The fourth Thursday of November is a time for gathering and giving thanks, often with family, something that can be easier said than done. There’s the conspiracy-theory uncle and the cousin who won’t look up from their phone, the vegan brother and the gluten-free niece and the grandmother who insists everyone “at least taste!” her white-bread stuffing with giblet gravy, darnit.
When family becomes too much, as it can during the holiday season, we turn to our friends. It is, perhaps, no surprise that Friendsgiving — a feast shared with select friends on or around Thanksgiving Day — has so quickly become a holiday in its own right. We get to choose our friends. We tend to like our friends. And we can turn to our friends when we need to unload our family drama.
“Did Gramma Carmelita make you taste her giblet gravy again?”
“Yes. Yes she did.”
On Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving, a sturdy cocktail (or two) can go a long way.
While Thanksgiving cocktails tend to be more classic and crowd pleasing, on Friendsgiving anything goes. You don’t have to listen to Uncle Bryan call you a hippy for crafting an Old Fashioned with reposado tequila. You don’t have to buy the same $8 bottle of white zinfandel for cousin Natasha. You can have fun with your cocktails, which is what Friendsgiving is all about.
We at Mountain Valley Spring Water are here to help, with three fanciful Friendsgiving cocktails infused with the award-winning freshness that is Mountain Valley. These boozy beverages will keep your friend-filled celebrations deliciously bright, while warming you up for all the holiday family time to come.
Cranberry Key Lime Twist Mojito
Blush-colored cranberry syrup and the tart bubbles of Mountain Valley Sparkling Key Lime Twist make this a mojito to remember (so long as you don’t have too many). While this cocktail is known to be time consuming, this traditional method makes it easy — less time muddling, more time mingling with friends.
For the cranberry simple syrup:
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces fresh cranberries
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
Directions:
- Combine cranberries, water and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Reduce heat to low and cook until the sugar is dissolved and the cranberries burst and soften, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and cool. Strain the cooled mixture, pressing as much liquid as possible from the cranberries. This syrup can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
For 1 cocktail:
Ingredients:
- 1 ounce cranberry simple syrup
- ½ ounce fresh lime juice
- 2 ounces white rum (though any rum will do)
- 6-8 fresh mint leaves
- Crushed ice (can be made by pulsing cubes in a blender or smashing in a zip-top plastic bag)
- 2-3 ounces Mountain Valley Sparkling Key Lime Twist
- Optional garnish: fresh mint leaves, fresh cranberries, lime slices
Directions:
- Add the first three ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously until thoroughly chilled and strain into a highball glass.
- Place mint leaves in the palm of one hand and firmly slap/press with the opposite hand to release the oils. Add slapped mint to the glass.
- Add crushed ice to the top of the glass.
- Top with Mountain Valley Sparkling Key Lime Twist and garnish as desired.
Apple Cider Margaritas
Tequila with your roast turkey? Yes, please. This recipe, inspired by Half-Baked Harvest, gives the classic margarita some cozy, orchard-infused vibes with just the right hint of sparkle thanks to Mountain Valley.
Ingredients:
(makes 1 cocktail)
- cinnamon sugar and salt (optional for the rim; mix equal parts sugar and salt with a dash of cinnamon)
- 2 ounces silver tequila
- ½ ounce Cointreau or other orange liqueur
- 2-3 ounces apple cider
- 1-2 teaspoons maple syrup
- ice
- 1-2 ounces Mountain Valley Sparkling Spring Water
- juice of 1 lemon wedge
- Optional garnish: apple slices, cinnamon sticks
Directions:
- Rim a margarita glass with cinnamon-sugar-salt mix using a lemon wedge to help it adhere.
- In a shaker, combine tequila, Cointreau, apple cider, maple syrup and ice. Shake until thoroughly chilled.
- Pour into rimmed glass and finish with Mountain Valley Sparkling Spring Water and a squeeze of lemon. Garnish as desired.
The Perfect Pear-ing
This pear infused and bourbon-based cocktail recipe, inspired by the folks at Bon Appetit, feels warm yet refreshing thanks to the bubbly effervescence of prosecco and Mountain Valley Sparkling Spring Water. For a bit more warmth, this drink can be shaken and served up in a coupe glass with a cinnamon stick garnish.
For the spiced pear simple syrup:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup pear juice (not from concentrate)
- 1 2-inch finger of ginger, peeled and sliced
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 5 cloves
- ¼ cup lightly packed brown sugar
Directions:
- Add the first four ingredients to a pot, reserving the brown sugar. Cover and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low and allow the liquid to simmer for 10 minutes.
- Turn off heat and immediately add brown sugar, stirring until it’s incorporated. Cool and strain. This syrup can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
For 1 cocktail:
Ingredients:
- ½-1 ounce spiced pear simple syrup
- 2 ounces bourbon
- ½ ounce lemon juice
- 1-2 ounces prosecco
- 1-2 ounces Mountain Valley Sparkling Spring Water
- Ice
- Lemon twist or pear slice for garnish (optional)
Directions:
- In a rocks or highball glass, add a handful of ice, spiced pear simple syrup, bourbon and lemon juice, and stir.
- Top with prosecco and Mountain Valley Sparkling Spring Water.
- Garnish with lemon or pear.
