Happy Valentines Day!

I choose to ignore all of you anti-Valentine’s Day types, (which probably suits you fine today)!  Just FYI: Valentine’s Day was not started by Hallmark Cards.  Hallmark’s first Valentine’s Day card was sold in 1913, while the first official Valentine’s Day observance as a special day of romance was in 1537.  Anyway, how about a flaming, red drink!SA Cloud Flame Two

I have named this the San Antonio Cloud.  I found the recipe on a scrap of paper along with a bunch of other little “notes to self” hiding in my desk a few years ago.  There was no reference on it, so I have no idea where it came from.  Anyway, it’s a tequila based cocktail with the tartness and color of pomegranate.  The elderflower foam floating on top makes for a pretty as well as delicious drink.

San Antonio Cloud

  • San Antonio Cloud1 ½ oz. Milagro Plata Tequila
  • 1 oz. pomegranate juice
  • dash rhubarb bitters
  • dash 2:1 simple syrup
  • St. Germaine Elderflower Foam – see below
  • Misto of Chartreuse
  1. Chill cocktail glass with ice and water
  2. Stir all ingredients, except foam, with ice
  3. Add St. Germaine Elderflower Foam to chilled glass
  4. Strain drink through foam into glass
  5. Flame drink with Misto of Chartreuse

SA Cloud Foam First 2

Add the Foam to the Glass

SA Cloud Pour thru

Pour the Liquid

SA Cloud Repair Foam

Repair the Foam

 

 

 

 

 

 

SA Cloud Foam Last

Float the Foam Last

You can either put the foam into the chilled coup first and pour the drink through it, or pour the drink first and float the foam on top.  Pouring the drink through the foam will incorporate some of the foam’s flavors into the liquid portion of the drink.  This will, however, make the drink slightly cloudy.  Pouring the liquid first and then topping it with the foam will give you the clear liquid with foam floating cloud like on top.  In the photo, the drink on the left had the liquid poured through the foam.  You can see the difference.

 

The Left Drink is Cloudy

The Left Drink is Cloudy

Still, in a matter of 3 or 4 minutes, the foam will begin to dissolve slowly and it will look like the other drink.

Flaming the drinks is a bit of theatrics.  The flavors will be very similar if you simply mist the tops with the Chartreuse.  HOWEVER, fire is cool!  First, practice in the sink.  Second, be certain that nothing flammable is near the drinks.  To flame the Misto, hold the match/lighter near the path of the spray and press the top.  You only want a quick short flame.  It will otherwise melt the foam and impart too much Chartreuse flavor.SA Cloud Flame 3

So, have a wonderful and romantic day.

Cheers!

St. Germain Elderflower Foam

  • 3 egg whites, 9 Tbl or 4 ½ oz. pasteurized egg whites (see note)St Germain
  • 3 oz. St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
  • 2 oz. lemon juice
  • 1 dash lemon bitters
  1. Lightly whip egg whites
  2. Add all ingredients to whipped cream charger
  3. Secure top and shake a few times to further break up the egg whites and combine ingredients.
  4. Double charge with N2O, shaking 4-5 times between charges.  Over shaking can cause ingredients to clump and clog charger.
  5. Chill for at least 1 hour before use.
  6. Keeps a few days refrigerated.

Note:  In this application, the fresh egg whites are not really superior to the pasteurized variety.



Ciroc Fizz

Our daughter was gifted with a bottle of Ciroc Red Berry Vodka at a Christmas Party and asked me to use it to create a cocktail.  I like champagne cocktails and ’tis the season.  So this is a rif on the  French 75.ciroc-fiz

  • 1/2 oz. Ciroc Red Berry VodkaCiroc
  • 1/2 oz. St. Germaine Elderflower Liqueur
  • 1 oz. Fresh lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 oz. Simple syrup
  • Chilled prosecco or champagne
  • Sprig of fresh thyme for garnish
  1. Combine first four ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake to chill
  2. Strain into chilled champagne flute and top with the prosecco
  3. Smack the thyme sprig in your hands to release the oils then float it in the drink.

