Gin Mint Martini |
Sunday is Mother’s Day, and you’re probably taking your mom out to brunch (the Wild Grape Bistro in downtown Salt Lake City is a nice place, as is the Dodo), or having her over to your place for brunch or dinner. That will be the time to impress her by exhibiting a degree of savoir faire that she never suspected you possessed. Whether ordering at a restaurant or offering cocktails in your own dining room, Mother will love it when you offer her a cocktail tailored to her taste. If Mom has a favorite cocktail, and you know what it is, you could start there. On the other hand, she might enjoy something different. Here are some suggestions, ordered by the amount of alcohol that they contain, to help Mother relax. Here’s hoping that you and Mom have a most pleasant Mother’s Day.
The traditional Champagne Cocktail is so simple that I have never even blogged a recipe for it. Just drop a sugar cube into a champagne flute, add 2-3 dashes of Angostura Bitters, and fill the flute with Champagne. The recipes for the Kir and the Kir Royale are even easier: Crème de Cassis and dry white wine for the Kir and substitute dry sparkling wine for the Kir Royale.
Another classic that’s almost as simple is the Cranberry Champagne Cocktail. All it takes is a little Grand Marnier (or a good Triple Sec like Cointreau or Gran Gala Orange Liqueur), a generous splash of cranberry juice, and some Champagne. If Mom’s in the mood for something a little stronger than a Champagne cocktail, try a French 75 – a reliable Champagne (and Gin) cocktail that has a nice kick.
If Mom needs something even stronger yet, you can let her try a Cosmopolitan. While a good Cosmo is pink, not red, adding more Cranberry juice can add color and flavor to Mother’s taste. In the case that you really were a handful for Mom, she might already be a Martini drinker. In that case she is probably ready for a Classic Martini, or you might want to let her try James Bond’s favorite Vesper Martini.