Drinks

I’ve always loved Valentine’s Day {after all, who can dislike celebrating a day that is dedicated towards love?} and it has always been my favorite holiday. As a child, I adored the simple cards and candy we’d share with our friends each year, and as I have gotten older, I enjoy doing the same thing, just with a more grown-up version: handwritten cards + baked treats and pretty drinks. This year my essentials/necessities for romantic evening consist of colorful chocolate covered strawberries and pink-colored champagne cocktails. They are a simple, decadent way to enjoy the day, whether you’re celebrating this year with your significant other, your girl friends, or simply treating yourself {which I hope you always do}. After all, February 14th is my yearly reminder to celebrate love and all things pink. And what better way to do so than with chocolate covered strawberries + sprinkles and a rosewater raspberry champagne cocktail {with or without the booze, of course}? It makes for the prettiest, pinkest, and most perfect way to celebrate love today and everyday. x

Chocolate Covered Strawberries Dipped In Sprinkles

There’s nothing quite as romantic as chocolate covered strawberries, so I decided to spice up the treat by dipping the milk & white chocolate covered berries into sprinkles, nonpareils, pink sugar, and holiday-themed hearts. It made the dessert feel just a bit more special and added a candied crunch.

To make the chocolate covered strawberries, use a double boiler to melt the chocolate. Then dip the freshly washed strawberries in the melted chocolate. Immediately dip the chocolate covered strawberry into the topping of choice, and then refrigerate until the chocolate hardens.

Rosewater Raspberry Champagne Cocktail

You can’t ever go wrong with a good glass of wine, but this year I am craving something a little more decadent. I decided to try adding a touch of sweetness and sourness to the champagne cocktail by adding some rosewater essence, muddling fresh raspberries, and then finishing of the drink in a champagne flute for the prettiest presentation. The crisp taste of the bubbly juxtaposed with the tartness and spice of the flavorings from the rosewater and raspberries brought this classic drink to a whole new dimension. The best part is that you can easily make this a virgin cocktail by subbing non-alcoholic champagne for the boozy bubbly.

Recipe: {For Two}
Champagne
Five to six raspberries
Two drops rosewater essence

How to Make it:
1. Muddle two to three strawberries in the champagne flute {a spoon works well in this situation}.
2. Pour about half a glass of champagne
3. Add in half a drop to a drop of rosewater essence {a little goes a very long way}.
4. Fill the champagne flute completely, and add a raspberry as a finishing garnish.
5. Repeat for the second glass.
6. Enjoy!

I hope you all have a very Happy Valentine’s Day!

x Paris

It always feels a little disappointing a few days into January, once the holidays have officially ended, festive lights and pretty ornaments have been packed away for the next eleven months, and even the excitement of the new year has begun to fade away and the year has simply turned into this year. To find a way of keeping the month feeling fresh and special, I always try to either travel someplace new or entertain at home. This year I decided to kick off January with a girls night paired with cocktails and crème brûlée. This was one of my favorite traditions in college – enjoying rosewater cardamom crème brûlée and girly cocktails at the local lounge, for a ridiculously fun and very feminine night out.

To recreate this, I purchased crème brûlée from our local bakery and chose to make the ultimate, girly drink – a cosmopolitan – using this recipe {except I’d suggest half the amount of booze and double the cranberry juice since this was a rather potent drink, or with no booze at all like I had it.} The tartness of the drink paired perfectly with the rich dessert, and catching up on our favorite TV shows, as well as one another, made the evening feel that much more special.