Don't invite Dorothy Parker to your dinner party

Dinner party cocktails are some of my favorite things to make. When it gets around springtime, my brain kicks in and I start thinking about cocktail parties and planning out recipes. It's like the world has lightened up. This week I'm sharing a few of my favorite ones that are delightful, light, and perfect to pair with whatever party you are having.

So Gin it Hurts

Gin Soda

Ingredients

2 oz Gin

1 oz Ginger Liqueur

1 oz Grapefruit Juice

Top with Sparkling Water (or Tonic)

Garnish: Pink Glitter and Grapefruit Slice

Recipe: In a highball glass with ice, pour gin and ginger liqueur. Then pour grapefruit juice and stir. Pour in the tonic and the glitter for effect. Keep stirring! Enjoy on the perfect spring day or after a long day working. It's a simple cocktail that your guests can tailor to make their own. It also is easy to pair with snacks and apps as the water makes it naturally refreshing.

If this isn't how you make sangria...

Sangria

Ingredients

1 bottle of Spanish Red Wine

1/2 cup of Brandy

One Orange

One Blood Orange

One lemon

One lime

Garnish: Cubed apple and blood orange wedge

Recipe: Slice all the fruit into thin slices (except the apple). Put them one fruit at a time in the bottom of a pitcher and muddle the crap out of them. Then add the wine and the brandy. Stir. Let it all sit in the fridge for as long as you can (at least an hour). Cube an apple and put it in the pitcher. Leave it some more. Stir it before you serve. Perfect with or without ice. Pairs nicely with spring dishes and hearty dishes. Never say no to Sangria!

Martini Time

Vesper Martini

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz Gin

1/2 oz Lillet Blanc

1/2 oz Lemon Juice

Garnish: Lemon twist

Recipe: This is a classic martini that is perfect for setting the party mood. I love a martini before dinner as something to offer my guests when they come into my space. It's my version of a nighttime welcome drink. This one I love especially because it also gives a nostalgic and classic feel. When I drink martinis out of a tiny martini glass, it transports me to another time. It's also a super easy drink to make. Just pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Give it a good shake and pour into a martini glass. Garnish with a lemon twist. A good martini should be simple and strong. It's a perfect pre-dinner drink that hits at the classic martini formula while also making it acceptable to newer tastes.