Summer Pomegranate Cocktail Recipes

Friday, June 13th, 2008

Summer Pomegranate Cocktail Recipes

Pomegranates are sexy fruit. Those ruby red juicy jewels are filled with antioxidants and an irresistible tangy flavor. Pomegranate is now a cool ingredient in cocktails as well. Skip the grenadine and use fresh pomegranate juice or pomegranate liqueur to add more pizazz to happy hour.

How much do you know about pomegranates? Here are a few fun pomegranate facts:

Pomegranates are one of the earliest cultivated fruits and are mentioned many times in the bible

Pomegranates were brought to the New World by Spanish Missionaries in 1521 but are native to Iran and the Himalayas in northern India

Today you can find pomegranates in the Middle East, Mediterranean, as well as parts of China and California.

Pomegranates are a good source of vitamin B (riboflavin, thiamin and niacin), vitamin C, calcium and phosphorus.

You can refrigerate whole pomegranates for up to 2 months or store them in a cool, dark place for up to a month.

Stock up on fresh pomegranate juice and PAMA pomegranate liqueur to make these luscious, mouth-puckering summertime drinks:

Pomegranate Sangria
1 bottle of red wine
1 bottle of pomegranate juice
1 cup of brandy
1 cup of orange liqueur (such as Creole Shrub, Cointreau or Grand Marnier)
1 orange, sliced
1 apple, sliced
1 lime, sliced
12 ounces of club soda

Wash and slice, apple, orange, lime and add to wine.
Add brandy and orange liqueur and pomegranate juice. Chill overnight before serving add chilled club soda.

Pomegranate Martini
Ice cubes
1 1/2 cups bottled pomegranate juice
2 ounces Citron Vodka or white tequila
1 ounce Cointreau Splash of sparkling water
Squeeze of lemon
Superfine sugar for dipping
Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Place pomegranate juice, vodka, Cointreau, sparkling water, and lemon juice; shake, Pour strained liquor into sugar-rimmed martini glass.

Pomegranate Ginger-tini
121/3 oz PAMA pomegranate liqueur
1 1/2 oz Vodka
1/2oz Grapefruit juice
1/2 oz Ginger syrup
Shake all ingredients with ice, strain into chilled martini glass. Garnish with spiral-cut lemon zest.

Pomegranate Mint Julep
2 oz PAMA pomegranate liqueur
2 oz Bourbon
2 Sprigs of Fresh Mint
2 Sugar Cubes
In a mixing glass, muddle mint and sugar with Bourbon and PAMA. Shake ingredients vigorously over ice and strain into a rocks glass over crushed ice. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint and serve.