The holiday season is upon us and what goes better with the holidays than delicious cocktails? And in true DMA fashion, we believe nothing makes cocktails more appealing than adding our beloved fresh produce. We’ve compiled a list of our favorite FRESH cocktails so get out your favorite glass, your blender and your best impression of, “Shaken, not stirred.”

Cucumber Martini

Ingredients:
• 2 oz. Vodka (Grey Goose)
• 1/4 oz. Lemon Juice
• 2 slices Cucumber
• 3 pieces Mint
• 1/2 oz. Sugar Syrup

Mixing Instructions:
Muddle mint and a cucumber slice in a cocktail shaker. Add other ingredients and ice. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass, and garnish with a slice of cucumber and a fresh mint sprig.

A Broken Leg with Apple and Honey

Ingredients:
• Crispin Honey Crisp Hard Apple Cider
• 1 ½ oz. Spiced Rum
• 1 slice Honey Crisp Apple
• Honey to Taste
• Ice

Mixing Instructions:
In a highball glass or other short glass, drizzle honey over ice and slice of apple. Add the shot of rum then fill the rest of the glass with apple cider.

Ponche de Frutas (Fruit Punch)

Ingredients:
• 3 Oranges (juiced)
• 3 Lemons (juiced)
• 1/2 lb. Seedless Green Grapes (halved)
• 1/2 lb. Plums (pitted and chopped into small bite-size pieces)
• 1 Fresh Pineapple (peeled, cored and chopped into small bite-size pieces)
• 1 cup White Sugar
• 4 cups Strong Brewed Black Tea (chilled)
• 4 cups Crushed Ice

Mixing Instructions:
In a large punch bowl, combine orange juice, lemon juice, grapes, plums and pineapple. Stir in sugar. Pour in tea and crushed ice. Recipe yields 20 servings.

“Not For Kids” Fruit Smoothie

Ingredients:
• Fresh Mangos (cubed)
• Fresh Strawberries (chopped)
• Vodka of Choice
• Ice

Mixing Instructions:
Puree several fresh mangos and strawberries in a blender. Add desired amount of vodka and pour mixture into an ice cream maker. Freeze/Process until it has a nice slushy consistency. Or if you don’t have an ice cream maker, just add ice to your blender

Sweet Meyer Lemon Drop (thanks to our friends at Duda Farm Fresh Foods!)

Ingredients:
• 1 oz. Dandy Meyer Lemon Juice
• 1 oz. Triple Sec
• 1 1/2 oz. Vodka
• 1/2 oz. Simple Syrup
• 1 oz. Sweet and Sour
• Granulated Sugar (for dipping rim)
• Ice
• Meyer Lemon Peel (twisted)

Mixing Instructions:
Fill Martini shaker half way with ice and add all liquid ingredients. Shake 30 times vigorously. Strain into a sugar frosted rim martini glass and garnish with Meyer lemon peel twist.

Blood Orange Margarita Recipe

Ingredients:
• 3 oz. Fresh Blood Orange Juice
• 2 oz. Tequila
• 1 oz. Triple Sec
• Splash of Agave Nectar (syrup)

Mixing Instructions:
Rub the rim of an old fashioned glass with an edge of a blood orange slice. Swirl the rim through a small pile of kosher or sea salt to salt the rim. Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake for 15 seconds. Put a few cubes of ice in your glass. Strain the cocktail into the glass and enjoy.

Skinny Margarita

Ingredients:
• Fresh Lime Juice
• Fresh Orange Juice
• 1 Shot of Preferred Tequila
• ½ Shot of Triple Sec
• Fresh Orange and Lime Slices

Mixing Instructions:

Combine equal parts lime juice & orange juice, the tequila and triple sec. Pour over ice and float lime and orange slices.

We hope you’re ready to indulge this holiday season – we know we are! Which of these creative, fresh-inspired cocktails will you feature at your next holiday gathering? Vote for your favorite in our comment section and the winning cocktail will earn a coveted spot at our DMA Holiday Feast later this month.

Posted by: The DMA Solutions Team