Vanilla Wine Spritzer

What is a Liqueur?
Schnapps are dry, strong alcoholic drinks based on spirits (schnapps) such as vodka which are distilled from fermented cereals and roots or fruits. Liqueurs are sweet alcoholic drinks which are flavoured with a variety of different ingredients and come in a variety of different colors and included in other drinks such as the Vanilla Wine Spritzer. The Alcoholic content of liqueurs is not generally a distinctive feature of these speciality drinks. Most liqueurs have a lower alcohol content than spirits between 15% - 30% although some have a much higher alcohol content up to 55%. The name 'liqueur' derives from the Latin word 'liquifacere' which means to melt or dissolve - the flavorings used to make liqueurs, such as contained in the Vanilla Wine Spritzer, are dissolved. A Liqueur drink might be flavored from a variety of flavors from fruits, herbs, spices, flowers, seeds, nuts, roots, plants, barks, eggs and cream. For interesting facts & information and additional drink recipes containing this famous liqueur please click the following link:

Schnapps

How to serve the Vanilla Wine Spritzer
Liqueurs are made in nearly every country of the world and come in a variety of different flavors and colors. This makes every liqueur drink, such as the Vanilla Wine Spritzer, an extremely versatile drink. The Vanilla Wine Spritzer can be served:

• Straight up - Perfect as after dinner drinks and usually served at room temperature
• On the rocks - If a cold drink is preferred liqueurs can be chilled and served over ice cubes or mixed with crushed ice
• Served with coffee
• Liqueurs, such as the Vanilla Wine Spritzer, can be mixed with cream or other mixers to create some really good and extremely colorful liqueur cocktails

Rainbow Liqueur Drinks - Floating Liqueurs
Ever wondered how bartenders create those unusual rainbow effects when making cocktails? They use a method called 'Floating liqueurs' which is achieved by 'floating' a measure of liqueur in a glass by pouring it slowly over an inverted spoon or down a glass rod on top of previous layers. This creates a rainbow effect in a glass when using different colored liqueurs or cordials. Liqueurs are sometimes referred to as Cordials, which causes some confusion. In America a cordial mean a sweet, syrup like alcoholic beverage. However, in the UK a cordial means a non-alcoholic, sweet, syrupy drink!

How to create the best special effects making Vanilla Wine Spritzer
The following hints and tips will give you some ideas how to make the best special cocktail effects with the Vanilla Wine Spritzer :

• Serve your classic Vanilla Wine Spritzer in unusually shaped glasses. Give your glasses a frosted edge by dipping the rim into Lemon juice and then dipping it into sugar. Simple but effective!
• The presentation of your classic Vanilla Wine Spritzer is all important! Add colorful decorations - drink umbrellas, swizzle sticks , paper flowers, straws and even sparklers! These decorations are all cheap and easy to obtain from your local grocery store
• Add some straws - colored straws are great - just cut them up for small glasses!
• Use cocktail sticks or toothpicks to twist or skewer fruits
• Use slices of fruit to decorate and add a twist to your classic Vanilla Wine Spritzer
• Add crushed ice - To make crushed ice just place your ice cubes in a plastic bag and crush the ice with a heavy object

Quantities and Proportions
Quantities of ingredients tend to cause confusion - no problem, just use the correct proportions of each ingredient to create the best authentic & original Vanilla Wine Spritzer ! You can use a thimble, cup or even a pitcher ( if you are making this recipe for a group or a crowd ) when you make a cocktail! The following simple guidelines will also help with the different quantities referred to in other cocktail recipes:

• 1 oz (ounce) equals 2 tbsp (tablespoons) or 3cl (centilitres)
• 30ml equals 1 oz
• 1 shot equals 3 tbsp (tablespoons) or 1½ oz (ounces) or 45 ml (millilitres)
• 1 cup equals 8 oz (ounces) or 24 cl (centilitres) or 240 ml (millilitres)

Exercise your bartending skills, become the bartender of your own personal bar which serves
a great Vanilla Wine Spritzer!