Blood Orange Martini

The blood orange is another winter fruit that you should be able to find in your grocery store this time of year. It is a vibrant red/orange color (hence then name) when you slice it) but the juice is a vibrant orange pink. It makes a really festive cocktail and has a wonderful sweet/tart citrus flavor.

Ingredients:

2 oz Effen or SKY blood orange liquor

2 oz fresh squeezed blood orange juice

1 oz fresh lime juice

1 oz orange liquor (Gran Gala is my favorite)

Add the vodka, juices and the liquor to an ice filled shaker. Shake well and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a colorful blood orange slice!

Winter Fruit Martini

It always seems odd to me that Grapefruit is a winter fruit but that is when you really see the nicest grapefruits and it is when they are in season. This holiday serve this refreshing martini as a precursor to your holiday dinner. Or, you can make a modified version of this as a Grapefruit Mimosa. To do this use a splash of grapefruit juice, a splash of Aperol and a splash of Elderflower liquor and top with champagne.

Ingredients:

2 oz Malfy Grapefruit Gin

1/2 oz Aperol

1 oz elderflower liquor

1/2-1 oz fresh lemon juice

Lemon peel or grapefruit slice for a garnish.

You can modify how tart you make this martini! If you like the bitter sweet orange flavors of the Aperol you can use 1 oz instead of 1/2 oz. If you do that, be sure to use a full oz of lemon juice to balance the sweetness of the Aperol and Elderflower. If you can’t find Grapefruit Gin then use regular gin and add 1 oz of grapefruit juice and only use 1/2 oz of the lemon juice.

Add all ingredients to a shaker full of ice. Shake well and strain into a coup or martini glass. Garnish with a lemon peel or a 1/2 of a grapefruit slice. Although my cocktail photo shows an Eva Menu I asked them to make this creation. After she delivered the drinks the bartender said,”I think I will start making this cocktail.”

Tis the season....

I love the holiday season. It has always been my favorite time of year. My husband and I got engaged by the Christmas tree at my parents house because being with family at home this time of year is so important to me. There is something about the music, the lights and the celebrations and connecting with family and friends that gives me hope even as the weather turns cold and bleak. But, I will admit that every year I say that I am going to start early with my preparations to avoid the stress and angst of last minute shopping and decorating, and every year I find myself torn between my Christmas to do list and wanting to enjoy these weeks leading up to Christmas without the stress of all of that. After all, Christmas is not about the presents or the decorations. In "A Charlie Brown Christmas" when Charlie Brown was fretting about getting the last, small, Christmas tree left on the lot, Charles Schultz used Linus' character to remind us about the true meaning of Christmas when he had Linus recite these words, And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and goodwill towards men. ' “That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown. It's about love, and kindness and the birth of a baby that was an example of love to the world. And, if you don't celebrate Christmas, I am sure that the holiday you celebrate has its own true meaning, and I'm sure it is not about gifts or lights or parties either.

So why do we all put so much pressure on ourselves to spend money on gifts that we can't afford and don't need? We rush from one task and party to another not even enjoying the moments with family and friends that are all too fleeting. If I think back to some of my favorite holiday memories they are things like lighting the candles in the midnight Christmas eve service as we sang, Silent Night; a sleigh ride with friends through Jackson, NH tasting chocolate as we went, watching Elf and Christmas vacation with the kids on Christmas Eve, building a snowman during a Christmas Eve snowstorm. None of these things are about presents, they are about spending time with those you love. This year, do yourself a favor. Step back and find some perspective. As I write this my list of holiday preparations sits on the counter and I think I need to find some perspective too. I think I will cross some of those things off my list to make time to be with the people I love, instead of buying more things for the people that I love. Let's celebrate the season by being present for the love and joy we have in our lives and not the presents under the tree.