Cooking Lesson #411: Blood Orange Elderflower Gin Cocktail

…from the California Kitchen Happy Hour Bar

How you doin’? My refreshing elderflower gin cocktail gets a pop of color and flavor from the addition of blood orange juice. It uses two of my favorite flavors—St. Germain and blood oranges.
 
What are blood oranges? Where do the best blood oranges come from? Blood oranges thrive in Mediterranean climates such as Italy, Spain and Malta and California, Arizona, Texas and Florida.
 
Blood oranges are subtly sweet and taste as if they have been infused with tangy red grapefruit and hints of tart cherries and raspberries. Blood oranges are delightful simply eaten out of hand, but don't stop there. In Sicily, freshly squeezed blood orange juice is a typical addition to the breakfast table.
 
St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur is a sublime liqueur created with wild, handpicked elderflowers and made in the traditional French style, using a process that has existed for centuries. Following an exquisite elderflower liqueur recipe, it is only available in limited quantities. Each bottle of St-Germain is numbered and marked with the vintage year that reflects the year in which the flowers were harvested.
 
These two flavors make one of the best, most refreshing cocktails anytime of the year.
 
Prep Time:  5 minutes
Yield:  1 serving
 
Ingredients 
1 ounce gin (your choice—I use Hendrick’s)
3/4 ounce St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
2-1/2 ounces chilled ginger ale
1 ounce fresh-squeezed blood orange juice
 
Directions

1. In a serving glass, combine gin, St. Germain, lime juice and ginger ale.
2. Top glass with ice.
3. Slowly pour in blood orange juice.
4. Garnish with blood orange slices and fresh lemon thyme sprigs, if desired.
5. Serve immediately.

ChefSecret:  Lemon thyme is one of the many varieties of thyme. It looks just like regular thyme… long, thin sprigs with tiny spear-shaped green leaves. You'll notice a difference immediately when you crush a few of its leaves and breathe in its sweet, lemony fragrance.

Quip of the Day: “Not to get technical, but according to chemistry ALCOHOL is a solution.”
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