Raising the Bar: Fitton Summer Sipper

Hamilton, Ohio – Try to say it five times fast. Then try again after you’ve had a couple.

Meet the Fitton Summer Sipper, resident mixologist Logan Adams’ latest signature cocktail, a mash-up of seasonal favorites created for the 2022-2023 Season Launch Summer Party Aug. 19.

The Fitton Summer Sipper is a pina colada sangria.

Sangria is the popular chilled red-wine punch mixed with fresh fruits that originated in Spain and Portugal during ancient times. Pina coladas date back to 19th century sailors in the Caribbean; the recipe we recognize today comes from Puerto Rico in the 1950s.

As is the norm with an Adams creation, though, there is a twist.

Rather than use red wine, the Fitton Summer Sipper features pinot grigio – a crisp white wine – to counter the sweetness of the rum and pineapple juice in a pina colada.

“Sangria and pina coladas both have a really good summer feeling,” Adams said. “They’re both cool and fresh, great on a hot summer night. Putting them together for Summer Party just made sense.

“It’s such a big event, I thought we needed a drink with a big flavor to make a really big splash.”

Want to try one at home?

Here’s the lowdown: Fitton Summer Sipper 2 oz pinot grigio (or white wine of your choice) 1 oz coconut rum ½ oz light rum ½ oz grenadine 2 oz pineapple juice

Build in a cocktail shaker filled with ice, strain over ice into hurricane glass, garnish with cherry, serve.

Summer Party is free and open to all; it runs from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 19, to celebrate the Fitton Center’s 2022-2023 Season Launch. The open-house event features food from Two Women in a Kitchen, summer tunes by the Marty Connor Band, a gallery opening for the new Cut Fire Fuse exhibition, senior citizen tap routines and youth musical performances in the theater, young dancers in the studio, a variety of art demonstrations in the classrooms and a cash bar featuring the Fitton Summer Sipper alongside a full complement of beer, wine and spirits.

Highlights of the 2022-2023 season include four primary series – Show Stoppers on the main stage, Jazz & Cabaret in the ballroom, Fitton Family Fridays in the theater and the Celebrating Self luncheon lectures – plus art exhibitions, pop-up cinema, classes, workshops and special events. Keep your eye on the Fitton Center Blog for more of Logan’s cocktail creations.

Any suggestions you have for a favorite drink you’d like to see highlighted at a future Fitton show or event? Drop us a line at frontdesk@fittoncenter.org.

The Fitton Center for Creative Arts is located at 101 S. Monument Avenue on the Riverfront in downtown Hamilton, Ohio.

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