh Stojkovikj for Miller’s Rest, San Francisco, CA
The team at Miller’s Rest, the restaurant and bar located in San Francisco’s Lower Nob Hill neighborhood featuring a rustic, cabin-inspired vibe, has a few delicious brunch cocktails perfect for Easter.
Ingredients:
5 oz. Hanson Organic Vodka
3/4 oz. St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
1/4 oz. Ancho Reyes Verde Chile Poblano Liqueur
3/4 oz. Fresh Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
2 Dash Angostura Bitters
1 Egg White
Method:
Dry shake all ingredients, add ice, strain, pour into a coupe glass and garnish with a fresh basil leaf
The Forager
Another wonderful creation from Miller’s Rest, San Francisco, CA. This one is from Matt Talbert.
Ingredients:
5 oz. Lavender Infused Sipsmith Gin
1/2 oz. Lemongrass-Thyme Syrup
3/4 oz. Fresh Cucumber Juice
1/4 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
1/4 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
1 oz. Club Soda
Method:
Shake all ingredients (except the soda), strain over fresh ice and pour into a Collins glass, top with soda and garnish with sweet pickled cucumber.
The Bar 54 Purple Sage
Bar 54, located on the 54th floor of Hyatt Centric Times Square, is one of NYC’s highest rooftop lounges with amazing river-to-river views of the Chrysler Building, lower Manhattan including One World Trade and the Times Square Ball Drop. Bar 54 has created the Purple Sage, the color of which work wells with any Easter brunch table.
Ingredients:
5 oz. Cabeza Tequila
25 oz Mezcal
1 oz. Ruby Port
75 oz. fresh lemon juice
5 oz. ginger syrup
25 oz. egg white and sage leaves
Method:
Muddle 2-3 sage leaves in the ginger and the port. Dry shake all ingredients and then shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a sage leaf.
Twisted Julep
From Will Bartholomew on behalf of Jim Beam Bourbon
Ingredients:
2 parts Jim Beam Black
5 parts peach nectar
Muddled blueberries and mint with a touch of brown sugar
Method:
In a double old-fashioned glass, muddle the mint and brown sugar. Add the blueberries and muddle again. Add crushed ice and Jim Beam Black. Stir to distribute mint. Top with crushed ice. Garnish with blueberries and a mint sprig.
Spring Awakening
Here’s another one from Will Bartholomew on behalf of Jim Beam Bourbon
Ingredients:
2 parts Jim Beam Black
5 parts aperitif wine
5 parts sweet vermouth
Method:
Stir all ingredients with ice in a mixing glass. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
French Sangria
Andrea Correale is a Long Island native and has been producing custom-designed, award-winning New York catered events and original recipes for more than 20 years, transforming such legendary events as the Nassau County Museum of Art and the Chelsea Mansion into affairs to remember. Through her company, Elegant Affairs, she has catered events for such A-Listers as L.A. Reid, Mariah Carey, Russel Simmons, Billy Joel, Jimmy Fallon and Liam Neeson.
Ingredients:
1 Bottle Lillette Rosé Wine
3 oz. Grand Marnier
5 oz. club soda
2 oz. Fresh Raspberries
1 Spring Mint
Edible Flower Petals for Garnish
Method:
Pour each of the above into a tall bar glass. Shake with ice, pour into a cocktail or martini glass, and serve.
Raspberry Mint Lemonade
From Andrea Correale at Elegant Affairs
Ingredients:
2 oz. Triple Sec
2 oz. Limoncello
1 handful of raspberries
2 oz. Mint Leaves
A dash of grenadine for color
Juice of two lemons
Club soda
Raw sugar
Method:
Add raspberries and mint to the bottom of the glass and sprinkle raw sugar on top. Muddle these ingredients until it has the appearance of jam. Add the Triple Sec, Limoncello and lemon juice to your glass. Add a dash of grenadine for color, and then add the ice and top if off with club soda. Stir and serve with a sprig of fresh mint on top!
Georgia Peach and Basil Bourbon Slushies
From Andrea Correale at Elegant Affairs
Ingredients:
12 mint leaves
3 fresh Georgia peaches, sliced and frozen overnight
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
1/2 cup Simple Syrup
1 cup Black Tea Bourbon
Method:
Slice peaches and freeze overnight (can use packaged frozen peaches for easy preparation). In a food processor, add frozen peach slices, mint leaves, lemon juice, simple syrup and bourbon and blend, adding ice until a slushy consistency forms. Scoop slush into glasses and garnish with basil and peaches. Serve immediately.
Grapefruit Collins
Ingredients:
2 Ounces Tanqueray Gin
1/2 Ounce Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
1/2 Ounce Fresh Squeezed Grapefruit Juice
1 Ounce Simple Syrup
3 Ounces of Pellegrino Sparkling Water
Grapefruit Zest
Mint Leaves
Method:
Rim glass with grapefruit wedge and dip into salt and grapefruit zest mixture. Add Gin, lemon juice, grapefruit juice and simple syrup to a martini shaker with ice, shake well, and strain into glass. Add Pellegrino sparkling water and stir. Garnish with grapefruit zest and mint leaves.
