Toast to Spring Flowers With a Lavender Collins Cocktail

April showers may bring May flowers, but I'm an impatient lady, as I want the world to be in full bloom already. My solution is simple: I turn to the home bar when in need of a floral fix. A swirl of lavender simple syrup and a dash of Page's Parfait Amour — a crème de violette analogue — dress up the classic Tom Collins cocktail for a sipper that transports you to sunnier days.

Wary of floral elements in food? I was too, not so long ago. The key is restraint, as the line between lovely and eau de old lady is fine. Thankfully, this cocktail is well balanced, refreshing, and could convert all but the most stalwart floral food haters. What are you waiting for? Transport yourself to a field of lavender the fast-fix way.

Recipe Notes

Look for sprigs of culinary lavender at the farmers market; dried can be found in the spice section of some supermarkets or online. If you can't find sprigs of fresh culinary lavender for the garnish, then omit it, or sprinkle each glass with a pinch of dried culinary lavender.

Ingredients

For the lavender syrup:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons dried culinary lavender

For the cocktail:
1 1/2 ounces vodka
3/4 ounce lavender syrup
1/4 ounce Page's Parfait Amour
3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
Soda water
Lavender flower, for garnish (optional)

Directions

For the lavender syrup:

Add the sugar, water, and lavender to a small saucepan, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved and the syrup has come to a simmer. Cook for 2 more minutes, and then take it off the heat and allow to steep for 10 minutes. Strain the lavender out; chill before using. Store refrigerated in an airtight container.

Makes 2 cups.

For the cocktail:

Add the vodka, lavender syrup, Page's Parfait Amour, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously, and strain into an ice-filled collins glass. Top off with soda water, and garnish with a sprig of lavender, if using.

Makes 1 cocktail.

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Whet Your Appetite With This Campari and White Wine Cocktail

As the weather warms, turn to a classic Italian aperitif, the Bicyclette, as your go-to cocktail. This orange-hued drink is both bracing and slightly bitter, which makes it perfect for whetting appetites before bar snacks or dinner. The best part? All you really need is three ingredients that you probably already have at home. Keep watching to learn how to make this picnic-perfect tipple.

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Toast Mad Men's Return With Cocktail Classics

Thank goodness Mad Men returns for its sixth season this Sunday; any longer, and I might have taken up a three-martini lunch habit. I am giddy at the return of retro style and classic cocktails. Even as it evolves, the 1960s-set show always shines a compelling lens on American cocktail culture. Celebrate the return of this tribute to classic libations by mixing up a drink (or three) featured on the show.

Sources: AMC and Anna Monette Roberts

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Throw a Mad Men-Inspired Cocktail Party!

Chances are, you'll be tuning in to watch the season premiere of Mad Men on April 7, so if you're getting together with friends for a viewing, why not take things to the next level with a Mad Men-inspired cocktail party? The fun begins, of course, at the bar, from Don's go-to cocktail to Betty Draper's drink of choice to a cocktail favorite that takes us to the tropics (and back in time).

Of course, it wouldn't be the swinging '60s without a throwback to the finger foods of that era. We'll show you how to re-create provisions like pigs in a blanket with a twist. Just wait until you see our take on the Jell-O mold!

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Kiwi Cobbler Cocktail: The Mojito's Exotic Older Sister

The mojito certainly gets the most play of any muddled drink, but others deserve a moment in the spotlight, too. Case in point: this surprising kiwi cobbler cocktail, which builds layer upon layer of flavor thanks to a tequila base and the addition of vanilla bean, sugar, soda water, and freshly muddled mint leaves and kiwi fruit. Watch the video, then print out the recipe and try it for yourself.

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Bubbly Brilliant: Sparkling Pear and Elderflower Cocktail

Has wintry weather left you with a nasty case of cabin fever? This fruity and floral cocktail is the cure - at least it was for me. I recently made a trip to Tahoe with the intent to spend a few days hitting the slopes, neglecting one crucial factor: checking the weather report. The thing is, it had just snowed heavily the week before, and it had been raining all week in San Francisco (which generally shares similar weather patterns), so it was a logical assumption that the mountains would be blanketed in blissfully fresh powder.

Instead, we were faced with four days of 34°F rain, ice, and sleet. Now, it would have been easy to let this tank morale, but instead we took the high road (literally) up a winding mountain route for a blowout meal at Manzanita in the Tahoe Ritz-Carlton. As one would expect (or at least hope), the whole meal was excellent, but it was this simple yet elegant predinner cocktail that stole the show.

