Two Spring Cocktails: From Low-Cal Fruitiness to a Spicy Splurge
I’m a big fan of cocktails that require just a couple of ingredients but pack a major punch, and sometimes, the best way to get there is to start with a vodka that brings a lot of flavor all by itself. Sure, freshly ground ginger and organic heirloom tomato juice has its place, but with the two vodkas I’m talking about today for Cocktails Week, you don’t have to get fancy to make it taste fancy. Like, super fancy.
Light, Sweet and Fruity: Smirnoff Sorbet Light Pineapple Coconut Recipe
If you’re a fan of sweet drinks, this is going to be right up your alley. This Light Pineapple Coconut vodka smells like the beach — in fact, when one friend smelled it, she was worried it was going to taste like sunscreen because the coconut fragrance is so strong. The fruity flavors are strong, too, but when cut with a complementary mixer, it’s just straight-up sippable. You want a spring break drink? This is SO a spring break drink.
(Also? This is a light vodka, which means it has about 25 percent fewer calories than similar flavored vodkas — 78 calories per 1.5 ounce serving. That might make it a little easier for some of us to go back for seconds, right?)
Ingredients
1 oz. SMIRNOFF Sorbet Light Pineapple Coconut
2 oz. Coconut water
1 oz. Pomegranate juice
Directions
Shake with ice (or just pour over and stir); serve in a short glass or water goblet glass. Garnish with a lime wheel or pineapple wedge if you’re feeling sassy.
The best way to test out a few types of booze for your job? Throw a party! My friends make great cocktail guinea pigs.
Spicy and Savory: UV Sriracha Vodka and Godiva Chocolate Liqueur Recipe
Maybe light and sweet isn’t your thing. You’re looking for something rich and savory, calories be damned. I’ve got your drink — think spicy hot chocolate, but as a martini. Yeah, that.
(For the record, at a recent cocktail party with a group of friends who came to test out some booze with me, this was definitely the favorite.)
Oh, and interesting factoid: Although the Sriracha vodka isn’t billed as light, it’s only a couple of calories more than the one listed above. Now, granted, when you mix it 1:1 with a chocolate liqueur, that sort of goes out the window, but it’s worth noting, right?
Ingredients
1.5 oz. UV Sriracha Vodka
1.5 oz. Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
Directions
Shake with ice and strain into a martini glass, then sip slowly.
Be warned, this doesn’t necessarily smell as good as it tastes, so don’t be put off by a semi-funky start. If you like it spicier, go heavier on the Sriracha vodka. Like it a little sweeter? I think you know what to do.
Do you like trying unusual cocktails like this? Would you be brave enough to test out a chocolate Sriracha martini? —Kristen