Festival Drinks: Pears, Pomegranates and Rosemary Oh My!

Thanksgiving is just 14 days away! Do you know what your will serve your friends and family? If you need some help in the drink department, I have compiled a list of my favs that are sure to get your guests in the holiday spirit.

Autumn Sangria (via People.com from Sally McKenney Quinn)

Photo via: domesticate-me.com

Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cinnamon sticks, plus more for serving

• 2 medium apples, thinly sliced (I prefer Honeycrisp)

• 1 medium pear, thinly sliced

• 1 medium orange, thinly sliced

• ⅔ cup pomegranate seeds

• 1 (750 ml) bottle white wine (I suggest a Pinot Grigio)

• 2 cups apple cider

• ½ cup brandy

• ¼ cup orange juice

• 2 tbsp. lemon juice

• Club soda, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place the cinnamon sticks and fruit into a large pitcher. Add wine, apple cider, brandy, orange juice, and lemon juice. Allow to sit in the refrigerator for 3 – 24 hours (6-8 hours is best!).

2. Pour the sangria and fruit into glasses. Add a splash of club soda. Garnish with a cinnamon stick, if desired.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes (or overnight)

Pomegranate Rosemary Spritzer (via A House in the Hills blog)

Photo via: A House in the Hills

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 bottle prosecco (chilled)

• 2 ounces peach schnapps (chilled)

• 4 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

• 4 ounces pom juice

• 1 small bottle mango flavored soda water

• 6-8 sprigs rosemary

• 1 fresh pomegranate

• .5 cup sugar

• 1 cup water

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Add 1 cup of water to a small pan with 2-3 sprigs of rosemary, bring to a boil.

2. Add sugar to boiling water and stir until sugar dissolves.

3. Remove from heat, strain rosemary leaves and set to cool.

4. Clean and de-seed pomegranate. Set seeds aside.

5. Pour prosecco evenly into 4 cocktail glasses.

6. Add .5 ounces of peach schnapps, .5 ounces rosemary simple syrup, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 ounce pom juice and a splash of mango soda water to each glass and stir.

7. Add 1 tablespoon of pomegranate seeds to each glass.

8. Allow the pomegranate seeds time to float to the top of the glass and garnish with 1 sprig of rosemary. 

Pear Rosemary Cocktail (via seriouseats.com from Kelly Carambula)

Photo via seriouseats.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 cup water

• 3 sprigs rosemary

FOR THE COCKTAIL: 

• 1 1/2 ounce pear brandy

• 1/2 ounce rosemary syrup

• 1/2 ounce Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur

• 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 2-inch sprig of rosemary

DIRECTIONS:

1. To make the rosemary syrup: Combine the sugar, water and 3 sprigs rosemary in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir to dissolve sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and continue to cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Remove rosemary before bottling.

2. To make the cocktail: Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add pear brandy, rosemary syrup, Domain de Canton, and lemon juice. Shake for 15 seconds.

3. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with rosemary sprig.

So there you have it folks, a few cocktail options to make your next holiday gathering merry and bright!