Oh, you kids.
Those of you who actually enjoy this crackpot holiday on which we honor a decapitated Roman martyr in the name of romance: What can I really say but “Good On Ya?” You don’t want bitters-driven libations to lubricate your already blissfully juicy evening! Of course you don’t. No habanero-infused ice cubes for you, thank you very much, you’re generating plenty of heat on your own. Aren’t ya?
Yeah.
Here are some romancey cocktails for you and your sweetheart, Sweetheart. Don’t say I never did nuthin’ for ya.
Amande Kiss
Ingredients
1.5 oz. Patron XO Cafe
1.25 oz. Almond Cream*
.5 oz. Soy milk with vanilla nutmeg powder
Dash of chocolate bitters
Directions: Shake all ingredients with ice. Strain into an Old Fashioned glass with ice that has been rimmed with almond powder and nutmeg
Almond Cream: Liquid cream infused for 24 hours with almond milk, then filtered. Your humble partner in taking it down a notch suggests that one might experiment with a teensy drop of almond extract and see what happens. It’ll probably be less subtle but it won’t take two days to make.
NOLET’S Silver Red Red Rose(mary)
Ingredients
1.25 oz. NOLET’S Silver Dry Gin
.75 oz. Meyer Lemon Syrup
1oz. Meyer Lemon Juice
Raspberries and Rosemary
Directions: Pour ingredients into a mixing glass with ice. Shake well. Strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a fresh rosemary sprig and fresh raspberries.
Rose Colored Glass
Ingredients
.25 oz. Angostura bitters
.75 oz. lemon juice
1 oz. simple syrup
Crémant d’Alsace Rosé (My favorite is Lucien Albrecht but you can probably use any decent dry pink for this.)
Lemon twist or rose petals for garnish (I think the rose petal is the way to go, personally.)
Directions: Shake bitters, lemon juice and simple syrup and strain over ice into a flute or coupe glass. Top off with three ounces Crémant d’Alsace Rose. Garnish with lemon twist or rose petal.
Star of the Night
Ingredients
1.5 oz. Samuel Adams Cold Snap
1.5 oz. Botanist Gin
0.5 oz. lemon juice
0.5 oz. honey syrup
.25 oz. Barrow’s Intense Ginger Liqueur
Directions: Combine all ingredients except beer into shaker and shake. Pour into a coupe glass. Top with Sam Adam’s Cold Snap. Garnish with floating star anise and candied ginger on a cocktail pick.
Bittersweet Boba
Created by Pam Wiznitzer, Seamstress
Ingredients
.5 oz. Campari
2.5 oz. Strong Brewed Black Tea
1 oz. Milk
1 oz. Vanilla Syrup
.5 oz. Grand Marnier
Campari-infused Tapioca Boba*
Directions: Rim glass with edible red glitter and fill with Campari-infused boba. Shake all ingredients and strain over the boba.
*Campari-infused Tapioca Boba: Purchase plain boba (available online or at specialty grocery stores) and boil for about 30 minutes. Drain boba from pot and let steep in a mixture of 1 cup Campari and 1/3 cup sugar.
Basil Cranberry Fix
Created by Willy Shine, Brand Meister
Ingredients
1 part Jägermeister
1 part Bourbon
¾ part Lemon Juice
6-8 Aromatic Mint & Basil Leaves Muddled
4-5 Cranberries
¾ part Spiced Simple Syrup
Glass: Frozen 11 oz Old Fashioned Glass
Ice: Crushed ice
Garnish: Mint Sprig/Cranberries & Powdered Sugar
Directions: Muddle mint and basil leaves in a rocks glass and add ice. In a separate glass combine Jägermeister, Bourbon, Lemon Juice, and Spiced Simple Syrup. Shake and strain over muddled mint and basil leaves. Garnish with a mint sprig, cranberries and powdered sugar.
Coconuts for You
Ingredients
1 oz. Cazadores Reposado
1 oz. St Germain
1 oz. Perfect Puree coconut
2 oz. almond milk
Cocoa powder
Shaved chocolate?
Directions: In a cocktail shaker combine all the ingredients (except cocoa powder) with ice. Shake vigorously and serve up in a cocktail glass. Garnish with a dash of cocoa powder.
Tequila Me Softly
Ingredients
1 ½ oz. Tequila Cazadores Reposado
1 oz. Perfect Puree Hibiscus
½ oz. fresh lime juice
½ oz. agave nectar
Cinnamon sugar rim
Directions: In a cocktail shaker combine all the ingredients with ice and shake vigorously. Coat the rim of a margarita glass in cinnamon sugar. Serve cocktail over ice and garnish with a lime wheel.
Sugar Love
Ingredients
1 ½ parts Sugar Island Coconut Rum
1-2 strawberries
½ parts fresh lime juice
1-2 parts sweetener (agave or simple syrup)
Directions: Muddle sweetener and strawberries together; add lime, rum and ice. Shake and strain into a tall glass with ice. Top with a splash of ginger ale (diet optional) or ginger beer. Garnish with half a strawberry on the rim of the glass.