Frozen Wine Slushy {Recipe} {Ice Cream Week}

August 8, 2012 at 8:06 am (Cooking with wine, Ice cream, Ice Cream Week)
Tags: , , , , , , ,

It’s day 3 of Ice Cream Week, and today’s theme is Sorbet (or Other Non-dairy Frozen Treats). I’m opting for “Other” with this frozen wine slushy treat.

This wine slush can be enjoyed two ways: as an eat-with-a-spoon slushy or a wine punch.

Frozen Wine Slushy

Wine Slush with Sparkling Limeade

Either way, it’s a refreshing summery treat.

Frozen Wine Slushy

Ingredients

  • 1 750-ml bottle Sauvignon Blanc
  • 1 12-ounce can frozen lemonade
  • 2 cups cranberry juice
  • Sparkling limeade or lemon-lime soda (for punch variation)

Directions

  1. Stir together wine, lemonade, and cranberry juice. Freeze for 3 to 4 hours, until fairly solid. The wine will keep the mixture from freezing firm.
  2. For frozen wine slush, scoop frozen mixture into glasses and serve with a spoon.
  3. For slushy wine punch, fill glass about 3/4 full with frozen slush, then top with sparkling limeade or lemon-lime soda. Serve as is or with a straw.

I will be serving this at our next summer dinner party. It’s easy, refreshing, and delicious.

Margaret is 3 for 3 in Ice Cream Week so far, turning in this wonderful looking Pina Colada Sorbet for today’s entry. Di made a beautiful Raspberry Sorbet. My wife would love Rebecca’s Mango Ice. And Abby made Homemade Waffle Cones to serve it all!

Coming up tomorrow: we’re going “Nuts for Ice Cream” with Molasses Almond Praline Ice Cream.

8 Comments

Pimm’s No. 1 Punch Cup {Recipe}

June 23, 2012 at 7:56 am (Beverages, Recipes, Techniques)
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Around this time last summer, I discovered Pimm’s No. 1, a gin-based liquor made in England from dry gin, liqueur, fruit juices, herbs, and spices. The formula is a well-kept secret. It is reported that only six people in the world know how it’s made. The taste is hard to describe. It’s light, fruity, a little spicy, with a hint of cucumber (yes, cucumber). You definitely don’t have to be a gin drinker to enjoy Pimm’s.

The classic Pimm’s drink, the Pimm’s No. 1 Cup, is commonly associated with Wimbledon. As with most classic (i.e., old) cocktail recipes, there are dozens of ways to make a Pimm’s cup. The “official” recipe, from the Pimm’s website, is 1 part Pimm’s No. 1 and 3 parts chilled lemonade, stirred together over ice, and garnished with one or more of mint, cucumber, orange, and strawberry. However, because British lemonade is carbonated and lemonade in the States tends to be still, many recipes call for a 1:2:1 ratio of Pimm’s, lemonade, and lemon-lime soda or seltzer.

I used the classic Pimm’s No. 1 Cup recipe as the basis for a party punch I made to take to a dinner party recently.  Here’s how I made it:

Pimm’s No. 1 Punch Cup

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 6-8 basil leaves
  • 5 strawberries
  • 3 limes
  • 1 small cucumber
  • 4 cups still lemonade
  • 1 bottle Pimm’s No. 1
  • 6 cups carbonated lemonade -or- 3 cups still lemonade and 3 cups lemon-lime soda

Directions

  • Muddle sugar and 4 basil leaves and place in large pitcher or container.

  • Chiffonade remaining basil leaves and add to pitcher with muddled basil.
  • Hull, wash, and slice strawberries. Add to pitcher.
  • Zest and juice 1 lime; slice remaining 2 limes. Add zest, juice, and slices to pitcher.
  • Slice cucumbers and add to pitcher.
  • Pour 4 cups still lemonade into pitcher and mix well, smashing fruit a bit to release juices. Add Pimm’s and stir to mix well.

  • Cover container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
  • Add carbonated lemonade (or remaining still lemonade and lemon-lime soda) and stir gently to mix.
  • Serve over ice, garnished with one or more of strawberries, lime wedges, cucumber slices, or sprigs of mint or basil.

Variation: Substitute mint sprigs for basil.

This is the last in a series of six posts featuring (or at least including) strawberries. The strawberries were great this year, and I was having so much fun making recipes with them that I decided to host Strawberry Week on my blog. Check out the other posts from this week, including Real Strawberry Shortcakes.

Leave a Comment