A White Wall Life

I stressed a little bit about what to call this drink. I wasn’t sure if “cocktail” implied alcohol, but when I checked synonyms, the best alternative I got was “mélange,” and that didn’t seem quite right! This version is alcohol free, but if you check Amanda’s note, you can see how to change this up for those of you who aren’t teetotalers!

This is a super simple drink, but it has a high impact. It’s sweet, so we served it in champagne glasses. The colors went perfectly with the theme. The different densities of the ingredients create the beautiful ombré effect (my husband said gravity is the better word to use, but I’m sticking with 7th grade science class!). We served this at an evening party, but the grapefruit juice is so refreshing, it would also be perfect at a brunch.

The finishing touch on the drink was rimming the glasses with colored sugar. This is an easy trick that most people don’t think to do at home. All you need is some colored sugar from the baking aisle. You can color your own sugar, but the color and texture won’t be as vibrant. To rim the glasses, use a wet paper towel to go around the rim of the glass, have a few tablespoons of the sugar on a saucer, then place the rim of the glass on the saucer and make a few circular motions. Let the glass dry for a few minutes, and then you’re good to go.

OMBRÉ GRAPEFRUIT COCKTAIL

Ingredients:

• 2 c. grapefruit juice, chilled
• 1 can Sprite or 7Up, chilled
• 1/4 c. simple syrup
• grenadine
• ice

Instructions:

1. Add 1/2 c. grapefruit juice to each glass.
2. Add 2 Tbsp. simple syrup to each glass.
3. Top off each glass with the soda and drop a tsp of grenadine.
4. You can add a stir stick or straw, but don’t stir it until after it’s served or else it will no longer be ombré!