Appletini & Cosmopolitan
For those who like sweeter drinks, here’s two drinks to try! Don’t they look colorful? Pictured left to right: The Appletini and the Cosmopolitan. Perfect colors for a Merry Christmas.
The origins of the Cosmopolitan (Cosmo, for short) are debated, but the drink appears to date back to the 1970s. However, the drink really gained popularity with its mention on Sex and the City. Sarah Jessica Parker’s character Carrie Bradshaw was known to drink them. I believe the Appletini, on the other hand, is a more recent drink. I didn’t notice its appearance on restaurant drink menus unitl the late 1990s.
What you’ll need:
For the Cosmopolitan: vodka, triple sec (or cointreau), cranberry juice, and lemon or lime juice (a bonus if it’s fresh!)
For the Appletini: vodka, apple schnapps, and maraschino cherries.
I know I’ve said this before, but it’s typical when mixing up martinis. Chill a martini glass in the refrigerator or on ice. You’ll put your ingredients in a shaker over cracked ice. Shake (or stir) briskly; then strain into your chilled glass. For the Cosmopolitan, pour 1 1/2 ounces Vodka, 1 ounce Triple Sec, and 2 ounces Cranberry Juice into your shaker. Add a dash of lemon or lime juice. You can add a twist of lemon or lime peel to the drink when served. For the Appletini, pour 1 1/2 ounces Vodka and 2 ounces Apple Schnapps into your shaker. Garnish with a maraschino cherry or two.
How I like them:
Proportions for these drinks might very, but I use the ones mentioned above. For both drinks, I used a relatively new vodka I happend upon. It’s called Bee Vodka. Apparently it’s distilled from honey by the Hidden Marsh Distillery in Seneca Falls, New York. I picked up the bottle at the Montezuma Winery nearby. I can’t say that I can taste the honey. It’s not like I drink the vodka straight, but I did notice you can smell a hint of the honey. For this particular Cosmopolitan, I used a White Cranberry Strawberry juice I picked up at a local supermarket. Yum! For the Appletini, I used DeKuyper “Original Sour Apple Pucker Sweet & Sour Schnapps.” That way I don’t have to add a sweet and sour mix that most recipes call for.
By the way, these were quite popular at the recent holiday party I hosted.
As always, drink responsibly.
The Poisoned Martini 