Sneak Peek: 4 Orange Vodka Fall & Winter Cocktail Recipes

Happy Holidays from Gab!

OK, we're aware that we're smack-dab in the middle of August. But when you're in the PR industry, you always have to think ahead. That's why, yesterday, Gab was on-hand at a 4 Orange Vodka photoshoot at The Omphoy Ocean Resort capturing the signature cocktails for the Fall & Holiday Season. It's never too early for a little holiday 'spirit,' right?

Check out the below recipes, created by Joshua Liberman, Omphoy Property Sommelier and Mixologist, and Ray Foley, Founder of Bartender Magazine. Shot by Alissa Dragun of South Moon Photography.

Palm Beach Cosmopolitan

1.5 oz. 4 Orange Vodka

1 oz. Cointreau.5 oz. Lime Juice

2 oz. White Cranberry

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Pour liquid ingredients into a mixing glass with ice

Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass

Garnish with burnt orange

4 Florida Girls
1.5 oz. 4 Orange Vodka infused into cantaloupe, honey dew and cucumber
.5 oz. Simple Syrup
.5 oz. Lime Juice
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Pour liquid ingredients into mixing glass with ice

Shake and strain into a champagne flute

Top with sparkling wine

Florida Heat
1.5 oz. 4 Orange Vodka
.5 oz. Chile Simple Syrup
.5 oz. Lime Juice
1.5 oz. Ginger Beer
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Pour liquid ingredients into a mixing glass with ice
Shake and strain into a rimmed glass with sea salt
Top with ginger beer
Garnish with lime wedge

Florida Sunset

1.25 oz. 4 Orange Vodka

.5 oz Peach Schnapps

3 oz Orange Juice

Splash Grenadine

Orange Slice

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Build Vodka, Schnapps and OJ in a rocks glass over ice

Top with a splash of Grenadine

Garnish with an Orange Slice

Blood Orange Bubbly

.75 oz 4 Orange Vodka

2 oz Blood Orange Juice

.5 oz Marie Brizard Orange Liqueur

.5 oz Sparkling Wine

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Shake Vodka, Juice and Liqueur in a shaker with ice

Strain into a champagne flute

Top with Sparkling Wine

4 Orange Dreamsicle

2 parts 4 Orange Vodka

4 parts Orange Juice

1 part Vanilla Rum

1 part Coco Lopez

Orange Slice garnish

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Combine ingredients in a blender with ice

Pour into a hurricane glass and garnish with an Orange Slice

Key West Sunset
2 parts 4 Orange Vodka

1 parts Peach Schnapps

2 parts Orange Juice

Splash Grenadine Syrup

Orange Slice garnish

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Combine 4 Orange Vodka, Schnapps and Orange Juice in a shaker with ice. Pour into highball glass and add splash Grenadine

Garnish with an Orange Slice

Blue Sky

1.25 oz 4 Orange Premium Vodka

.5 oz Marie Brizard Blue Curacao Liqueur

2 oz Orange Juice

2 oz Lemon Lime Soda

Orange Slice
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Combine Vodka, Curacao and Orange Juice in a shaker with ice
Pour into a double rocks glass and top off with Lemon Lime Soda
Garnish with an Orange Slice


Grove Holiday
.5 oz 4 Orange Vodka
.5 oz Sobieski Vanilia Vodka
.25 oz Marie Brizard Orange Liqueur
.25 oz Marie Brizard Parfait Amour
1 splash lime juice
Orange Peel
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Pour liquid ingredients into a mixing glass with ice
Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass
Garnish with an Orange Peel

Sugar Plum Martini
1.25 oz 4 Orange Vodka
1 oz Sweet and Sour Mix
.5 oz Marie Brizard Raspberry Liqueur
Sugar
Orange Twist
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Rim a cocktail glass with sugar
Shake liquid ingredients with ice and strain into glass
Garnish with an Orange Twist

First Annual 4 Orange Classic Cocktail Competition at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival

The promo models for 4 Orange Premium Vodka stood ready as the crowds came rushing into the South Beach Wine & Food Festival on Friday, Feb. 25. The girls lured the masses into the Kitchen Aid tent by passing out tasty samplings of the classic Screwdriver, 4 Orange Mojito and the Miami Mojito (a personal favorite), and handing out totes full of chapsticks, candies, and the 4 Orange Wayfarer-style sunglasses that were nearly impossible to keep stocked. More than 3,500 tastings (more than 1,000 an hour!) were served, giving guests a fresh-from-the-grove taste of the world’s first vodka made from Florida oranges.

Max Solano with his winning cocktail, the "South Beach Sling"

Food and wine enthusiasts were greeted by a set-up that looked straight out of a Food Network show, with vintage wooden orange crates, fresh oranges, glass carafes, and orange trees that evoked the classic simplicity of Old Florida and prompted festival founder Lee Schrager to tweet “Great stage.” 4 Orange Vodka was the proud Silver Sponsor of the Festival. They also participated in the Wine Spectator Trade Tasting and the Whole Foods Market Grand Tasting Village.



