For a long time, the Cosmopolitan was my go-to cocktail. It’s fun and ladylike, and very drinkable. And though it's relatively innocent looking, it packs a pretty powerful punch. It truly is one of the greatest cocktails around! But alas, my palate has finally grown a little weary of the flavor of cranberry juice. I do still enjoy the idea of cheery pink drinks - even more so during the month of October, when sporting the color pink is a great way to show your support for the Breast Cancer Awareness cause. (Of course, there are many serious ways to contribute, but why not have a little fun and include a few cocktails?)
So, earlier this month, I decided to update my repertoire with some new pink drinks. I looked for easy recipes, with just a handful of ingredients. Here are my favorite finds so far:
Pink Lady
2 oz gin
1 oz brandy
1 oz cream
½ oz Grenadine
Instructions: Shake and strain into a champagne saucer or martini glass. No garnish needed.
Oh my… the Pink Lady was SO nice. It's quite pink, with a wonderful flavor and balanced level of sweetness. As a side note, you could substitute milk for the cream, and it will taste just as good, but the texture may not look as smooth. So, it's probably best to stick with cream when serving this drink to guests. (Home bars are exempt from displaying calorie contents, right?)
Pink Silk Panties
1 oz vodka
½ oz peach schnapps
Dash of grenadine
Instructions: Shake and strain into a small martini glass or a large shot glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Funny name, but very tasty drink, and pretty strong! As a variation the second time around, I added a splash of cold club soda, and in my opinion, that made the flavor even more fabulous. (It lightened the color a little, but the drink still had a beautiful pink hue.)
Kir Royale
½ oz Crème de Cassis
Champagne
Instructions: Pour the Crème de Cassis in a champagne flute, and top with champagne.
It’s that easy! And such a lovely drink. As a side note, the original “Kir” cocktail was made with Crème de Cassis and white wine. Substituting champagne for white wine makes it “Royale”. And if you prefer the raspberry flavor of Chambord, you can substitute that for the Crème de Cassis, and that would make it a Kir “Imperial”. Whichever way you like it, it’s a winner.
I hope you’ll have a chance to try these pink drinks, if you haven't already. Cheers!