Che Belle Cose, or 'what beautiful things' in Italian, is a blog primarily of photos and quotations of things that I find inspiring and beautiful.

**Please be aware that I do not claim any of these images as my own, unless otherwise noted.

6th May 2011

Photo with 5 notes

Happy Kentucky Derby Weekend! In honor of the Derby, this week’s CheBelleCose Cocktail is named after my favorite part of the races- the hats! So sit back, relax and while you watch the races, enjoy a Floppy Hat!
- 2 ounces of Firefly Sweet Tea vodka
- 1 ounce of lemon juice
- 4-6 muddled raspberries,
- splash of sparkling wine
Muddle rasberries in the bottom of a chilled champagne flute. Add 1 oz lemon juice and 2 oz of sweet tea vodka. Stir.
Top with sparkling wine.
Enjoy!

Happy Kentucky Derby Weekend! In honor of the Derby, this week’s CheBelleCose Cocktail is named after my favorite part of the races- the hats! So sit back, relax and while you watch the races, enjoy a Floppy Hat!

- 2 ounces of Firefly Sweet Tea vodka

- 1 ounce of lemon juice

- 4-6 muddled raspberries,

- splash of sparkling wine

Muddle rasberries in the bottom of a chilled champagne flute. Add 1 oz lemon juice and 2 oz of sweet tea vodka. Stir.

Top with sparkling wine.

Enjoy!

Tagged: hatsfascinatorskentucky derbycocktaildrinkalcoholsweet tea vodkalemon juicerasberriessparkling winehorse racefashion

29th April 2011

Photo with 1 note

To round out the day of (unexpected) Royal Wedding posts, I’ve decided to make this week’s CheBelleCose cocktail a supposed favorite of the royal couple! So sit back, oggle over the images that will undoubtedly play over and over-and over again this weekend, and enjoy a Royal Passion (formerly the less glamorous ‘Crack Baby.) 
1 part Vodka
1 part Passion Fruit Puree
Splash of Champagne

Muddle puree and vodka together and pour into a champagne flute. Top with a champagne floater!
Cheers!

To round out the day of (unexpected) Royal Wedding posts, I’ve decided to make this week’s CheBelleCose cocktail a supposed favorite of the royal couple! So sit back, oggle over the images that will undoubtedly play over and over-and over again this weekend, and enjoy a Royal Passion (formerly the less glamorous ‘Crack Baby.) 

1 part Vodka

1 part Passion Fruit Puree

Splash of Champagne

Muddle puree and vodka together and pour into a champagne flute. Top with a champagne floater!

Cheers!

Tagged: royal weddingdrinkcocktailalcoholprince williamkate middletoncelebration

22nd April 2011

Photo with 2 notes

Happy Good Friday, everyone! This week’s Che Belle Cose cocktail is a nod to Easter and all things Spring- here’s hoping you enjoy a delicious cocktail this weekend while surrounded by family and friends!
Pear Lemon Fizz
1 oz Pear Vodka
1 oz Lemon Verbena Simple Syrup ( 2:2:1 sugar:water:lemon verbena leaves)
1 oz fresh lemon juice
Champagne, for topping off (~1/2 cup)
1 fresh Lemon Verbena leaf, for topping
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add vodka, syrup, and lemon juice. Shake, and then strain into a glass. Top off with Champagne. Garnish with lemon verbena.

Happy Good Friday, everyone! This week’s Che Belle Cose cocktail is a nod to Easter and all things Spring- here’s hoping you enjoy a delicious cocktail this weekend while surrounded by family and friends!

Pear Lemon Fizz

1 oz Pear Vodka

1 oz Lemon Verbena Simple Syrup ( 2:2:1 sugar:water:lemon verbena leaves)

1 oz fresh lemon juice

Champagne, for topping off (~1/2 cup)

1 fresh Lemon Verbena leaf, for topping

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add vodka, syrup, and lemon juice. Shake, and then strain into a glass. Top off with Champagne. Garnish with lemon verbena.

