Now that we’ve paid our winter dues, it’s time to celebrate in the most appropriate way possible — with boozy frozen sippers. From the floral to the fruity, here are five ice cold cocktails that are totally worth the brain freeze.
THE MILANO VICE at DONNA
Quick decision making comes in handy at this Williamsburg hangout, where bartender Jeremy Oertel has created three boozy slushies for the season: The Brancolada, a minty homage to the pina colada made possible with Branca Menta; the Strawberry Negroni, with Bulldog gin and Campari; and the Milano Vice, a Miami Vice spinoff combining the aforementioned two.
THE KID FROST at BONNIE VEE
When West Coast Latin hip hop artist Kid Frost released "La Raza" in 1990, Bonnie Vee bartender Nino Cirabisi played it all summer long. That’s the goal with this drinkable version, as well, which packs in mezcal, Coco Lopez, pineapple juice, and tiki bitters.
THE FROZÉMONADE at EXTRA FANCY
Bartender Rob Krueger picked up a handy tip at a house party in New Orleans during Tales of the Cocktail: The blade assemblies of Oster Beehive Blenders can fit directly onto a mason jar, meaning you can make the drink in the glass it’s served in. Upon returning to NYC he was compelled to put such pragmatics to use, as evidenced in the Frozémonade, a modest melding of rosé, simple syrup, and lemon juice.
FROZEN SANGRIAS at TORO
Sangria get one step cooler at this Meatpacking hotspot, where beverage director Caitlin Doonan is serving three different versions of the Spanish sipper — red, rose, and white — all of which can be frozen upon request. Go in a group to ensure tastes of the full trio.
BANANA SNAQUIRIS at KINGS COUNTY IMPERIAL
There’s no shortage of tiki tipples at this very talked about Chinese restaurant — even the mimosa, a bubbly glass complete with pineapple juice, gets a tropical fix. Shots get a lot more fun in the hands of beverage director Richard Murphy, who has created snaquiri-sized portions of his frozen rum and banana concoction — a sure hit on a summer day.
By Nicole Schnitzler
(Photos from left: Kid Frost; Banana Snaquiris; Frozémonade; Milano Vice)
