Monday, July 20, 2009

Aviation Cocktail


Once you pick up a rare bottle of the Crème de Violette liqueur you'll want to try the Aviation Cocktail as well which became all the rage when man first started to fly at the turn of the century.

INGREDIENTS
2 ounces gin
½ ounce lemon juice
⅓ ounce Maraschino liqueur
⅙ ounce Crème de Violette

DIRECTIONS
Combine the first three ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake to chill well, then strain into a cocktail glass. Drizzle the Crème de Violette into the glass and garnish with a lemon twist.

Blue Moon Cocktail

Hola!
Forty years ago today on July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first men to walk on the moon and let's not forget to give kudos to fellow astronaut Michael Collins who was the command module pilot for Apollo 11.

I started thinking about our fascination with the moon and every moon-related product there is. On this occasion you can relive the moment with the many specials on TV tonight or watch a space related movie such as Apollo 13 with a moon pie in one hand and a Blue Moon Cocktail in the other.

Crème de Violette is an elusive lavender-hued liqueur, with the fleeting taste and aroma of spring violets, from which it's made or so I'm told? This liqueur is so difficult to find I have yet to taste this elixir. If you venture to make this drink let me know how it tastes.

INGREDIENTS
2 ounces gin
1/2 ounce Crème de Violette
1/4 ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice, strainedcocktails out of this little bottle

DIRECTIONS
Shake or stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass;
Garnish with a twist of lemon.