March Madness is at the ½ way point and brackets are quickly deteriorating, for this you will need to find something festive to serve at your next party.  Now that 68 teams have been drilled down to the Sweet Sixteen let’s put together a couple of libations for the next gathering.  I’m thinking Sweet Sixteen cocktails.

The term Sweet Sixteen started being used by CBS commentators in the late 1980s after the number of teams went from 53 to 64 and then 68 in the 1990s.  Just as the term “March Madness” was controversial as to who had the rights to use the phrase, so is the term “Sweet Sixteen”.  “March Madness” was originally coined by Henry Porter in 1933 and later used by CBS in the early 1980s.  As with “March Madness”, “Sweet Sixteen” was trademarked by another high school, the Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) in 1988 as the title of their annual championship games.  Instead of litigating with the NCAA, they both came to an agreement that they would both split control of the usage of the term “Sweet Sixteen”. The KHSAA would use the term for high school tournaments and the NCAA would use the term for the college tournament.

For those of you that don’t have the perfect bracket (not many do), let’s try an add some cheer and joyfulness to the Sweet Sixteen festivities.  Mixologists have concocted many elixirs to celebrate this basketball season with cocktails as,  A Good Old-fashioned Blowout, or the Busted Bracket Bloody Mary that include the tears of a fan, anxiety, or loser’s foam finger!

Two cocktails that I have chosen carry their name sake Sweet Sixteen.  We have the Sweet Sixteen Cocktail and the Sweet Sixteen Beerita Cocktail.  The first cocktail is sweet and more of a “girly-girl” drink, while the second cocktail can be enjoyed by both men and women.  Both of these cocktails can be made shaken, stirred or blended until frothy. Whichever recipe you choose, the Vitamix Explorian E310 Blender can help in creating the perfect libation.  The Vitamix Explorian is NOW ON SALE FOR A LIMITED TIME at UNDER $400!!

These Sweet Sixteen Cocktails are quick and easy, and are quite the zingers if you indulge in too many.

 Sweet Sixteen Cocktail Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 oz. White rum (one shot glass)
• 2 oz. Prosecco
• Splash of orange juice
• Dash of Vermouth (optional)
• Peach liqueur (pour to taste)
• Peach slices (frozen or fresh)

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients into your Vitamix Blender with ice
• Set speed to Variable One and blend until frothy.
• Serve in a champagne glass.
• Garnish with peach slices (frozen or fresh)

Two staples at March Madness parties are beer and margaritas.  What makes it better? A Beerita! The combination of beer mixed into a margarita, is quite bold and tasty.

 Sweet Sixteen Beerita Cocktail Recipe:

 Ingredients:

• 3 limes (one for rimming/garnish and two for juicing)
• 2 teaspoons margarita salt for rim of glass
• 4 oz. Reposado tequila
• 2 oz. simple syrup
• 12 oz. lager beer

Instructions:

1. Cut 1 lime in half around the middle, width-wise. Cut into quarters.
2. Pour salt onto a plate. Rim the outer edge of the two glasses with a lime wedge. Dip the rim of the glass into the salt and twist to cover the rim evenly. Fill each glass with ice.
3. Fill shaker with ice.
4. Squeeze the remaining 2 limes and pour into cocktail shaker.
5. Add tequila and simple syrup to lime juice. Shake to mix. Divide into two glasses.
6. Top each glass with 6 ounces of beer.
7. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Variation:

For a frozen version, combine 2 cups ice with tequila, simple syrup, lime juice and beer into a Vitamix blender. Blend, and pour into salt-rimmed glasses. Enjoy!

Cheers!

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