Bottoms Up
One-of-a-kind cocktails to kick off the season.
Capital Cosmopolitan (aka $1,000 Luxury Martini)
Courtesy of The Capital Grille, Palm Beach Gardens
2 oz. Belvedere Cytrus
¾ oz. Cointreau
½ oz. lime juice
2 oz. cranberry juice
Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a lemon twist (if a $1,000 bracelet is not available).
The Flaming Lip
Courtesy of Levin Glane, Cielo by Angela Hartnett, Boca Raton
2 oz. Stoli Vanil vodka
1 oz. Liquor 43
1½ passion fruit puree
Shake ingredients hard with ice and Thai chilies. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a Thai chili.
Lavender-White Peach Julep
Courtesy of Forté di Asprinio, West Palm Beach
3½ oz. white peach puree
½ oz. lavender honey
2 oz. Maker’s Mark bourbon
2 oz. lavender Dry soda
5 pieces fresh mint
Muddle mint with the peach puree and lavender honey in a mixing glass. Add bourbon. Top with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a rocks glass filled with chipped ice. Top with lavender Dry soda (or soda water, if unavailable) and serve.
Cucumber-Honeydew “French 75”
Courtesy of Forté di Asprinio, West Palm Beach
2 oz. Hanger One vodka
1½ oz. simple syrup
½ oz. fresh lemon juice
2 oz. Champagne
1 oz. honeydew melon puree
1 oz. English cucumber puree
1 ea honeydew melon ball, skewered
Combine all ingredients, except Champagne and melon ball, in a mixing glass 3/4 full of ice. Shake very vigorously and strain into a chilled martini glass. Top finished martini with Champagne. Garnish with skewered melon ball and serve.
Edelweiss
Courtesy of Ame Brewster, Café Boulud, Palm Beach
2 1/2 oz. Hendrick’s Gin
1 3/4 oz. St. Germain Elderflower liqueur
1/2 oz. dry vermouth
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
Shake ingredients in a martini shaker over ice. Strain into cold martini glass. Garnish with thin cucumber wheel.
Cucumber Basil Mojito
Courtesy of The Ritz Carlton Palm Beach, Manalapan
2 oz. 10 Cane Rum
1 cucumber, peeled and cut into 1/4 –inch slices.
4 basil leaves
3/4 oz. simple syrup
Quarter three cucumber slices and muddle with basil and simple syrup in a mixing glass. Add rum and fill with ice. Shake and pour into a tall glass. Top with a dash of soda water and garnish with a cucumber wheel and stick of sugar cane.
