Cocktail Hour || Speckled Egg Easter Mimosas

When I started this blog over four years ago, it was mostly to document the inspiration I was finding for different styling jobs.  Pinterest was new and unfamiliar and this little corner of the internet seemed like a safe enough place for my amateur attempts at mood boards.  I wasn't quite sure what I was doing here or why I was doing it, but I knew I enjoyed it.  When I started our Cocktail Hour series, it was the first thing that I felt really proud of.  Even so, looking back, some of them are still just downright bad, but it felt like a really authentic overflow of my life and interests and the mixing of fashion and lifestyle. Plus, I was just really getting into creating cocktails for our dinner parties and going beyond the glass of wine.  I was childless and had what felt like all of the time in the world for homemade simple syrups and fancy margaritas.  Fast forward to 2016 and my favorite entertaining recipes are ones that may look fancy and creative, but are actually easy and breezy like this 'Speckled Egg Mimosa'.  The Easter cocktail that looks just as good as it tastes and couldn't be easier to make! Keep reading for the recipe... (Oh and #momfail: I booked a flight on Easter morning! No wonder it was so much cheaper than the others!)

What You'll Need:

(makes 4-6 mimosas)

• ½ c. sugar
• 2 c. water
• 8 blackberries
• 1 bottle of champagne
• 1 bag of speckled egg candies
• 1 handful of edible flowers for garnish (available at Trader Joe's and other markets!)

Instructions:

1. Note: You can create your blackberry simple syrup up to 5 days prior to using, so no need to wait until the big day when you have a dozen other things on your to-do list.  Bring the water to a boil and add sugar.  As soon as the sugar has begun to dissolve, add the black berries and muddle to break them up and release the color.The ratio of water to sugar in this syrup is pretty diluted.  The fruit adds extra sweetness and champagne is already a little sweet on it's own, so it really doesn't need much.  Allow to simmer for 3-5 minutes then remove from heat.
2. Once cool, drain the syrup into a glass pitcher through a strainer.
3. To assemble the mimosas, place three speckled eggs in the bottom of each glass.  Top each glass with about 2 ounces (or one shot) of blackberry simple syrup.  Fill the remaining portion of the glass with champagne and then top with edible flowers!

Bar cart via West Elm

Photography by Amanda Gallant