Cheers!



Grapefruit Tequila Sour

This has just the right balance of sweet, tart and sour.  It will be prettier with white grapefruit juice, but we usually can only get ruby reds.  Just be sure to use fresh juice.Grapefruit Tequila Sour

  • 1 1/2 oz. Melagro Plata Tequila
  • 1/2 oz. St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
  • 2 oz. Fresh grapefruit juice
  • 2 drops grapefruit bitters
  1. Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake 10-15 sec.
  2. Strain into chilled champagne flute.


I’m Not Dead Yet

  • 1 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey
  • 3/4 oz St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
  • 3/4 oz Aperol
  • 1-2 dashes rhubarb bitters
  1. Chill an old fashioned glass with ice and water
  2. Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice and stir
  3. Strain into chilled glass over fresh ice.


Pomegranate Martini

  1. Chill cocktail glass with ice and water
  2. Stir all ingredients, except foam, with ice
  3. Add St. Germaine Elderflower Foam to chilled glass
  4. Strain drink through foam into glass
  5. Repair foam and flame drink with Misto of Chartreuse


Vodka Martini

  • 2 oz. vodka
  • ½ oz. St. Germaine Elderflower Liqueur
  • ½ oz. sweet vermouth
  • dash rhubarb bitters
  1. Chill cocktail glass with ice and water
  2. Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass and stir with ice
  3. Strain into chilled glass


Kănĭgĭt

“Go away you English Kanigits or I’ll taunt you a second time” (if you don’t know where that quote comes from – Don’t admit it!)

  • 1 1/2 oz. vodka
  • ½ oz. St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
  • 1 ½  oz. lemon sour
    • or: 1 1/3 oz. lemon juice and 2/3 oz. simple syrup (1/3 oz = 1 tsp.)
  • dash grapefruit bitters
  1. Chill cocktail glass with ice and water
  2. Add all ingredients to shaker
  3. Shake well with ice 10 – 15 sec.
  4. Strain into chilled glass
  5. Garnish with lemon peal


Lemon Drop

One thing we like less than cloyingly sweet drinks is making one for someone.  So this is our interpretation of this classic.

  • 1 ½ oz. citrus vodka
  • ½ oz. lemon juice
  • ½ oz. pineapple juice
  • ½ oz. St Germain Elderflower Liqueur
  • ½ oz. simple syrup
  1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
  2. Add all ingredients to shaker
  3. Shake well with ice 10 – 15 sec.
  4. Strain into chilled glass
  5. Garnish with a lemon twist


San Antonio Cloud

I found the recipe on a scrap of paper along with a bunch of other little “notes to self” hiding in my desk a few years ago. There was no reference on it, so I have no idea where it came from. Anyway, it’s a tequila based cocktail with the tartness and color of pomegranate. The elderflower foam floating on top makes for a pretty as well as delicious drink. (A valentine favorite!)

  • 1 ½ oz. Milagro Plata Tequila
  • 1 oz. pomegranate juice
  • dash rhubarb bitters
  • dash 2:1 simple syrup
  • St. Germaine Elderflower Foam
  • Misto of Chartreuse
  1. Chill cocktail glass with ice and water
  2. Stir all ingredients, except foam, with ice
  3. Add St. Germaine Elderflower Foam to chilled glass
  4. Strain drink through foam into glass
  5. Flame drink with Misto of Chartreuse

Cheers!

 



Spam-aríta

  • 1.5 oz. Milagro Plata Tequila
  • ½ oz. St. Germaine Elderflower Liqueur
  • 2 oz. lemon sour
    • or: 1 1/3 oz. lemon juice and 2/3 oz. simple syrup (1/3 oz = 2 tsp.)
  • dash Regan’s Orange bitters
  • dash Angostura Orange Bitters
  1. Chill cocktail glass with ice and water
  2. Add all ingredients to shaker
  3. Shake well with ice 10 – 15 sec.
  4. Strain into chilled glass
  5. Garnish with lemon peal