Electrify Me

A great lesson I learned from planning my wedding is that traditions are what you make them. In any celebration, we have the choice of which traditional components to accept and which to set aside in favor of more personalized practices. The same applies to Valentine's Day. My husband and I are always open to another excuse to celebrate our relationship but we don't entirely play by the rules. We try to do a staycation and a nice dinner sometime during the month of February because we've found experiences to often be more meaningful than possessions.

Instead of giving your partner or galentine flowers this week, consider sharing an experience with them by putting your effort into a beautiful, aromatic, and memorable cocktail. This drink takes inspiration from a timeless bouquet of roses, but I wanted to take the floral element in a different, surprising direction and to break the stereotype of floral drinks being a feminine enjoyment. 

I knew I wanted to build the drink on a base of gin but chose a more complex option - St. George Dry Rye Gin. I love that this gin is less Juniper forward and offers the rich grain finish of warm spice, similar to a rye whiskey. If you're weary of gins but haven't tried this one yet, it may just change your mind with its smooth yet peppery flavor. I further enhanced that electrifying kick with a 24 hour infusion of black peppercorns. The infusion is quite easy to achieve - simply add gin and cracked peppercorns to a glass jar in the proportions detailed below, then strain with a fine mesh strainer when finished. 

The peppery spice provided an excellent juxtaposition to the other key ingredient in this cocktail - hibiscus rose syrup. This syrup is made with dried hibiscus flowers and rosebuds (find these on Amazon or at a nicer grocery store) and is both tart and delicately floral. Both the hibiscus flowers and rosebuds also give the syrup, and the resulting cocktail, a stunning deep pink hue.

I finished the drink with egg white to smooth out the pepper to a palatable level and added some fresh lemon to enhance the tartness and help develop the egg white foam. To finish the cocktail, you can garnish with either fresh rose petals or the dried rosebuds you used for the syrup. The resulting drink is tart, pleasantly floral with an electrifying touch of peppery spice. 

Electrify Me

  • 1.5 oz black peppercorn-infused Dry Rye Gin*
  • 1 oz hibiscus rose syrup**
  • 0.5 oz fresh-squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 egg white

To make cocktail, shake all ingredients without ice for about 10 seconds, occasionally releasing the pressure built up in the shaker. Add ice and shake until chilled. Double strain into a coupe glass and garnish with fresh flower petals or dried rosebuds. Enjoy with mood lighting and good company.

* For black peppercorn-infused Dry Rye Gin, add 1/2 tbsp freshly cracked black peppercorns and 1 cup of Dry Rye Gin to a glass jar and allow to sit for 24 hours, shaking occasionally. Strain with a fine mesh strainer.

*To make hibiscus rose syrup, add 1 tbsp dried hibiscus flowers, 1 heaping tbsp rosebuds and 1/4 cup sugar to a small saucepan with 1 cup water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes, then strain and allow to cool. Store excess in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

Thanks to Belen Aquino for the stunning cocktail photography!

Midnight Soirée

In Eastern European culture, New Year's Eve is undoubtedly considered the most significant party of the year. What I find most special is how that significance is expressed. It's not about what you do and where you go, but rather who you are with. I grew up with countless memories of my family joining forces with their friends to create unforgettable celebrations - full of good food, drink and even silly performances. The depth of these experiences are simply incomparable to an impersonal night out.

Starting with my college years, my priority has been to greet the new year surrounded by my closest friends. As I don't get to see some of these wonderful people often enough, I aim to spoil them with a variety of delicious cocktails. However, I also want to ensure that my recipes are efficient enough to leave me time to partake in the festivities. This particular creation is unique in flavor, festive in hue and quick to serve up in bulk.

In honor of the upcoming Year of the Rooster, I wanted to craft a naturally red sparkling cocktail. Hibiscus flowers came to mind as a source of both beautiful color and tartness. I incorporated the flowers via a liquor infusion rather than cold brewing them as a tea to keep the cocktail strong and full of bright flavor. One of my other key goals was make this drink a true crowd pleaser for both ladies and gentlemen (a goal that can be difficult to achieve with sparkling cocktails). With this aim, I chose to feature KOVAL white rye as the main spirit. After experimenting with this white rye on multiple occasions, I've found it to be versatile like a vodka but with the pleasant finish of rye spice. Infusing it with hibiscus flowers enhanced rather than dampened this wealth of flavor.

I rounded out the cocktail with KOVAL's rose hip liqueur, lemon and Cava. The jammy, citrusy rose hip liqueur paired perfectly with the hibiscus flavors while the lemon balanced the liqueur's sweetness. A hearty splash of Cava rounded off the drink with the obligatory celebratory bubbles without overshadowing the other ingredients (this $7 bottle gets the job done without breaking the bank). The resulting cocktail is delightfully sour, lightly spiced and pleasantly effervescent.

The Midnight Soirée

  • 1.5 oz hisbiscus-infused KOVAL white rye*

  • 1 oz KOVAL rosehip liqueur

  • Juice of 1/4 lemon

  • Cava, to top

Add first three ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake until chilled. Strain into your favorite festive glass and top with Cava to taste. If you're feeling especially crafty, garnish with a DIY tinsel swizzle stick (they're surprisingly quick to make). Enjoy while counting down to midnight in your shnazziest attire. 

*To make hibiscus-infused white rye, add 4:1 ratio of white rye to dried hibiscus flowers to a mason jar and allow to sit for 5 hours, shaking occasionally. Strain, label and store unused portion for up to several months.

Thanks to Belen Aquino for the stunning cocktail photography and to Gather Vintage Tablescapes for the lovely MCM glasses.