Tangerine Tequila Sunrise

Cocktails might not win any health awards, but they can lift your spirits when sipped responsibly. Better yet, you can tweak them to be a bit healthier, tastier, and more refreshing by swapping out processed mixers for fresh juice. I recently juiced a bag of Melissa’s pixie tangerines for a Tequila Sunrise, and the result was a game-changer—brighter, sweeter, and fresher than any version I’ve tried before. Here’s the simple recipe that took this classic drink to new heights.

Tangerine Tequila Sunrise

2 oz. tequila*

4 oz. freshly squeezed tangerine juice 

(from Melissa’s pixie tangerines)

½ oz. grenadine

Garnish: tangerine slice and a cherry

Fill a chilled highball glass with ice. Pour in the tequila, followed by the fresh tangerine juice. Add the grenadine—it’ll sink, creating that signature sunrise layering. 

 Garnish with a tangerine slice and a cherry.

Serves:1

This twist not only boosts flavor but also cuts out the bottled stuff. Give it a try—your taste buds will thank you!

 

*Swap with bourbon for a Kentucky Sunrise or brandy for a Brandy Sunrise.

 

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Pixie Tangerine Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

 

You know that summer’s coming when I go downstairs to the belly of the beast for the sole purpose of excavating the insert for the ice cream maker, bringing it upstairs to the freezer in the kitchen. Generally, I wait until June to make ice cream, but a recipe that I found on the Melissa’s Produce website lured me in, and I had to try it. Citrus-y, creamy, and delicious, this tastes like the Creamsicles from my youth. If you enjoyed them as much as I did, this is a must make.

Pixie Tangerine Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Slightly adapted from Melissa’s Produce

 2½ c. heavy cream

½ c. whole milk

2/3 c. granulated sugar, divided use

2 Melissa’s Vanilla Beans, split lengthwise

½ t. pure vanilla extract

2 T. Pixie Tangerine zest

4 egg yolks*

½ c. Pixie Tangerine juice

½ t. pure orange extract

 Into 3-quart saucepan, place cream, milk, and 1/3 cup of sugar.

 Scrape the seeds from the vanilla beans into the saucepan and drop in the vanilla bean pods. Stir in the vanilla extract and the tangerine zest. Heat over medium- low heat, stirring often, until small bubbles appear around the edge of the pan; remove from heat.

 In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until smooth, like a ribbon.

 While whisking, pour some of the scalded liquid into the egg mixture, continuing to whisk all the while. Add that back to the scalded liquid in the saucepan and cook over low heat until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

 Strain mixture into a bowl and stir in the tangerine juice and orange oil.

 Place the mixture in the refrigerator and chill completely.

 Place in an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacture’s directions.

 *Use the egg whites to make this White Almond Cake.

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