ADD SPARKLE TO YOUR HOLIDAY PARTIES WITH THESE DRINK RECIPES

East County News Service

December 18, 2019 (San Diego's East County) - Special thanks to "Chef Jamie Gwen for Smart & Final"  for providing these Sparkling Water Drink Recipes for our readers, which are perfect for your Christmas or New Year’s Eve celebrations.

CRANBERRY LIME SPRITZERS

For the perfect holiday mocktail, try this refreshing and festive non-alcoholic spritzer.

Ice

1/4 cup First Street Cranberry Juice

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

6 ounces First Street Cran-Raspberry Sparkling Water

Lime wedge and a few fresh cranberries, for garnish

Place a few fresh cranberries at the bottom of a highball glass; then fill the glass with ice. Add the cranberry juice and lime juice. Fill the glass with Cran-Raspberry Sparkling Water. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Makes 1 mocktail

SPARKLING BLUEBERRY BASIL MOJITOS 

This delicious pitcher cocktail will serve a crowd and please a crowd. The blueberry jam is a creative cocktail secret; it imparts fabulous flavor and just the right amount of sweetness. So good!

1/2 cup blueberry jam

2 cups White Rum

Handful of fresh basil leaves

4 cans First Street Lemon-Lime Sparkling Water

Place the jam and rum in a pitcher and stir to combine.

Add the basil leaves and muddle, using the back of the spoon, to release the natural oils in the basil. Fill the pitcher halfway with ice and pour in the Lemon-Lime Sparkling Water. Garnish with fresh blueberries and basil leaves and serve.

Serves 8

Chef’s Tip: substitute vodka for a blueberry basil vodka cocktail or tequila for sparkling blueberry margaritas!

SPARKLING SPICY PALOMAS

Use your First Street Sparkling Water to liven up your holiday cocktails…This grapefruit-inspired cocktail has juicy sweetness, a touch of heat and bubbles!

1 ounce H&H 1871 Silver Tequila

Juice of 1/4 of a fresh grapefruit

1/4 fresh lime

2 thin slices fresh jalapeno or Serrano chili

2 ounces First Street Grapefruit Sparkling Water

Fresh grapefruit slices, for garnish

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the tequila, grapefruit juice, lime juice, jalapeno slices and the squeeze of lime juice and shake well.

Pour the mixture over ice and finish with the Grapefruit Sparkling water.  

Use a cooking blowtorch to caramelize the grapefruit wedge. Garnish the drink with the caramelized grapefruit wedge and serve.

Makes 1 cocktail