Earth Day: Radish Cream Cheese Toasts with Signature Collins Cocktail

Light and refreshing are two adjectives that describe Spring. Peppery radish appetizers paired with a citrus Vodka Collins are a delicious salute to Earth Day and to early Spring. Finish up your outside chores and relax with these appetizers and drinks on the porch. This is one of the easiest appetizers you can make!

Spring cocktails to go with your radish appetizers:

So this riff on a vodka collins was created in honor of Earth Day (see video below for the hands-on tutorial). To me, a refreshing cocktail means effervescence (bubbles in other words), and I really like the slight bitterness of tonic, so this citrusy version of a vodka collins is the drink that pairs wonderfully with the freshness of Spring.

How to make the Earth Day Collins

Ingredients: (Recipe is in ratios so you can make a pitcher or one drink)

• 2 parts Lemon Vodka
• 1 part Cinnamon Vanilla Syrup (or any simple syrup)
• 1/2 part Limoncello
• 1 large lemon wedge
• 4 parts tonic water

Preparation: (see video at the end of this post for a how-to tutorial, or just follow these easy directions)

1. Fill a tall glass with ice (spherical ice molds make a great “earth-shaped” ice cube)
2. Add the vodka, the syrup, the Limoncello.  Squeeze in the lemon juice from the wedge.  Add the tonic water
3. Stir gently until well mixed
4. Garnish with a lemon wheel and/or a sprig of mint leaves.

More Spring Favorites:

Another May celebration that calls for appetizers and cocktails is the Kentucky Derby! Check out these Mint Juleps and Cheese Straws for your Kentucky Derby party.

Want to Make your own shrub syrups and simple syrups for signature cocktails? Check out this post on Mixology and explore!

Don’t like to imbibe? Have your fresh appetizers with a herbal tea made of mint, pineapple sage and hibiscus.

Radish Cream Cheese Appetizer

Radishes are one of the first things to come up in the spring and their spicy undertones and crunch enhance the rich creaminess of the cream cheese.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 0 mins

Servings 4

Calories 237

Ingredients

1x2x3x

• 4 Tbsp butter 1/2 stick (softened)
• 4 oz cream cheese Softened
• 5 medium radish thinly sliced
• 2-4 Tbsp scallions or chives minced
• salt to taste optional
• 2 slices bread soft white bread or pumpernickle bread is good

Instructions

 

• Leave the butter and cream cheese on the counter for a while to soften (do not melt the butter – let it soften on its own)
• In a small bowl, cream together the soften butter and cream cheese
• Slice the radishes as thinly as possible (a mandolin works well here, but you can do it by hand also). Mince the green onion or chives into small pieces. Cut the crusts off of the bread slices and cut slices into small rectangles.
• Assemble the appetizer: spread the butter mixture thickly on the bread, add 3 radish slices, sprinkle with chopped green onion, and arrange in a geometric pattern for fun.

Notes

These appetizers pair wonderfully with the Earth Day Collins.  Here’s the quick recipe for that:

EARTH DAY COLLINS:

• 2 parts Lemon Vodka
• 1 part Cinnamon Vanilla Syrup (or any simple syrup)
• 1/2 part Limoncello
• 1 large lemon wedge
• 4 parts tonic water

1. Fill a tall glass with ice (spherical ice molds make a great “earth-shaped” ice cube)
2. Add the vodka, the syrup, the Limoncello.  Squeeze in the lemon juice from the wedge.  Add the tonic water
3. Stir gently until well mixed
4. Garnish with a lemon wheel and/or a sprig of mint leaves.

Nutrition

Calories: 237kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 3gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 62mgSodium: 267mgPotassium: 76mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 736IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 51mgIron: 1mg

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Here’s a video of the drink preparation at the farm. **NOTE: I used different syrups in the video, but everything else is the same.

Enjoy!!!