Mother’s Day is just around the corner and if your mom is anything like mine, there is nothing she’d enjoy more than a cocktail cruise around the harbor (complete with a radish-topped appetizer).
So indulge mom this weekend, and say thanks with a boat ride to her favorite spot.
With a little luck, we’ll have sunshine and warm weather. Bring just a few ingredients on board, and you’ll be able to craft these simple drinks and light bites for an unforgettable Mother’s Day!
Rosa Rubino
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz Amaro Donna Rosa
- 0.75 oz Don Ciccio Prickly Pear
- Prosecco
- 1 Maraschino Cherry
- 1 sprig of thyme
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a wine glass with several cubes of ice. Stir quickly with a bar spoon. Serve immediately.
Menta Fresca Spritz
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz Amaro Don Ferne’
- 0.75 oz C3 Carciofo
- Prosecco
- Orange slice
- Two sprigs of fresh mint
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a wine glass with several cubes of ice. Stir quickly with a bar spoon. Serve immediately.
Drink recipes courtesy of Don Ciccio & Figli.
About Don Ciccio & Figli: Founded in 1883, the Amodeo family’s distillery enjoyed nearly a century of liqueur production on the Amalfi Coast. Today, the tradition lives on in Washington, D.C., where Francesco Amodeo produces spirits in small batches using traditional methods. Don Ciccio & Figli currently offers 13 nationally available products, including amari, aperitivi and cordials.
Radish & Feta Toasts
INGREDIENTS
- 1 bunch watercress, thick stems discarded
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Eight 1/2-inch-thick slices of peasant bread
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 8 to 10 radishes, thinly sliced
- 6 ounces feta cheese (preferably goat), crumbled
Heat a cast-iron grill pan.Brush the bread with 1/4 cup of the olive oil and grill over high heat, turning once, until toasted.
Top the toasts with the feta, radishes, and watercress.
Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.
TIP: Use any assortment of radishes for these toasts, like watermelon, pink beauty, cherry belle or d’Avignon. If you slice the radishes ahead of time, keep them in a bowl of ice water, which makes them extra cold and crispy.
Recipe adapted from Food and Wine.
Roasted Red Pepper & Garlic Puree Toasts
INGREDIENTS
- 5 red, orange or yellow bell peppers
- 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Four 3/4-inch-thick slices of rustic or sourdough boule (12 ounces), cut in half on the diagonal and toasted
- Finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. On a large rimmed baking sheet, brush the peppers and garlic all over with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt. Roast for about 30 minutes, until softened and browned in spots. Transfer the peppers and garlic to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let steam until cooled, about 30 minutes; peel the garlic.
Peel, stem and seed the peppers. In a food processor, combine the roasted peppers with the roasted garlic and puree until smooth. With the machine on, gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil until incorporated. Season the puree with salt. Spread the pepper puree on the toasts, garnish with parsley and serve.
Recipe adapted from Food and Wine.
