I’m on a major Valentine’s Day kick right now! I went to K & L Wines last week and loaded up on some new liqueurs, so I’ve been brimming over with cocktail creativity this week. One of my favorite new picks from the store was Lillet, a French aperitif wine from Podensac, a small village south of Bordeaux. It's smooth and it mixes well with stronger spirits, in this case, Veev was a perfect match for it.
After I created my
Elderflower Fizz cocktail last week, I kept going and made this new drink with Veev, Lillet, ruby red grapefruit juice, cranberry juice and sparkling soda. I call my new Valentine’s Day inspired drink
Fifty Shades of Pink! Ha, I know.
Yes, the new Fifty Shades Darker (sequel to the big blockbuster movie Fifty Shades of Grey) just came out, and all of the widespread marketing probably subconsciously swayed my mind when naming this drink, but it actually was a happy accident in the making.
I made grenadine-flavored ice to add a hint of sweetness to my pink drink, but as it melted, the red colored and heart-shaped ice cubes slowly started to turn the cocktail darker shades of pink, hence the Fifty Shades of Pink cocktail!
Add 2-3 heart ice cubes, along with regular ice cubes when making your cocktail. If you like a sweeter drink, add additional heart ice cubes and stir the drink as they melt to blend the flavors.
Could you get a more Valentine’s Day-themed cocktail?! Pink. Red hearts. Sexy name. If you plan on seeing Fifty Shades Darker for V-Day, then turn up the heat before of after the movie with my Fifty Shades of Pink cocktail – trust me, it’s well worth it.
Fifty Shades of Pink Cocktail
Ingredients:
2 oz Veev
3/4 oz Lillet
1 ½ oz ruby red grapefruit juice
1/2 oz cranberry juice
2 oz sparkling water (lemon flavored)
ice
*red heart-shaped ice
Garnish:
dill or mint
*Red heart-shaped ice
Ingredients:
1 cup cold water
1 oz grenadine
Red heart-shaped ice: Mix 1 cup cold water with 1 oz of grenadine and freeze in a heart-shaped silicone ice tray. Add 2-3 ice cubes, along with regular ice cubes when making your cocktail. If you like a sweeter drink, add more ice cubes and stir the drink as they milk to blend flavors.
Directions:
Add Veev, Lillet, grapefruit juice, cranberry juice and some ice into a cocktail shaker. Secure shaker top and shake until tin turns frosty cold. Strain liquid into a glass of fresh ice and top with sparkling soda water. Add red heart-shaped ice and a dill or mint sprig. Enjoy!
