If you're a long time reader you'll know that I find it hard to resist a good bit of kitsch and Valentines Day has to be the kitchiest holiday out there. My husband and I don't really make a big deal of it as it's very close to his birthday, is my sister's birthday and is a month after our officially being a couple anniversary but you better believe that I use it as a reason to treat us to a good dinner and a few nice drinkies - any excuse eh!
My love for the cocktail has had a bit of a renaissance over the last few months, mainly I think because our booze cabinet got a lot of new additions over the holiday season and that sparked back up my love of drink creating (and taste testing, hic). After learning about iconic brand Luxardo's exclusive first venture into gin with drink experts 31 Dover I knew that I just had to use this ruby red cherry infused delight in a Valentines drink. Luckily I also stumbled upon 31 Dover's champagne selection and it became obvious - a twist on the classic French 75 was the way to go.
The Luxardo Sour Cherry Gin* is an absolute treat, not at all syrupy like a liqueur but with the true juniper bite of a good gin and a slightly spicey warming range of botanicals behind it that finishes in juicy cherry with a pronounced sour zing. It's gorgeous as is over ice and it works a treat with a softer tonic that lets the cherry sing, but I know it will be finding it's way into many a cocktail over the next few weeks.
Thanks to my Mum my champagne of choice is usually a bottle of Moët & Chandon Brut Impérial* as its what I always remember her drinking, but go for whatever you fancy and can afford. I'm also a big fan of Pol Roger and Veuve Clicquot.
Please do feel free to serve this drink in a flute as is the norm, I just much prefer drinking out of a coupe or champagne saucer and so I do. As we're in blood orange season I simply had to use them here but feel free to use normal orange if you can't find it or if you like things really sour go for lemon juice instead.
French Kiss 75
Makes 1 (because Valentines Day is a great excuse for celebrating self love too)
Ingredients
25ml Luxardo Sour Cherry Gin
15ml freshly squeezed blood orange juice
10ml simple syrup (I make my own using this recipe but you can buy it)
Moët & Chandon Brut Impérial to top
Orange zest twist or cocktail cherry to garnish
Method
Put the cherry gin, simple syrup and blood orange juice into a shaker with some ice and shake vigorously, then strain into your glass. Top up with Moët and finish with a strip of orange peel or a cocktail cherry if you wish - I forego this and just squeeze the zest strip over the drink to release the scented oils so I can drink it quicker, ha!
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