Then the 4 Orange Premium Vodka First Annual Classic Cocktail Competition began. After months of prep, the top 10 mixologists and bartenders from across the country prepared their original 4 Orange Vodka cocktail to be sampled and judged by an expert panel. Las Vegas’s Max Solano trumped the competition, winning a $3,000 cash prize, trophy and the coveted title of U.S. Champion 2011.

A fan of vintage cocktails (who isn’t?), Max used the basis of an old-school Sling for his version: the “South Beach Sling.” He used four different orange flavors in his recipe, which took five days to develop and used sparkling wine in place of club soda. Solano traveled to the competition from Las Vegas, Nevada, the mecca of the food and beverage industry, as the Mixologist and Beverage Director for two of Chef Emeril Lagasse’s restaurants, Delmonico Steakhouse at the Venetian Hotel and Table 10 at the Palazzo Hotel.

Ashley Carter, New York, and 3rd Place winner, Paul Sevigny, Miami 

Victoria D’Amato-Moran placed second with her “Julius Temple,” a spin on the vintage 1920s Orange Julius dessert made with oranges, vanilla and cream. Taking third was Miami local Paul Sevigny, who has been setting the standard for Miami’s cocktail scene at The Florida Room in the Delano. Sevigny poured his “Purple Haze” in a mason jar for a rustic feel, adding ice crushed with a meat cleaver for an old-school touch. He finished the cocktail with a thyme garnish, sun-dried fig and a steel straw.

After a whirlwind day, Gab and 4 Orange pulled off a successful competition. The three winners were not the only ones to walk away with cash, though - 4 Orange donated a generous $3,000 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida. Now that the hype is over, it’s time to relax… But not for long. Mixologists and bartenders, get your recipes down and you shakers ready for next year’s 2nd Annual Classic Cocktail Competition! For more information, visit http://www.4orangevodka.com/.

Tony Johnson, Minneapolis

Dustin Haarstad, San Diego

Andres Sanchez, Philadelphia

Joshua Smith, Denver



Max Solano from Las Vegas walks away with 1st Place prize of $3,000



Victoria D'Amato-Moran, San Franciso, wins 2nd with her cocktail "Julius Temple."



Paul Sevigny, Miami, wins 3rd with his cocktail "Purple Haze."

Gab's Top Picks for South Beach Wine & Food Festival 2011

It's never too early to start thinking about food. That being said, the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, Florida's famous five-day foodie fest, is less than a month away!

Here are Gab's top picks for the SoBe Wine & Food Fest 2011:

Thursday, Feb. 24

7 to 11 p.m.
The Brilliance of France at The Biltmore Hotel. Beautiful food, beautiful hotel, and (we're guessing) beautiful guests. How can everything not be gorgeous in the historic Coral Gables hotel where presidents, royalty, celebrities (famous and infamous, like Al Capone) have stayed?
 

Friday, Feb. 25

1 to 4 p.m.

Gab will be in attendance at the invite-only 4 Orange Premium Vodka Classic Cocktail Competition as competitors take to the Wine Spectator Trade Tasting stage. Using 4 Orange Premium Vodka, the world's only vodka made from pure Florida oranges, mixologists from all over the country will present their fresh take on the Next Classic Cocktail for a panel of expert judges. The winner, whose cocktail is judged based on appearance, aroma, taste, and overall impression, receives $3,000, a trophy and certificate, and the coveted title of "4 Orange Vodka U.S. Champion 2011.”

1 to 4 p.m.

Power pair Emeril Lagasse and Martha Stewart host the 10-year anniversary celebration Let Them Eat Cake, presented by Ocean Drive. However, we suspect the cocktails, confections and champagne (Moet & Chandon) will steal the spotlight.

Saturday, Feb. 26

3 to 4 p.m.
Danny Meyer Shake Shack Seminar at the W. Shake Shack may be new to South Beach, but it's an old favorite of ours.

7 to 10 p.m.
Thrillist's BBQ & the Blues, hosted by Tyler Florence at The Raleigh Hotel.

7 to 11 p.m.
Wine + Dine + Design, presented by Gilt City, in the Design District.

10 p.m. to 1 a.m.
The Best Thing I Ever Ate at the Beach hosted by Duff Goldman and presented by Food Network. The Food Network show that is literally impossible to sit through without getting up to go to the kitchen.

Sunday, Feb. 27

11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Paula’s Down Home Cookin’ Sunday Gospel Brunch hosted by Paula Deen. If you've ever or seen her kneading buttery dough with rings on every finger, or heard her drawled-out y'aaaall, you understand why this is a must-see.

2 to 3 p.m.
Prohibition Cocktails Clinic with Zane Lamprey, Bank of America Lifestyle Seminars. Like being in an episode of Boardwalk Empire, without getting offed.

11 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Dim Sum & Disco at the Setai hosted by Ming Tsai, presented by Groupon


The countdown has officially begun. See you in South Beach!