This past weekend, all over America, moms were celebrated for simply being moms.  And I can’t think of a better reason to celebrate.  I wouldn’t know from experience, but I can imagine being a mom is no easy feat.  I’ve certainly put my mom, Dee Dee, through a lot: starting with a natural childbirth (yikes!), she dealt with me as an infant with insomnia (she still blames me for her coffee addiction), a know-it-all, moody teenager (weren’t we all), and a college student who had a little too much fun studying abroad (it’s all about life experiences, right?).  Now that I’m a adult (must I call myself that?), I still turn to her for just about anything – from career advice to recipe advice – she seems to always have the answers. It really should be Mom’s Day, everyday, especially when you get to celebrate with a delicious Backyard Bubbly.  

On Mother’s Day, my sister, Sam, and I went home to New Hope, PA to hang with my parents, and celebrate Dee Dee’s Day.  It was a perfect afternoon, and we spent the time antiquing, visiting Paxon farm to pick out plants for the garden, (Dee Dee has an enviable green thumb), drinking this delicious raspberry cocktail (prepared by my father, the mixologist extraordinaire) and dining al fresco in my parents back yard.  Does it get any better than that?

This cocktail screams summer.  I’m not usually one for sweet drinks, and tend to avoid fruit juice in most cocktails, but this cocktail is the perfect mix of tart and sweet, and is incredibly refreshing.  But watch out moms, its quite potent. My dad doubled the recipe, because, like my mom, we like to bev.  This was the perfect cocktail for an afternoon in the sun, celebrating Mom.