Hearts, flowers, champagne and chocolates are the things that your average Valentine’s Days are made of. But who wants to be average? Cocktail lovers might want to add their own little twist to Feb 14, stirring their lover’s imagination with a delicious drink mixed with love in mind.
If you love fizz…
Sussex Strawberry Kir Royale (for 2)
250g strawberries, halved
25g sugar
1 tbsp Beaky Bottom Creme de Cassis
Beaky Bottom sparkling wine
Method:
Mix strawberries and sugar together in a bowl and leave to stand at room temperature for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Divide mixture between two champagne flutes, add a spoonful of creme de cassic to each and top up with Beaky Bottom fizz.
From Terre a Terre, 71 East Street Brighton, BN1 1HQ. www.terreaterre.co.uk
If you love gin…
Queen of Hearts
50ml Tanqueray No. Ten
5ml elderflower cordial
10ml fraise liqueur
10ml lychee syrup
Method:
Shake over ice and double-strain into a martini glass garnished with a split strawberry.
The Bombay Sapphire Rose
50ml Bombay Sapphire gin
Juice of half a grapefruit
25ml Maraschino liqueur
10ml sugar syrup
Method:
Shake vigorously with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a twist of grapefruit peel.
If you love Drambuie…
Engaging Dram
20ml Drambuie
5ml lemon juice
100ml Rose Champagne
Dash orange bitters (optional)
Method:
Stir gently in mixing glass and pour into a champagne flute. Garnish with a twist of orange.
If you love Disaronno…
Dis’Amore
20ml Disaronno
20ml Fino sherry
20ml Spanish brandy
15ml fresh lemon juice
2 raspberries
10ml sugar syrup
Star anise to garnish Rose petal to garnish
Method:
Pour first four ingredients in shaker and shake. Crush raspberries and add to the shaker with a dash of sugar syrup. Reshake and serve in martini glass. Garnish with star anise and a rose petal.
If you love chocolate…
Sanderson Divinitini
4 cubes of melted Divine milk chocolate
1 slice of orange
Dash of Grand Marnier
Dash of dark Creme de Cacao
1oz Wyborowa orange vodka
1oz pure vodka
Pansy to garnish
Method:
Melt the milk chocolate then shake together with Wyborowa orange and pure vodka, Grand Marnier, Creme de Cacao and crushed slice of orange. Serve in a chilled martini glass with a pansy garnish.
