I love Cointreau's campaign "Be Cointreauversial" starring Dita Von Teese. Everything about her is cointreauversial: her personality, her provocative grace, her style--a controlled combination of elegance and daring sensuality. Take note and step into the New Year with dazzling festive drinks that will set the stage for your intimate party for two. Be creative, sexy, seductive, and by all means, be like Dita!

Dazzle and delight your lover with the Cointreau's elegant B52, or try the funky Cotton Candy Vida. If you prefer the more traditional holiday libation, you will both find yourself licking your lips, or each others, when imbibing on the wonderful World Bar Egg Nog.

If hot is more your style, the Inverno is a contemporary adaptation of the traditional Quentao, a Brazilian variation of the hot toddy that is served when the winter months begin in June. This drink is perfect for cuddling by the fireside with someone special and dreaming of warmer days, or better yet...igniting hot flames of passion together.

Or, you can stay simple yet sparkling with PAMA and champagne, or the Cointrea Rose, a refreshing sparkler created by master mixologist Dale DeGroff. This was the official drink poured at this year's Chefs & Champagne party celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the James Beard Foundation so you know it will meet your high standards of culinary excellence.

The drinks above are Cotton Candy Vida, a Magarita, and Cointreau's stylish B52.  And the featured drink here is the Gourmet Vida.There are a few more listed below. Cheers to you and yours and have a seductively HOT holiday. Happy New Year!

Gourmet Vida

2 oz VIDA Blanco-Guajillo-Cinnamon-Thyme Infusion
1 oz Torrontes syrup
1 lime squeezed
1/2 oz passion fruit

Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled and salted-cinnamon-sugar rimmed martini glass. Float a sprig of fresh thyme on top.

Preparation:
Infuse 1 bottle of VIDA Blanco with 1 dried-seeded-chopped guajillo chike, 7 sprigs of fresh thyme and 3 rough-chopped cinnamon sticks. Let sit for 3 days. Strain.

On a low flame, reduce 2 bottles of Torrontes (aromatic Argentinian wine) to 1 bottle. Add equivilent of 1/2 bottle of white sugar and reduce by 1/2 again. Cool/refrigerate.

Make a mixture to rim the glasses with 2 parts superfine sugar, 1 part cinnamon powder, 1 part kosher salt.

 
Caress

2 1/2 oz of Cointreau
2 1/2 oz of Irish cream liqueur

Pour the ingredients into a tumbler glass.
Top with grated dark chocolate sprinkled over the top.

Cotton Candy VIDA  

1 oz Blanco VIDA
1 tablespoon Cotton Candy Floss Sugar Mix

Mix Vida and cotton Candy Sugar Mix. Pour in a martini glass. Fill the rest of the glass with Sprite or Fresca

Inverno

1 1/2 oz Sagatiba Pura
1 oz blackberry
1 1/2 oz apple juice
a finger of fresh ginger
1 tablespoon of honey
2 cloves
dash of ground cinnamon

Simmer all ingredients in a saucepan on a low heat, stirring occasionally. Strain into an Irish coffee glass. Garnish with a cinnamon stick

PAMAtini

Just when you think you've tried every martini there is, comes the very delicious PAMA Martini. Serve this with your favorite appetizers before indulging in your main course Seduction Meal.

1 1/2 oz. PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur
1 1/2 oz. Premium Vodka
1/4 oz. Orange Flavored Liqueur

Combine all ingredients into a mixing glass. Add ice and shake vigorously.
Strain into a martini glass.

Margarita

1 oz Cointreau
2 oz tequila
.5 oz lime juice

Shake and strain into a salt rimmed margarita glass and garnish with a slice of lime.

Cointreau Rose

Cocktail created by Dale DeGroff. Yield: 2 servings

2 ounces Cointreau
50 mls freshly squeezed blood orange juice
Piper Heidsieck Brut Rosé Sauvage Champagne
Orange peel

Combine Cointreau and blood orange juice in a bar glass with ice and stir to chill. Strain into a chilled flute and fill with Champagne. Garnish with spiral of orange peel.

Cointreaupolitan

2 1/2 oz of Cointreau
1 1/2 oz of cranberry juice
1 oz of lemon juice

Shake and strain with ice into a chilled martini glass.