Cocktails

6 easy cocktails to make for Valentine’s Day

Posted by Fiona Beckett (Google+) on February 13 2017 at 08:53

Making a cocktail doesn’t have to involve the skills of a bartender, a battery of equipment and a shelf full of obscure bottles. You can make a simple cocktail for your beloved with as little as two ingredients - so long as they’re red or pink . . .

Here are six simple ideas. Feel free to improvise . . .

BELLINIS

Originally made with the juice of fresh white peaches topped up with prosecco that’s not going to be the easiest cocktail to run up at this time of year unless you’re in the southern hemisphere.

A company called funkin pro does a white peach purée in a 1 kilo bag though which you can order from amazon or make a raspberry bellini instead with fresh or thawed frozen raspberries, blitzed in a blender with a little icing sugar and strained.

Or use that most sexy of raspberry liqueurs, Chambord, to make a framboise royale

RASPBERRY MOJITO

Just crushed raspberries mint and white rum. Simples!

THE ECLIPSE (AKA WATERMELON MARTINI)

A bartender told me about this the other day and it sounds delicious. Basically you pour 2 shots (60ml) of frozen vodka and 1 shot (30ml) of fresh lime juice into a shaker full of chopped watermelon flesh and ice adding a little gomme (sugar syrup) if your watermelon isn’t that ripe. Shake well and strain into a chilled martini glass.

PINK BLOSSOM

One of a number of cocktails devised by port producer Croft who sell a pink port. That of course will outrage traditionalists but it's perfect for V Day. It calls for St Germain Elderflower liqueur but I don’t see why you can’t use a mixture of elderflower cordial and vodka if you can't get your hands on some. I like the frozen berry garnish too.

RHUBARB MARTINI

You might not be turned on by the idea of rhubarb but you have to admit the forced rhubarb that’s in season at the moment is dead pretty. If making it from scratch poach your own rhubarb then strain off the rhubarb syrup and shake it up with some vodka or gin - and lemongrass according to this stylish recipe from Diffordsguide.com. Or you can buy rhubarb vodka readymade - Chase does one which is stocked by The Whisky Exchange but it’s not cheap. If you’re organised enough next year you could make your own.

PORN STAR MARTINI

OK, it's not pink but it's suggestive which makes up for it. There are variations but basically it's vanilla-flavoured vodka (or vodka and vanilla sugar), Passoa (passionfruit liqueur) and passionfruit pulp topped up with champagne - or served with a champagne shooter on the side.

That's a couple more ingredients than the others which might deter you unless you have a handy offie like Gerry’s of Old Compton Street or a well-stocked supermarket* nearby but it is a modern classic.

You can also turn your cocktail into a dessert as you can see from this post

* Other shops with good spirits and liqueurs selections include larger branches of Marks & Spencer and Waitrose.

Image © Jag_cz - Fotolia.com

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