Well, here we are friends, the first week of June.
JUNE!
Time really does just fly by! I feel like I say that around this time every year. Once after winter and those colder months of spring are behind us, and again in the fall when summer literally just flashes by us with the blink of an eye.
Anywho… This time of year, particularly the last week of May, is when my heartmate and I pretty much round everything up around the house, give it a thorough spring cleaning, and get the backyard SUMMER READY!
As much as I love the springtime, because with it comes new flowers, blooming trees, and the sound of birds chirping… I really do feel that by now I’ve waited long enough for summer and need to be rewarded with warmer temperatures, stat!
I could go on to list endless reasons why I love summer (I really can) but one of the things I truly love most is getting my friends over for backyard get togethers. I just love entertaining, and I love sharing what’s real with friends, i.e., good food, delicious drinks, and honestly just catching up and spilling the tea together! (In this case literal Moroccan citrus tea!)
To mark 2019’s first summer get-together with friends, I created what I’m hoping will turn into a fan-favourite and will be on repeat all summer! I’m calling it the Sunrise Citrus Drink!
Made with fresh California citrus from Sunkist!
Ingredients for the perfect summer cocktail!
To help celebrate summer and #ShareWhatsReal with friends, I had Krystle of @dineandfash, and Abhishek of @abhishekdekate join me, and together we transformed my backyard into a Moroccan oasis.
We threw a Moroccan-themed backyard party to kickoff the start of summer, and each created unique recipes and table decor centered around citrus!
Here are the links to Abhishek’s blog post and Krystle’s blog post!
We toasted with my Sunrise Citrus Drink (recipe below), and Krystle and Abhi prepared delicious meals like Moroccan lemon chicken tagine, as well as traditional Moroccan desserts which had me salivating!
Even my little chihuahua ZsaZsa joined in on the backyard fun! Scroll down to see him relaxing on our Moroccan rug while we toasted to summer!
How to make a great summer mocktail? The Sunrise Citrus Drink
Sunrise Citrus Drink Recipe | Perfect for Get-Togethers
This citrus inspired drink recipe is perfect all year round. As citrus is normally a winter fruit, some types of citrus, like Navel Oranges, are more easily found here in Canada all year round.
Ingredients:
- 1/8 part grenadine
- 4/8 part freshly squeezed and strained juice of Sunkist Navel oranges
- 3/8 part champagne (sub sparkling lemon water for mocktails, add more to taste.)
If preparing 2L serving:
- 1/2 cup grenadine
- 5 1/2 cups freshly squeezed and strained juice of Sunkist Navel oranges (approx. 12 oranges)
- 2 cups champagne (sub sparkling water with freshly squeezed Sunkist lemon juice for mocktails, add more to taste.)
Directions:
- Your first step would be to juice or freshly squeeze your Navel oranges and set aside.
- When preparing your drinks, start by adding your grenadine to the glass or jug first. This will achieve the “sunrise” or ombre effect you see in the photos.
- Next, add your freshly squeezed Navel orange juice.
- And lastly, add your champagne or sparkling lemon water if preparing non-alcoholic options.
Notes:
1. For garnish you can add some sprigs of fresh mint or a citrus wedge to the rim of each glass!
2. This drink recipe is best prepared individually, per glass, to achieve that sunrise / ombre effect. However, you can prepare it in large batches if you prefer.
3. When Blood oranges are in season, using freshly squeezed juice can make a great option for adding red colouring
4. Squeezing 12 oranges(which is the route I took)can take some time, but by all means if you have an electric juicer, this would definitely come in handy! 🙂
I hope this cocktail recipe inspires you for your summer get-togethers and entertaining! I’m wishing all of you a warm and sunny summer filled with good food, good times, and good laughs shared with friends, family, and loved ones!
nj
Nick Joly | Inspired by Nick
be good to your body
inspiredbynick.com
Thank you to Sunkist for sponsoring this post!
Delirious