There is nothing better than a girl’s night, and a girl’s night with a cocktail tasting menu is the best night ever. I love to surprise my friends with a night full of a variety of different cocktails that really expands their palate and allows them to try different flavors and spirit combinations. It’s so much fun. For this cocktail tasting menu I decided to introduce two different vodka cocktails, a gin cocktail, and a rum cocktail. All are perfect for a day by the pool, but different in every way.
The first cocktail is “The Summer Garden”. This fresh and delicious cocktail is made with cucumber vodka, elderflower liqueur, violet syrup, lemon juice, mint, and topped with an elderflower violet foam. This cocktail is light and refreshing with a delicious floral aroma and taste.
Next, I introduced a delicious “Limoncello Blueberry Lemon Granita Martini” made with delicious Yellowfin Vodka. This cocktail is made with a simple and easy granita. I love to make this delicious treat using different fruits.
Rum cocktails are perfect for a day by the pool. They are the ultimate tropical spirit and can often be light and refreshing on a hot day. These “Razzmatazz Daiquiris” are made with delicious muddled raspberries, raspberry syrup, lime juice, sherry and a little bit of toasted coconut syrup.
Finally, the beautiful “Pinkies Up” cocktails are made with delicious and beautiful Empress 1908 gin. This spirit is made with butterfly pea flower which gives it the beautiful lavender hue.
Limoncello Blueberry Lemon Granita Martini
Limoncello Blueberry Lemon Granita Martini2 tablespoons Blueberry Lemon granita
2 ounce Yellowfin Vodka
1 ounce Limoncello
½ ounce lemon juice
Place the granita in a martini glass and freeze until ready to serve. Add the yellowfin vodka and limoncello to a shaker filled with ice. Shae to combine and pour over the granita.
Garnish with frozen blueberries and a lemon wheel.
to make the blueberry lemon granita: Combine 2 cups blueberry simple syrup, 2 cups water, and ½ cup lemon juice. Freeze and scrape with a fork every 3 hours.
The Summer Garden
4 mint leaves
2 ounce cucumber vodka
1 ounce elderflower liqueur (I use St. Germain)
1 ounce lemon juice
½ ounce rose syrup
2 drops Love Potion No. 9 bitters
In a cocktail shaker, muddle the mint leaves until the oils are released. Add ice, cucumber vodka, elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, rose syrup, and bitters.
Shake vigorously to combine and strain into a martini glass.
Top with an elderflower rose foam and garnish with a sprig of mint.
For the elderflower rose foam:
Add 4 egg whites to a whipped cream maker, add ¼ cup elderflower liqueur, and 2 teaspoons rose liqueur. Add the co2 cartridge and shake 5 times to combine.
Razzmatazz Daiquiris
2-3 raspberries, muddled
2 ounce white rum
¼ ounce sherry
¾ ounce lime juice
½ ounce raspberry syrup
½ toasted coconut syrup
Muddle the raspberries in a shaker. Add ice and add the rum, sherry, lime juice, raspberry and coconut syrups. Shake vigorously to combine. Strain into a coupe glass.
Garnish with frozen raspberries and a lime wedge.
Pinkies Up
2 ounces Empress 1908 Gin
½ ounce elderflower liqueur (I used St. Germain)
½ ounce lemon juice
½ ounce Maraschino liqueur
Using a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the gin, elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, and Maraschino liqueur. Shake vigorously to combine. Strain into a champagne glass.
Garnish with a Maraschino cherry, top with champagne or sparkling wine.
You can find all of these recipes & many more at loulousucre.com