grape delight

I had planned on posting one of the several peach dishes I made over the weekend, but instead, I must share this totally fab and oh-so-refreshing grape cooler. Remember these lovely grapes my dad brought me from the garden of a friend of his? Well, I put them to their highest and best possible use… a cocktail, of course!

Unfortunately the photo I took of the finished product does not do it justice and the reasons (or excuses, as they may be) are two-fold.  First, we have my dad over just about every Sunday for dinner and before we eat dinner, we always play cards.  Gin Rummy, Hearts, Pinochle, or Spades. We were in the middle of a close and intense game of Spades (which I eventually won, as usual) while I was trying to put together our cocktails between shuffles.  So I just snapped the picture and didn’t think enough about the outcome, that is the norm when you’re a very competitive person, you just want to get back in the game!  Secondly, it was unbearably hot yesterday! The A/C was working some serious, and expensive, overtime and we needed refreshments, and now!

And did this cocktail cooler do the trick! This is now officially my Summer 2011 Cocktail! Hope you agree and enjoy it.

Grape Cooler

2 pounds red and/or green seedless grapes, stemmed and washed
1 quart chilled white grape juice
1 tablespoon honey
3/4 cup chilled premium vodka
2 cups chilled club soda

Place 1 cup of the grapes in the freezer, for garnish.

Place the remaining grapes in a large bowl and “smash” them with your fingers. (it’s fun!)

Pour the smashed grapes into a large pitcher and stir in the grape juice and honey. Stir in the vodka and refrigerate until ready to serve.  Strain into tall glasses, that is half-filled with ice cubes, filling about 3/4 full with the grape cooler.  Top off with chilled club soda.

Drop and few frozen grapes into each glass and make spears with the remaining frozen grapes for garnish.  Stick spears in glasses and serve.

Makes 4

P.S.  This morning before I posted this, I sent the picture of the cocktail to Connor and asked him if he could Photoshop out the background for me. Then I put up the post and held a cooking class. After class, I opened my email, and here is what he so sweetly did for me –  the picture I should have taken… well kinda.