Bright, effervescent, and subtly spiced from the crucial addition of Hangar One Spiced Pear Vodka, it danced around my head for weeks afterward. Naturally I had to attempt to hack it at home. And while this isn't an exact replica of that tantalizing tipple, I came pretty close; I hope it will brighten your day as much as it did mine.

Inspired by Manzanita

Sparkling Pear and Elderflower Cocktail

Recipe Notes

Ginger beer is an excellent (though less potent) substitute for the Champagne in this cocktail.

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces Hangar One Spiced Pear Vodka
1/2 ounce St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
Brut Champagne or dry sparkling wine, chilled
Lemon twist, for garnish

Directions

1. Combine the pear vodka, St. Germain, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until the outside of the cocktail shaker becomes frosty, then strain into a Champagne flute or coupe.
2. Top off with Champagne and garnish with a lemon twist.

Makes one cocktail.

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Celebrate with the Bubbly French 75 Cocktail

In December of last year, my husband and I took a quick weekend-er to celebrate our anniversary and get some much needed “us” time in one of our favorite cities, San Francisco.

My dad grew up just outside San Francisco so I spent a lot of time there visiting my grandma every summer. It’s also the scene of the crime, the first time my husband met my dad at the Hyatt Hotel sports bar before my dad and mom took us to a San Francisco 49ers game. At that time I was a college-graduated-sorority-girl-waitress dating a guy with purple hair and pierced ears and who was the lead singer in a punk band. Polar opposite of the preppies I was normally attracted to, and one of the funniest, easy going guys I’d ever met. He was my perfect foil.

After that visit, San Francisco became a spot we’d visit as often as we could. Since having Smudge we haven’t been back for a while and we were due.

Flying over the Great Salt Lake en route to SFO

BART dropped us off right at the heart of SF’s shopping mecca Union Square 

So thanks to some great recommendations from some SF local food bloggers (thank you Irvin and Denise, the trip was centered around eating—specifically Sushi Zone and Ramen Underground, both of which have left us craving for more.

We arrived at 4:45 p.m. and were third in line for the 16 seats at Sushi Zone‘s 5 p.m. opening

Where the sushi is fresh, easy on the wallet and belly filling

and the next day ate our weight in nothing fancy but nothing short of amazing ramen at Ramen Underground

 Staying in Union Square at The Prescott put us smack dab in the middle of holiday shopping and steps to and from plenty more eating, and drinking.

Cocktails with a blue sky street view at  The Prescott

My favorite perk: The Prescott’s morning coffee bar on each floor

Like our stop into the French bistro Cafe de la Presse. As we bellied up to the bar and shared a half dozen oysters on the half shell and an appetizer plate of charcuterie, I was craving a glass of champagne.

Our lovely barmaid suggested a French 75, a champagne cocktail enhanced with a shot of gin. And that’s where my cocktail inspiration was born.

I’m not much of a gin lover, so she quickly remedied that by subbing in a shot of vodka and all was right with the world. We talked, we laughed and we nibbled. It was the perfect topper to a day of exploring. And if you’re a magazine junie like I am, Cafe de la Presse has the most amazing selection of European publications to purchase and peruse.

The original version of this drink is made with gin, although there are some that firmly believe brandy was the original base spirit in the real French 75. Chilled Champagne is the preferred topper for the drink, but as the official bubbly export from the Champagne region of France it proudly displays a bigger bill at the liquor store thanks to its exclusivity. Oh, those French.

For my French 75, or as I sometimes call my San Francisco 20 in reference to our anniversary, I used the Spanish version of Champagne: Kava. Similar in bubbles but obviously made with grapes from a different region, the resulting drink comes with a lower price tag but still plenty of effervesce.

Wintertime is the perfect time to warm up to a cocktail. Thankfully, one of my favorite food blogging mixologists, Russell from Chasing Delicious, gave us a great round-up of wintertime Cocktails ala Mad Men style for the current issue of FoodieCrush.

So cozy up, belly up and drink up to winter. It’ll be over before we know it.

 Hot Apple Buttered Rum

Spicy Spiked Hot Cocoa

Mulled Wine Punch

 Cheers!~

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Pin It Tagged as: champagne, drinks and cocktails, gin

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