Looking for a colorful, citrusy cocktail?

Posted on January 9, 2012

If you’re like me, every now and then you like to sip on colorful cocktails that are fun and beautiful as well as tasty. I decided to buy a bottle of Hpnotiq, a French combination of fruit juices, French vodka and a touch of Cognac. So I decided to combine it with fresh lemon and St. Germain. I used 2 parts Hpnotiq to 1 part vodka, 1 part St. Germain, 1 large fresh squeezed lemon. I think next time I might even add a touch of Blue Curaçao for a deeper shade of blue. It’s a nice sweet and tart cocktail!

Grapefruit Brûlé Cocktail, Anyone?

Posted on November 24, 2011

I am fascinated by the challenge of converting fruit ideas from my cookbook into the late afternoon cocktail hour. This creation was inspired from my favorite Grapefruit Brûlé with Vanilla Bean Crème from the fruit course chapter of my cookbook. It came about from the allowing the torched grapefruit to sit for quite a while – there was a leftover half and after a couple hours, I saw the juices on the plate that mixed with the vanilla sauce and the crunchy sugar top so I tasted the juice and a new cocktail was born!

Rim the martini glass with a piece of grapefruit and dip into a plate of dark brown sugar
Add a small handful of ice to a cocktail shaker
Squeeze 1 large ruby red grapefruit into the shaker (it yields about a 3/4 cup)
Add 1/2 cup vanilla vodka (I used Pinnacle, they’re in Maine)

Shake vigorously and serve in the brown sugar rimmed glass. Garnish with a slice of the ruby red grapefruit and enjoy!

Grapefruit Brûlé Cocktail

Grapefruit Brûlé from The Art of Breakfast

A wonderful cocktail to sip while setting up my new Mac!

Posted on March 6, 2011

I’ve infused Cold River Gin with dried apricots and fresh strawberries (I left the apricots soaking for about a week, added the strawberries after 4 days) and added club soda and a splash of St. Germain. Delish and the color is beautiful!

A St. Germain Cosmo…

Posted on February 20, 2011

Equal parts vodka and cranberry with a heavy splash of St. Germain and the juice from one lime…delish!

St. Germain + Clementine + Back River Gin from Maine

Posted on February 14, 2011

Today’s cocktail experiment involves gin, not usually my favorite spirit. But this combination is really nice. Maine’s Back River Gin, St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, fresh Clementine juice and club soda – a very light and refreshing, not too sweet cocktail!

Berry Infused Twenty2 Vodka and St. Germain

Posted on February 6, 2011

My latest concoction with a local Maine vodka and my new French favorite, St. Germain.

1 pint of ripe strawberries and 1 half pint raspberries, crushed, add to airtight container and cover with 2 cups vodka. Let sit in the refrigerator for 48 hours.

Add to a shaker with ice, 1 cup of the berry vodka, 1/4 cup St. Germain and shake. Fill a martini glass with about 1/4 cup club soda and fill the rest with the berry mixture. Add a small piece of lemon peel and enjoy!

This is the natural color, there is no added juice at all. It’s beautiful and delicious!

A hard day’s work deserves some good crusty bread, cheese and cocktails!

Posted on January 27, 2011

Thanks to my friend Sarah, owner of Beachmere Inn, she reintroduced me to St. Germain French liqueur which comes from the Elderflower. And it is FABULOUS! So I’ve been performing some cautious experimentation with it as it’s not inexpensive. Today I created one cocktail with fresh Clementine juice, St. Germain, Twenty2 Vodka from Maine, a splash of Chambord and club soda; the other with Clementine juice, vanilla vodka and Twenty2 vodka.

Here are the details of my St. Germain Clementine:

Juice 6 Clementines to yield 3/4 cup

Mix 1/2 cup Clementine juice

1/4 cup Twenty2 vodka

1/8 cup Chambord

1/4 cup cranberry juice shake over ice, then add 1/4 cup club soda and stir – makes 2-3 cocktails

The Clementine Creamsicle:

1/4 cup Clementine juice

1/4 cup vanilla vodka

1/8 cup Twenty2 vodka shake over ice

Enjoy!

St. Germain, my new favorite specialty spirit!

Posted on January 20, 2011

I first had a cocktail with St. Germain at Maine Bartenders Bash last year in March, for the kickoff to Maine Restaurant Week (where this year I will be one of the 5 judges for the dessert competition!!). The cocktail was the creation of Portland’s, The Corner Room and bartender John Meyers.

“The Rathbone Sour”:

1 1/2 ounce Cold River Vodka

1 ounce St. Germain (Elderflower)

3/4 ounce Fresh Lemon Juice

4-6 Fresh Basil Leaves

Muddle the St. Germain and basil. Add remaining ingredients and shake with ice until well chilled. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a basil leaf or lemon twist.

I’m going to recreate my orange and basil cocktail using this recipe! Thanks to The Beachmere Inn for reintroducing me to St. Germain – I was at the inn this past weekend and they made a “Beachmere Bubbly” with St. Germain, Champagne and Club Soda – it was fabulous!