12 Summery 4th of July Cocktails

We’ve all been there—it’s the 4th of July and you’re out in the sweltering heat in a full-body state of sticky. all you want is the first sip of a cold cocktail and a blast of A.C. While you probably have a cooler filled with cans of beer and hard se…

We’ve all been there—it’s the 4th of July and you’re out in the sweltering heat in a full-body state of sticky. all you want is the first sip of a cold cocktail and a blast of A.C. While you probably have a cooler filled with cans of beer and hard seltzer at your July 4th festivities, sometimes an easy, but ever-so-slightly-put-together cocktail makes the holiday feel a little fancier.

In between sips of margaritas and micheladas, swap in a big glass of ice water or sip on a lower-ABV drink. Read on for 12 delicious and firework-worthy cocktails to sip all-day this 4th of July.

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3 Must-Know Mexican Spirits Worth a Spot on Your Bar Cart

I’d wager that you can order a tequila-based cocktail at nearly any bar in America. And in most major cities, you could likely sub tequila for its smoky cousin, mezcal. The American market is buzzing with excitement for Mexican spirits—just last year, …

I’d wager that you can order a tequila-based cocktail at nearly any bar in America. And in most major cities, you could likely sub tequila for its smoky cousin, mezcal. The American market is buzzing with excitement for Mexican spirits—just last year, Mexico exported nearly one billion liters of tequila to the United States.

While you might have either or both of these well-known agave spirits sitting in your home bar cart, make some space for a few additional bottles. At long last, some of Mexico’s oldest and most delicious spirits are finally making their way to the U.S., and we're here for it.

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Dan Pelosi’s New Show Features You (Yes, You!)

Dan Pelosi’s signature tagline “I live here now” could not be more fitting for his new gig. Dan—aka GrossyPelosi—is joining Food52 as a Resident and video host of his new series, “The Secret Sauce.” You may know Dan for his famous vodka sauce (known lo…

Dan Pelosi’s signature tagline “I live here now” could not be more fitting for his new gig. Dan—aka GrossyPelosi—is joining Food52 as a Resident and video host of his new series, “The Secret Sauce.” You may know Dan for his famous vodka sauce (known lovingly by GrossyPelosi fans as ‘The Sawce’, his expert taste and eye for design (see his curated Grossery List), or from his delightful and delicious Instagram presence @GrossyPelosi. Now, he’s traveling across the Tri-State area to visit Food52 community members to share their most beloved recipes and cook together.

Dan’s love of food started in his family kitchen, cooking with his Italian- and Portuguese-American parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents (his 100-year-old grandpa Bimpy’s recipe for Giambotta is one of our favorites). While studying abroad in Italy, during college at the Rhode Island School of Design, Dan rekindled his love for cooking and sharing his appreciation for food with others. Fast forward 12 years and Dan is a full-time content creator, recipe developer, and writer, forging a new community through food and social media.

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A Definitive Ranking of Trader Joe’s Frozen Pasta

The frozen food section in Trader Joe’s is my safe space. Though the steps to prepare their globe-trotting frozen meals vary in rigor, most are to just add heat and water—a simple set of instructions, and one of the reasons why this is my favorite TJ’s…

The frozen food section in Trader Joe’s is my safe space. Though the steps to prepare their globe-trotting frozen meals vary in rigor, most are to just add heat and water—a simple set of instructions, and one of the reasons why this is my favorite TJ’s aisle.

While you may know about Trader Joe’s frozen dumpling selection, or have read us wax poetic about their cheeses and dips, their frozen pasta offering is surprisingly impressive. I should know; I’ve eaten through every TJ’s frozen pasta I could find.

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Silly Sponges Are Just What Your Kitchen Needs

As a recent college grad who moved back home to New York City, I’ve been to countless apartment warming parties of friends who trickled into the Big Apple after graduation. When thinking (read: overthinking) about the right gift to bring over to their …

As a recent college grad who moved back home to New York City, I've been to countless apartment warming parties of friends who trickled into the Big Apple after graduation. When thinking (read: overthinking) about the right gift to bring over to their cozy (read: tiny) spaces, naturally, I came across the ubiquitous bottle of just-expensive-enough wine, a small houseplant with a questionable life expectancy, or a very-likely-to-become-a-fire-hazard candle. Well, here’s where the silly kitchen sponge comes in—it sounds a little wacky, but just hear me out.

They have all the qualities the aforementioned gifts lack, but with added practicality, personality, near indestructibility, and an undeniable sense of humor. Silly, fun, and irreverent, these sponges are the perfect mix of form and function.

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This Frozen Coffee Is as Quick as Instant Coffee (But It Actually Tastes Good)

For someone who lives and breathes food and beverage, I am certifiably not a coffee snob. I own zero coffee equipment, have no caffeine routine, and have never made coffee at home. It’s not that I don’t like stuff, I’m just deeply un-fussy about it. Pa…

For someone who lives and breathes food and beverage, I am certifiably not a coffee snob. I own zero coffee equipment, have no caffeine routine, and have never made coffee at home. It’s not that I don’t like stuff, I’m just deeply un-fussy about it. Pass me the $1 bodega brew or even that $7 latte (thanks, NYC)—I’m fine with either. Until about a month ago, having to go out for coffee hadn’t been an issue; I’d been working in person or was at school where a cup of Joe was never too far away. Now that my job is mostly remote, I've been looking for a low-lift way to have coffee at home without having to invest any money, or precious storage space, in equipment. Enter Cometeer.

Cometeer is basically excellent, instant coffee. It’s not instant in the usual way, either—it’s brewed and flash frozen in capsules. I pop the frozen pod in a mug and pour in 6oz of boiling water for hot coffee, or leave it in the fridge overnight and mix the melted coffee with milk for an iced latte situation the next morning. It’s ready in literally seconds. For those who have invested precious storage space in coffee equipment, Cometeer’s capsules even fit into Keurig. Pour a melted pod over vanilla ice cream for an affogato, or add it to a milkshake—whatever you feel like!

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A Lot of Thoughts About the Silver Goblets From ‘The Ultimatum’

Netflix is back with its newest social experiment on love, and its premise is more chaotic than ever. The Ultimatum follows six couples where one person has issued the other an ultimatum: “Marry me or it’s over.” In the experiment, the couples are spli…

Netflix is back with its newest social experiment on love, and its premise is more chaotic than ever. The Ultimatum follows six couples where one person has issued the other an ultimatum: “Marry me or it's over.” In the experiment, the couples are split up and scrambled, going on three-week “trial marriages” with each other's partners with the goal of arriving at some sort of clarity on whether their original match was meant to be. After switching back to their original pairs, the couples have two options: to leave engaged or break up. Because, of course, the most logical test for a struggling couple is to trial-marry someone else and then be forced into an engagement. But hey, it's reality TV.

“Who signs up for this?????” asked Food52's Editorial Lead Margaret Eby. “Hi I love my partner but I’d love to break up publicly or force them into marriage.”

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