Whether you go solo, with friends, or are with your true love, everyone should enjoy a special Valentine’s Day-themed cocktail. Here are recipes for five red cocktails Gillian and her fellow bartenders served during a busy Valentine’s Saturday night at the George & Dragon Public House in Becker Circle.
RED NAIL
1 oz. your favorite vodka
1 oz. Campari
Mix in cocktail glass, add four ice cubes, and let the drink sit for a few minutes before serving.
LADY KILLER
1 oz. gin
½ oz. orange liqueur
½ oz. apricot brandy
2 oz. passion-fruit juice
2 oz. pineapple juice
This one’s more pink then red. Shake ingredients with ice in a shaker, strain into a champagne flute or highball glass over ice and garnish it with mint and a cherry.
LOVE BITE
1 oz. cherry liqueur
1 oz. orange liqueur (clear works best)
1 oz. cream
Pour the cherry liqueur into a cocktail glass. Layer the orange liqueur on top by pouring over the back of a tea spoon. Top with cream. Add an orange wedge garnish to dress it up.
SCARLETT O’HARA
2 oz. Southern Comfort
Splash of lime juice
6 oz. cranberry juice
This recipe varies with some suggesting whiskey or amaretto. Any good southerner will only use Southern Comfort. Pour Southern Comfort and lime juice into a highball glass filled with ice. Fill with cranberry juice. Garnish with a lime wedge.
RED HOT SHOT
¼ oz. silver tequila
¾ oz. cinnamon schnapps (Aftershock Hot & Cool is red)
There are many varieties of this recipe, but this is my favorite. Stir the ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and strain into a shot glass. If you want to get really fancy, pulse about 8 cinnamon hard candies in a food processor until ground into a powder. Add about 2 teaspoons salt. Run a lemon wedge around the shot glasses and dip them into the cinnamon-salt mix. Instead, you can tiny red and white baking sprinkles.
Please don’t drink and drive or drink and dial.
