Summer is sadly almost over, but before you put away the flip flops and sunglasses, enjoy the final moments of dipping into a posh pool or dancing at a rooftop bash with a cocktail in hand. This steamy season we savored countless sun kissed punches, frozen pops, and even cool classics. Fortunately, you can keep the party going well into fall. For Labor Day entertaining advice, we sought Elle food and lifestyle editor Linnea Johansson, a favorite among celebs. She taught both Paris Hilton and Susan Sarandon how to cook! Now, New York City’s most fashionable party planner is proving why the summer spirit is very much alive in our drinks with her Labor Day weekend party tips:
#1 Top Labor Day Weekend Party Tip: Add Color
“Bright colors aren’t going anywhere, so don’t put them away!” Choose fruits for cocktails according to your mood or even give your party a color theme.
#2 Top Labor Day Weekend Party Tip: Serve Adult Ice Pops
Remember when we first told you about our drunken desserts? There’s a reason why everyone loves them. Johansson believes these yummy treats are perfect because they’re easy to make. For fall, look for more seasonal spirits that give recipes a serious pop, such as Xante, an irresistible pear liqueur. Need a last-minute concoction? Johansson says add 1 part Xante, 1 part lemon juice, 1 part champagne, and a little zest into an ice pop mold. Freeze and enjoy.
#3 Top Labor Day Weekend Party Tip: Punch, Punch, Punch
During summertime, the punch cocktail was hotter than ever. Autumn doesn’t mean to put the bowl away. Instead, keep it out this weekend. It’s quicker to also make one giant batch than individual elixirs suiting everyone’s tastes. Johansson recommends updating your favorite punch recipe with seasonal ingredients, such as apples or cranberries.
#4 Top Labor Day Weekend Party Tip: Keep It Simple
When in doubt, keep it simple and don’t stress over getting a million ingredients for that one perfect drink. According to Johansson, “Always use ice and don’t forget a garnish!”
Now that you know how to serve Labor Day drinks like a pro, here are our picks for the top holiday cocktails. Be careful, you might fall in love at first sip.
Top Labor Day Weekend Cocktail: Close of Summer Coolata
After all those non-stop Labor Day festivities, you’ll need a quick pick-me-up that not only quenches your thirst, but gives your body an energetic zap. One quick and easy way to have the best of both worlds is by sipping on a creamy Close of Summer Coolata. Featuring Baileys, ice cream, and coffee, it’s a smooth and dreamy morning elixir that also serves a post-celebratory dessert. Could you really say no to either choice?
Ingredients
1 oz. Baileys Original Irish Cream
2 Scoops coffee ice cream
1 oz. Iced coffee
Espresso
Mint
Whipped cream
Preparation
Add Baileys, ice cream, and iced coffee to a blender. Add one cup of chipped ice and blend until smooth. Pour into a pint glass and top with espresso, mint, and fresh whipped cream.
Top Labor Day Weekend Cocktail: The Worker Bee
Looking to spice up your drinks for the holiday? Simply head to your kitchen cabinet. Honey is a natural sweetener that ranges from delectably mild to richly bold, enhancing the note. Celebrate Labor Day with a cocktail that pays tribute to what you won’t be doing this weekend! Created by expert mixologists at upscale caterer/event planner Canard, Inc., this golden number is certain to keep guests buzzing throughout the night.
Ingredients
2 oz. Gin
¾ Honey syrup
½ oz. Lemon juice
Honeycomb
Preparation
Add gin, honey syrup, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and serve straight up. Garnish with a small triangle of honeycomb.
Top Labor Day Weekend Cocktail: Fall and Summer
With one season ending and another beginning, incorporate seasonal elements like an expert. Fall and Summer highlights fresh fig preserves from summer, as well as rosemary, featuring the welcoming aromas of autumn. Did we also mention the generous portion of tequila? Lightly spicy, yet tasty and sweet, it’s the perfect elixir to welcome the arrival of fall in style.
Ingredients
1 ½ oz. Tequila (We used Don Julio Anejo)
½ oz. Fig preserves
½ oz. Orange juice
½ oz. Ginger syrup
5 Leaves of rosemary
Preparation
Add tequila, orange juice, fig preserves, and rosemary leaves into a Boston shaker. Muddle well and add ginger syrup. Shake well and strain into a highball glass and garnish with rosemary sprig.
Top Labor Day Weekend Cocktail: Cardamom and Pop Punch
For something more exotic in your cup, we suggest making famed mixologist Phil Ward’s Cardamom and Pop Punch. Sure, it takes more time than other Labor Day cocktails, but one sip makes it all worth it. With the faint taste of mint created by the popular cooking spice, as well as orange bitters and rum, you’ll need to tempt yourself not to keep the punch bowl all to yourself.
Ingredients
2 oz. Rum (We used Flor de Cana 7-Year Grand Reserve)
4 Sugar cubes
3 Green cardamon pods
3 oz. Club soda
1 oz. Lime juice
1 oz. Grapefruit juice
1 Dash of Regan’s Orange Bitters
Lime wheels
Preparation
Dissolve the sugar cubes in 1 oz. of soda water. Muddle the cardamom pods with the sugar cubes. After the sugar cubes and cloves are muddled/dissolved, add the rest of the ingredients one at a time. Stir as added. Add ice once all of the ingredients have been added and stirred. Stir the punch until it is chilled. Strain the punch into a glass or punch bowl, depending on the size of the portion. Top with 2 oz. club soda and garnish with lime wheels.
Top Labor Day Weekend Cocktail: Red Sangria
Summer was all about crisp, white sangria, the wine-infused Spanish cocktail with sun kissed Chardonnay. This Labor Day weekend, continue to savor juicy slivers of ripe fruit, but with ice-cold red wine. While Red Sangria can be mistaken for a grown up tropical fruit punch, be warned, this recipe calls for Limocello, Triple Sec, rum, and blackberry-flavored brandy. Why choose when you can have them all?
Ingredients
1 Bottle of red wine (We used Breakers Cabernet Sauvignon)
2 oz. Spiced rum (We used Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum)
2 oz. Limoncello
2 oz. Triple Sec
2 oz. Simple syrup
2 oz. Blackberry brandy
Fruits of choice (we used sliced oranges, apples, grapes, and strawberries
7UP
Preparation
Cut up fruits of choice into slices. Make sure seeds and stems are removed. In a pitcher, combine fruits and liquids. Let sit overnight. Serve in a glass over ice with a splash of 7UP.
Top Labor Day Weekend Cocktail: Blue Bahama
Labor Day weekend is the perfect time to have that last-minute vacation you couldn’t give yourself this summer. However, if you’re not hopping on a plane anytime soon, bring a bit of paradise to you. Blue Bahama has all the tropical fruit goodness without all the muddling, which makes this captivating number a perfect quick-fix for any bland party. Best of all? It’s cheaper than a flight ticket.
Ingredients
2 oz. Blueberry-infused vodka (We used Stoli Blueberi)
1 oz. Coconut-infused rum (We used Malibu Coconut Rum)
½ oz. Blueberry liqueur (We used De Kuyper Blueberry)
Lemon-lime soda
1 Lime wedge
Ingredients
Shake vodka, rum, and blueberry liqueur well. Strain into a champagne flute. Top with a splash of lemon-lime soda. Garnish with a lime wedge.