Tagged: eastergood fridaycocktailalcoholdrinkspringlemonvodkapearchampagnecelebration

25th March 2011

Photo

There’s nothing more festive than champagne, and to celebrate our engagement, I’ve chosen a deliciously decadent champagne drink for this week’s Che Belle Cose Cocktail.
“Simply the Best” Strawberry Champagne Cocktail
1/2 cup fresh strawberries1/4 tsp vanilla extract1/4 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice1 tsp sugarchampagne or sparkling wineWash and hull the strawberries. Put all the strawberries, except one, in a blender. Add vanilla, lemon juice, and sugar, and puree. Pour into a champagne flute half-way (more or less to taste). Top with champagne or sparkling wine, and stir gently. Slide the remaining strawberry onto edge of the glass. Cheers!

There’s nothing more festive than champagne, and to celebrate our engagement, I’ve chosen a deliciously decadent champagne drink for this week’s Che Belle Cose Cocktail.

“Simply the Best” Strawberry Champagne Cocktail

1/2 cup fresh strawberries
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp sugar
champagne or sparkling wine

Wash and hull the strawberries. Put all the strawberries, except one, in a blender. Add vanilla, lemon juice, and sugar, and puree. Pour into a champagne flute half-way (more or less to taste). Top with champagne or sparkling wine, and stir gently. Slide the remaining strawberry onto edge of the glass. Cheers!

Tagged: cocktaildrinkalcoholchampagnestrawberrycheersengagement

11th March 2011

Photo

Happy Friday, everyone! And this week’s Che Belle Cose cocktail hails from the mixologists at Boqueria in New York, or at least, the closest interpretation I could come up with to their delicious fall cocktail. The mixologists at this tapas restaurant create a new sangria every week- from apple to lavender to honey to chile, these drinks are certainly out of the box. Here is my interpretation of their not-too-sweet fall pumpkin ale sangria: 
6 oz pumpkin ale
2 oz lemon juice
2 oz brandy
2 oz triple sec
fall fruits
Mix lemon juice, brandy, triple sec and fruits (apples, lemon slices etc.) together. Slowly add in pumpkin ale, so as to not flatten the beer. Pour over a glass of ice. 

Happy Friday, everyone! And this week’s Che Belle Cose cocktail hails from the mixologists at Boqueria in New York, or at least, the closest interpretation I could come up with to their delicious fall cocktail. The mixologists at this tapas restaurant create a new sangria every week- from apple to lavender to honey to chile, these drinks are certainly out of the box. Here is my interpretation of their not-too-sweet fall pumpkin ale sangria: 

6 oz pumpkin ale

2 oz lemon juice

2 oz brandy

2 oz triple sec

fall fruits

Mix lemon juice, brandy, triple sec and fruits (apples, lemon slices etc.) together. Slowly add in pumpkin ale, so as to not flatten the beer. Pour over a glass of ice. 

Tagged: sangriapumpkinappledrinkcocktailbrandylemon juicetriple secboqueriatapasalcoholmixology

26th February 2011

Photo with 21 notes

Cocktail of the Week: Paloma Blanca
After a long work week in Vegas, it was time for a weekend of fun! Diablo Cantina’s a kitchy little bar on the street outside the Monte Carlo, and this was the perfect drink to kick off the weekend. 
2 oz. 901 Silver Tequila
2 oz. Grapefruit Juice
1/2 oz. Lime Juice
2 oz. Club Soda

Serve over ice in a highball glass, and garnish with lime.

Cocktail of the Week: Paloma Blanca

After a long work week in Vegas, it was time for a weekend of fun! Diablo Cantina’s a kitchy little bar on the street outside the Monte Carlo, and this was the perfect drink to kick off the weekend. 

2 oz. 901 Silver Tequila

2 oz. Grapefruit Juice

1/2 oz. Lime Juice

2 oz. Club Soda

Serve over ice in a highball glass, and garnish with lime.

Tagged: diablo cantinacocktaildrinktequilagrapefruitlas vegas