Have we talked about cocktails?
/Because, YEAH. Cocktails.
Now, I am not my brother who is an amazing dedicated talent when it comes to mixing drinks. His daiquiri is a thing of beauty out shined only by his egg nog.
But this past spring/winter, my friend Meg Blocker, aka Queenie_NYC on insta, tipped me off to the most genius thing ever:
premixed cocktails kept in the freezer.
Negronis. In the freezer. Because brilliance. And summer. And cocktails.
As in, make an enormous batch of manhattans in a mason jar and KEEP IT IN THE FREEZER ALL THE TIME. When you want a drink? Pour into a glass and top with a cherry. DONE AND DONE.
It's a goddamn REVELATION.
Now, manhattans are my jam for the colder months. But summer months? Negronis.
My base mix lives in the freezer. One part Campari, one part sweet vermouth in a ball jar with a lid. Since Campari and sweet vermouth are actually both lower alcohol, they'll get nice and slushy in the freezer. Mmm. Boozy slushies. (If you premix manhattans, they'll stay liquid (cause high, alcohol) but super super cold.)
You don't need to reserve any ingredients, if you only drink your negronis one way. But I customize, depending on my mood and the type of day it has been.
Mix 2 parts slush with (in order from chill-hanging-out to give-me-a-goddamn-shot):
- 2 parts seltzer, or
- 1 part prosecco, or
- 2 parts prosecco, or
- 1 part gin, or
- 1 part gin TOPPED with prosecco
And if you have it, top with an orange peel if that's your thing. I usually skip it.
There are ready-mixed cocktails on the market, but they're pricey, bottled in smaller sizes, and you can't pick and choose your choice of liquor brands. Me? I like Contralto sweet vermouth and Campari. We have some Aperol as well, but I stick to the classic varieties .
Don't thank me, thank the true genius, Meg.
Happy drinking!
