FOOD HOLIDAY: National Moscato Day Cocktail Recipes

May 9, 2013 at 6:25 am · Filed under Cocktails & Spirits, Food Holidays, Recipes, Wine

You can celebrate May 9th, National Moscato Day, with a glass of Moscato: the slightly sweet white wine pairs well wherever an Alsatian Gewürtztraminer or Riesling would be at home (see the food pairings below).

But for National Moscato Day, we present two cocktail recipes, courtesy of Gallo Family Vineyards, one of our favorite Moscato makers.

MOSCATO DAY CELEBRATION PUNCH

Serves 6-8 people.

Ingredients

6 ounces Moscato

2 ounces blanco (silver) Tequila

4 ounces grapefruit juice

2 ounces lemon juice

4 ounces strongly brewed chamomile tea

2 ounces agave nectar

4 ounces club soda

Garnish: grapefruit and lemon wheels

Ice

Try a Moscato-Tequila punch. Photo courtesy Gallo.

Preparation

1. COMBINE all ingredients in a punch bowl or large pitcher filled with ice.

2. GARNISH and serve.

A Gimlet made with Moscato instead of gin. Photo courtesy Gallo.

MOSCATO GIMLET

Ingredients Per Drink

3 ounces Moscato

1 ounce fresh lime juice

1/2 ounce agave nectar

Lime wedge or wheel

Preparation

1. COMBINE ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake and strain into a coupe glass.

2. GARNISH with lime wedge and serve.

ABOUT MOSCATO

Moscato is a lighter-style white wine, lower in alcohol (5%-8% ABV, about half the alcohol of other wines). It is popular with brunch, dessert or as an apéritif. It is grown around the world. The Italian bottlings, from Italy’s Piedmont region, are called Moscato d’Asti: named after the grape, Moscato, and the Italian town of Asti, the center of production. Asti Spumante is sparkling Moscato.

Straw-colored Moscato is known for its fruit (often peaches and tangerines, depending on region), its floral fragrance fragrance and its subtle sweetness.

PAIRING MOSCATO WITH FOOD

Don’t store Moscato: It’s meant to be drunk fresh and vibrant in the year it is vinified. Serve it with:

Antipasto and charcuterie plates

Asian foods, especially spicy cuisines such as Indian and Thai

Desserts, including apple desserts; biscotti and other cookies; fresh berries and fruit salad; fruit pies and cobblers including lemon meringue and Key lime pies; hazelnut desserts; loaf cakes and sponge cakes (delicious with lemon-poppy bread!)

Cheese, especially more pungent cheeses such as blues, Parmigiano-Reggiano washed rind cheeses; or with Brie and other double- and triple-crème cheeses

Shellfish, from the raw bar to grilled lobster, scallops, shrimp

SEE ALL THE AMERICAN FOOD HOLIDAYS.

Please follow and like us: