End of Summer Cocktails: The Luncheon Sangria

Hold on to the last days of summer with four art-inspired cocktails that we will share over the weekend! Crafted by two adult education students from Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School

COCKTAIL #3: The Luncheon Sangria by Tijana Gavrilovic

The Luncheon Sangria by Tijana Gavrilovic

FROM THE MIXOLOGIST
“The gathering of family and friends has been around since the beginning of humankind. Today, we give the name ‘brunch’ to the early afternoon get-togethers surrounding good food and drinks. In the state we are currently in, we are putting this age-old tradition on pause, but!, that doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy a great drink—The Sangria. It’s light and refreshing during a hot summer day, made in batches so everyone can enjoy it, and also incredibly easy to make. For me, both this art piece and the drink are all about community, socializing, and a carefree atmosphere, and I look forward to when we will be able to enjoy it again.”

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Luncheon of the Boating Party, 1880-81, Oil on canvas, 51 ¼ x 69 ¼ in., The Phillips Collection, Acquired 1923

INGREDIENTS

  •  1 bottle of dry white wine (Suggestions: Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc) (or dry rose wine-if using sweet Rose such as Moscato, omit sugar)
  • 1 cup white rum (Bacardi silver or similar)
  • Optional: 1 cup pineapple juice (optional) (or orange juice)
  • 2 cups lemon-lime soda (Sprite) (or ginger ale)
  • 16 oz. strawberries, sliced (or oranges)
  • 4 lemons, sliced (or limes)
  • 6 oz. raspberries, whole
  • Simple syrup* or sugar, to taste
  • Ice, for serving

DIRECTIONS

  1. Wash lemons and strawberries, pat dry, and thinly slice.
  2. In a large bowl or mason jar, combine all ingredients (except ice). Stir and chill for at least 3-4 hours to overnight (the longer it rests, the better).
  3. Serve in a wine glass, half filled with ice, and garnish with fruit!

**Make your own simple syrup. All you need is 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water. Mix them together in a small sauce pan and bring the mixture to boil. Then take it off the heat and let it cool.

ABOUT THE MIXOLOGIST
Born and raised in Serbia, Tijana Gavrilovic moved to Washington, DC, in 2015. She always dreamed of being a chef. In 2018/2019, she took a Culinary Arts class at Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School. Learning about flavor profiles and the ingredients that compliment/contrast each other highly influenced her bartending style.

End of Summer Cocktails: The Summer Shandy

Hold on to the last days of summer with four art-inspired cocktails that we will share over the weekend! Crafted by two adult education students from Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School

COCKTAIL #2: The Summer Shandy by Tijana Gavrilovic

The Summer Shandy by Tijana Gavrilovic

FROM THE MIXOLOGIST
“Summer means, in bar terms, refreshing, tangy and beachy drinks. It’s time for margaritas, sangrias, slushees—and shandy! Now, shandy does not have a good reputation. Traditionally, it consists of equal parts of beer and lemonade. Why would you water down a beer, someone might ask? Let’s break down this common misconception. Shandy, if executed well, can be your next to-go refresher during hot summer days. By adding bourbon and lemon juice (and these two love each other! Just think of Whiskey Sours) we’re adding another layer of flavor to create this beer cocktail. Black Sea looks like an upside down Summer Shandy. Bourbon represents the waves. The sand is beer with the nice froth on top. The richness of the bourbon and tanginess of the lemon juice will go great with the citrusy notes of wheat beer (which are commonly brewed with oranges). It’s simple, it makes quite an impression, and you keep coming for more. ”

Milton Avery, ​Black Sea​, 1959, Oil on canvas, 50 x 68 in., The Phillips Collection, Acquired 1965

INGREDIENTS

  • Wheat Beer (Blue Moon or Shock Top Belgain White; light beers will work as well)
  • 1/2 oz St. Germain elderflower liqueur
  • 3 blackberries, plus more for garnish
  • 1 peach
  • Fresh mint (or sage—both add great aroma, mint make it more fresh and sage make it more sweet)
  • 1/4 Lemon
  • 1/4 oz Simple syrup (or agave syrup)
  • Club soda (or Sprite for a sweeter drink)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Fill up a tall glass with ice.
  2. In a shaker, add bourbon, simple syrup, and lemon juice.
  3. Add ice to the shaker and shake vigorously for 5-10 seconds.
  4. Strain the bourbon mix into the glass.
  5. Top with the beer of your choice.
  6. Garnish with a lemon wedge/wheel.

* To make this into a mocktail, use non-alcoholic beer or ginger beer
**Make your own simple syrup. All you need is 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water. Mix them together in a small sauce pan and bring the mixture to boil. Then take it off the heat and let it cool.

ABOUT THE MIXOLOGIST
Born and raised in Serbia, Tijana Gavrilovic moved to Washington, DC, in 2015. She always dreamed of being a chef. In 2018/2019, she took a Culinary Arts class at Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School. Learning about flavor profiles and the ingredients that compliment/contrast each other highly influenced her bartending style.

End of Summer Cocktails: The Peach and Blackberry Smash

Hold on to the last days of summer with four art-inspired cocktails that we will share over the weekend! Crafted by two adult education students from Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School

COCKTAIL #1: The Peach and Blackberry Smash Cocktail by Tijana Gavrilovic

The Peach and Blackberry Smash Cocktail by Tijana Gavrilovic

FROM THE MIXOLOGIST
“Nothing inspires me more than fresh, high quality ingredients. The artist has a clear vision—we focus on these ripe fruits and the softness of the shadow makes it easy to place it in space. It’s simple and effective, you can almost smell and feel it just by looking at it. Crafting a cocktail or a dish is a delicate dance, where you have to find the perfect balance of flavors, spices, aromas, AND the way you present it. I was trying to accentuate the freshness of the fruit and keep everything else ‘in the shadow,’ but in a way that it compliments the final product.”

Sharon Core, Peaches and Blackberries, 2008, Chromogenic print, 13 ½ x 17 ½ x 1 ¾ in, The Phillips Collection, Gift of the Heather and Tony Podesta Collection, 2015

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 1/2 oz Peach vodka (or regular vodka)
  • 1/2 oz St. Germain elderflower liqueur
  • 3 blackberries, plus more for garnish
  • 1 peach
  • Fresh mint (or sage—both add great aroma, mint makes it more fresh and sage makes it more sweet)
  • 1/4 lemon
  • 1/4 oz simple syrup (or agave syrup)
  • Club soda (or Sprite for a sweeter drink)

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a glass, muddle lemon, 3 blackberries and ½ of a fresh peach.
  2. Add ice to the glass, all the way to the top.
  3. Pour Peach vodka, St Germain liqueur, simple syrup in the glass with muddled fruit and ice.
  4. Take 3-4 leaves of fresh mint and give it a ‘slap’ to release the aromatic oils. Add it to the glass.
  5. Give it a stir. Top with soda, and garnish with a mint sprig, peaches, and whole blackberries.

* To make this into a mocktail, omit vodka and St. Germaine, and add more soda instead.
**If you want your drink to REALLY pack a punch, top it with bubbly wine of your choice!
***Make your own simple syrup. All you need is 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water. Mix them together in a small sauce pan and bring the mixture to boil. Then take it off the heat and let it cool.

ABOUT THE MIXOLOGIST
Born and raised in Serbia, Tijana Gavrilovic moved to Washington, DC, in 2015. She always dreamed of being a chef. In 2018/2019, she took a Culinary Arts class at Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School. Learning about flavor profiles and the ingredients that compliment/contrast each other highly influenced her bartending style.