Ina Garten's Cocktail Serving Tip Couldn't Be Easier
Your arsenal of go-to dinners — and drinks — is about to expand with the help of celebrity chef Ina Garten's latest cookbook, "Go-To Dinners." According to The Barefoot Contessa, the cookbook was published in October and consists of all kinds of recipes that aim to make cooking easier and more stress-free.
Each of the book's meals are tried-and-true for simplified cooking, though Garten took to Instagram to highlight a few of her favorite concoctions. In a July post on Instagram, Garten singled out her recipe for Pomegranate Spritzers. She categorized these warm-weather cocktails as drinks that require no cooking and allow any home cook — or, in this case, any mixologist — to treat themselves without turning on the stove.
"So refreshing without any alcohol," Garten wrote of the recipe, which doesn't require a boozy twist. "[But] if you're like [me]," she continued, "a little vodka makes them even better!!"
While you can surely experiment with your preferred form of alcohol, the key to perfecting Garten's spritzers is just as simple as the recipe itself. To pull off the ultimate cocktail, open your freezer. Mixing up a Barefoot Contessa-worthy drink is all about chilling out.
Keep your glass cold to keep your cocktails ready-to-drink
To keep your cocktail at the perfect temperature, chill your glass ahead of time. Garten recommends this simple but effective strategy in her recipe for her Pomegranate Spritzer, which has been posted on her Barefoot Contessa website.
The recipe calls for 2 cups of chilled sparkling water, 2 tablespoons of pomegranate juice, and 2 tablespoons of lime juice. While the ingredients are simple enough, make sure you're maximizing their taste by controlling their temperature; The first step of Garten's recipe asks home bartenders to leave their martini glasses in the freezer for a minimum of 30 minutes. After this time, the cocktails are ready to be poured — and sipped.
This strategy is certain to yield an ice-cold drink and guaranteed to refresh even the thirstiest of guests. Chilling your cocktail glass ahead of time can even replace ice as a temperature-regulator, resulting in stronger cocktails that aren't diluted with water. For your next dinner party, pair your spritzer alongside Garten's other recipes, like her quick and easy Lemon Capellini.
Once you chill your glass, you'll be able to raise it — and toast to any and all occasions.