Tips for a Healthier Happy Hour

It’s February, so if you fit into the 99.9% of the population that over-indulged over the holidays then it is likely you are counting calories and scaling back on your alcohol intake this month. Truthfully, you don’t have to skip happy-hour to stick to your resolution for a healthier 2013.  There are plenty of tips and tricks for cocktailing without overloading on calories, here are a few of them:

Wine Drinkers:  Stick with White

As a general rule dry whites will have fewer calories than any other wines. Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc and Chablis are 3 whites that you can usually count on to be completely dry. If you like Champgane you are in luck, a 4oz glass is only 85 calories.

If you absolutely must have red wine, avoid wines that tend to have residual sugar like California Zinfandel and anything from South Eastern Australia. Try something from Tuscany or Bordeaux!

Beer Drinkers: Switch to Light

The best way to cut calories is simply to switch to light beer. Bud Light, Bud Light Lime and Coors Light are all great options available in most restaurants. Tip- Budweiser products are also gluten free! If you prefer something dark and wintery a can of Guinness is still under 150 calories.                                                    

Cocktail Drinkers: Skip the mixer

The juices, syrups and pop in cocktails account for a lot of the calories in these drinks. Skip the mixer and just order your favourite spirit with soda water. Infused vodkas are perfect because they are not sweetened, but infused with flavour. If you can’t part without some flavour try soda with a splash of cranberry juice. Gin and Tonic is also a  great low-calorie cocktail, with only 103 calories per drink.

Happy happy-hour to you!

Jessica.

Celebrate the Holidays with Champagne

Tis the season for bubbly! Sparkling wine has been a traditional celebratory drink since the 17th century when French kings began drinking it at royal-mass and coronations in Reims. News of the unique bubbly wine spread quickly and was immediately synonymous with luxury, power and celebration. Today many Sparkling wines are produced around the world and although none have the rich history and complex flavours of Champagne, you can still indulge over the holidays with a great bottle of Prosecco, Cava or a Champagne cocktail. Here are some sparkling drink ideas to celebrate the holidays:

Champagne

•Gosset Grande Reserve Champagne
•Lallier Grande Reserve Champagne
•Pol Roger Cuvee de Reserve Brut
•Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin
•Dom Perignon Andy Warhol Edition
•Vilmart

Sparkling Wine

• Johnny Q Sparkling
• Terre Prosecco Extra Dry
• Villa Teresa Organic Prosecco

Champagne Cocktails

French 75

1oz dry gin
½ oz of lemon juice
½ tsp of white sugar

Shake on ice and pour into a Champagne flute , top up with Sparkling wine.
Garnish with a lemon twist.

The Midnight Kiss

½ oz Chambord Liqueur
½ oz Vodka
½ oz Pineapple Juice
Shake on ice and pour into a Champagne flute, top up with Sparkling wine.
Garnish with a fresh raspberry.

The Classic

1 Sugar Cube
3 drops Angostura Bitter
4oz Sparkling Wine
Soak sugar cube in bitter and drop into Champagne flute. Top with Sparkling wine and garnish with a lemon twist.
Sparkled Ice
1oz Vidal or Riesling Icewine
½ oz Grand Marnier

Shake on ice and pour into Champagne flute. Top with Sparkling wine and garnish with orange twist.

What is Champagne?
 

Champagne starts out as a still wine. By inducing a second fermentation in the bottle, carbonation is achieved which creates a sparkling wine. Champagne is different than other sparkling wine because:
a. It is grown in the designated region of Champagne, France
b. It can only be made from 3 different grape varieties: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay
c. It is made in a method called “Methode Champenoise” which means it has acquired its bubbles from a second fermentation in the bottle AND has been aged in caves before being released.