Orange - quick and easy recipes - page 11

Although the combinations of spices and herbs used in aquavit are endless, some of the most recognized flavors include caraway, anise, fennel, and cardamom. This infused spirit from Scandinavia is best enjoyed straight from the freezer as a shot—accompanied by a toast.

Authentic grenadine syrup is made from pomegranate juice sweetened with sugar and flavored with a few drops of lemon juice and orange-flower water (as opposed to corn syrup and red dye). Once you taste the real deal in, say, a Mary Pickford, you’ll never go back to the Shirley Temple cocktail mixer of your youth.

A classic summer cooler, a lime rickey can be mixed up with gin or bourbon or, for a virgin rickey (like this one), with fruit syrup. Either rendition is equally bubbly, limey, and thirst-quenching.

The Adonis is a simple, low-alcohol, sherry-based cocktail. In its original form, the Adonis is a wine cocktail that dates back to the late 1800s. The name is derived from an 1884 play about a gorgeous male statue that comes to life and finds human ways so unpleasant that he willingly turns back into stone. Adonis was the first Broadway play to run for more than 500 performances, but despite its lineage, the Adonis cocktail is rarely seen anymore and has entered the endangered species list.

A classic champagne cocktail, the Poinsettia is a festive orange-and-cranberry-flavored, rose-tinted punch. Use floating frozen orange slices and cranberries to keep the punch nicely chilled and nicely decorated. Game plan: This punch is not served with ice, so make sure all the ingredients and the punch bowl are well chilled. If you have an extra bowl that’s larger than your punch bowl, fill it with ice and nestle the punch bowl inside to keep it cold.

Pegu Club bartender Kenta Goto’s lovely cocktail La Fleur de Paradis spends its evenings perched atop a weathered zinc bar, sipped by the beautiful people of New York. Our rendition of it using wheat beer instead of champagne is more at home in a plastic cup, enjoyed by folks sporting cut-off shorts and soaking in the sun on a picnic blanket or the open gate of a pickup truck.

This festive holiday punch is made with tart pomegranate and lime juice, aged Jamaican rum, simple syrup, and a touch of orange bitters. Just before serving, top it off with your favorite dry sparkling wine, like cava, Prosecco, or champagne. And to make it extra festive, we’ve included instructions on how to make a beautiful pomegranate-and-lime ice block to keep it chilled. Game plan: You can make the punch base and chill it up to 8 hours ahead.

Champagne and club soda lighten up this deep-red punch made with claret wine, brandy, and dark rum. Fresh orange and pineapple slices add a hint of citrus and bright color. What to buy: Wines labeled “claret” are red wines that contain a blend of Bordeaux grapes. You can find them in most well-stocked wine shops or online.

This light, refreshing punch starts with a mix of apple cider, vodka, orange liqueur, apples, and lemons, which is then topped with sparkling apple juice and sparkling wine. Serve this not-too-boozy-tasting punch at a Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s party.

With cabbage, carrots, radishes, and herbs, this slaw is as colorful as it is flavorful. It’s a great make-ahead dish, since the flavor develops as it sits; just be sure to give it a quick stir before you serve.

This recipe from author and former Gramercy Tavern managing partner Nick Mautone is a blend of Grand Marnier and iced tea that makes a perfect summer-afternoon cooler. Game plan: We like this Basic Iced Tea recipe for this cooler. Make the tea and refrigerate it up to 8 hours in advance.

This is a milder and more accessible version of my first hot sauce recipe, Habanero Blood Orange Death Kick. When my dad (who grows his own Trinidad Scorpion peppers) said it was way too hot, I took his advice and left out the serranos to curb the heat a bit. I also used easy-to-find domestic oranges and limes. Spoon it over a breakfast frittata for a punch of heat.

Apples and warm spice have pretty much cornered the market as far as mulled ciders go, but swapping in pear is a pleasant change. Warm the hard cider in a big pot and steep it with ginger chunks, orange peel, and vanilla. Before serving, stir in some honey and a hefty dose of brandy. What to buy: There are varying qualities of hard pear cider on the market; look for one that has a distinct pear flavor and isn’t too sweet.

Herbal Yellow Chartreuse is shaken with orange liqueur, orange juice, and heavy cream in this frothy after-dinner drink. If you can’t find Yellow Chartreuse, you can use Galliano instead.