Tag: drinks

My husband and I have both always loved fall; so much that when we were picking a date for our wedding years ago, we skipped right past June and easily decided on November. The afternoon before our rehearsal dinner, family friends hosted a hayride for our guests that included a massive spread of food and, of course, plenty of festive drinks. The most popular beverage was a Tuaca-spiked cider that kept all of us warm as we rode around bundled up on hay bales. At the time I wasn’t familiar with Tuaca, but it has since become a staple at our holiday family gatherings.

Tuaca—a brandy-based liqueur blended with vanilla, and essences of lemon and orange—has a very distinct flavor, yet is versatile and can be used in a variety of drinks.

If there is anything good to come from such scary economic times, it is a refocusing on what is really important in our lives—our family and close friends. We can, and should, still enjoy the holidays with them.

No matter what your economic situation, I recommend that you rethink how you entertain guests this year. If you have entertained lavishly in the past, take measures to make your party a bit more homespun. Be considerate of what some of your guests may be going through. If you’ve always needed to keep a budget in mind, this year you can find new and creative ways to do that.

Since living in California, going to the local farmer’s market every Saturday morning with my husband has become one of my favorite parts of the week. I’m incredibly thankful the market stays open year-round, but have to admit that I start getting a little tired of apples and oranges by the spring. So when summer comes, I find myself loading up on cherries, blueberries, peaches, strawberries and melons. On occasion, I admit, I go a little overboard.

That’s when it’s time for "farmer’s market drinks." I always feel better about sitting outside and enjoying a drink when I know I’m at least getting some fruit. Below, I’ve included three of my favorites. Get creative and substitute with whatever fruit you have on hand.