Master the art of effortless entertaining with a French-inspired cocktail party, featuring easy-to-prepare appetizers and a simple vodka lemonade cocktail garnished with lavender.
I am enamored with all things French lately. Maybe it’s because the lavender plants in our backyard are blooming. I can’t wait to harvest the flowers and fill the house with their amazing scent.
This post is sponsored by Pinnacle® Vodka. Read my full disclosure policy here.
In celebration of summertime and all things French, I partnered with Pinnacle® Vodka to create an elegant, authentic and easy French-themed party with simple appetizers and refreshing vodka lemonade cocktail.
It’s the perfect way to celebrate the cocktail hour. You can set up the entire spread in just a few minutes, and you don’t have to cook anything.
To decorate for the cocktail hour, I used a quilted tablecloth in a pretty French blue color, along with some wooden bowls, a breadboard, ironstone, rocks glasses and other simple serving pieces. Bunches of dried lavender completed the theme.
For snacks, I set out a French baguette on a breadboard, and added a few sprigs of lavender and rosemary from our garden.
To accompany the bread, I prepared a dipping sauce using olive oil and herbs de Provence. I put out some French butter in a wooden bowl, and added a fresh herbal garnish.
I also set out some brie cheese, topped with fig preserves. I wanted quick and easy for this cocktail party, so I didn’t take the time to make my favorite baked brie appetizer. But it would have made a nice addition to the menu.
We had just been cherry picking, so I added a bowl of the fresh fruit. Blackberries, apricots, apples or pears would have been fine choices, as well. Just use whatever is in season.
A little French ham — Jambon de Bayonne if you can find it — along with some Dijon mustard is another good addition to your cocktail party spread. If you feel like cooking, you can make some paninis with ham, brie and fig preserves.
To drink, I offered a simple, but tasty combination — French lemonade with Pinnacle® Original Vodka, served over crushed ice.
Created with the finest French ingredients and distilled five times in the Cognac region, Pinnacle® Vodka is my choice for everyday gatherings and special occasions. It’s so smooth and clean tasting.
There are a couple of different variations you can make of this vodka lemonade cocktail.
The easiest way? Fill a rocks glass with crushed ice, then add 3 parts French lemonade to 1 part Pinnacle® Original Vodka. Garnish with fresh cherries and dried lavender sprigs. Thanks to the award-winning quality of Pinnacle® Original Vodka, that’s all you need to make a fabulously refreshing summertime cocktail.
Another option is to mix up some lavender sugar, using equal parts granulated sugar and dried, culinary lavender buds.
Dip the rim of the rocks glass in corn syrup, then in the sugar mixture.
Add ice, then pour in the lemonade and vodka.
Sprinkle some more lavender buds into the drink, then garnish with lavender sprigs and fresh cherries.
To fancy things up a bit more, you could also make lavender ice cubes to go in the vodka lemonade cocktail. Just add water and lavender springs to ice cubes trays and freeze overnight.
When it’s time to serve the French vodka lemonade cocktail, add a few cubes to each glass in place of the crushed ice.
Be sure to pin these simple party ideas and the recipe for the vodka lemonade cocktail so you can throw your own French-inspired fete this summer.
French Vodka Lemonade Cocktail
Ingredients
- 3 ounces French lemonade
- 1 ounce vodka
- crushed ice
- cherries
- lavender sprigs
Instructions
- Fill a rocks glass with crushed ice.
- Pour 3 parts French lemonade to 1 part Pinnacle® Original Vodka over the ice and stir.
- Garnish with fresh cherries and dried lavender sprigs.
Nutrition
Pin This! French Lemonade Vodka Cocktail
For more French-inspired recipes and projects, you might enjoy these posts:
Handmade Paper Lavender Scented Bookmarks
Gardeners Hand Salve with Lavender
Drink Smart® Pinnacle® Imported Vodka, 40% Alc./Vol. Distilled from Grain, ©2018 Portfield Importers, Chicago, IL, USA; All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
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