Cooking Lesson #1026: Cherry Blossom Cocktail

…from the Perspectives’ Happy Hour Bar

ow you doin’? Cherry blossoms in bloom is a sure sign of spring! This year, the cherry blossoms reached peak bloom on March 28th in Washington, D.C. How did they get there? It was a long journey. In a ceremony on March 27, 1912, First Lady Helen Herron Taft and Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese ambassador, planted the first two of these trees on the north bank of the Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park.
 
At the end of the ceremony, the First Lady presented Viscountess Chinda with a bouquet of 'American Beauty' roses. These two trees still stand at the terminus of 17th Street Southwest, marked by a large plaque. By 1915, the United States government had responded with a gift of flowering dogwood trees to the people of Japan.
 
From 1913 to 1920, trees of the Somei-Yoshino variety, which comprised 1800 of the gifts, were planted around the Tidal Basin. Trees of the other 11 cultivars, and the remaining Yoshinos, were planted in East Potomac Park. In 1927, a group of American school children re-enacted the first planting. This event is recognized as the first D.C. cherry blossom festival. In 1934, the District of Columbia Commissioners sponsored a three-day celebration of the flowering cherry trees.
 
On December 8th, 1941, several members of Congress tried to pass a bill to destroy the Japanese cheery blossom trees.  Wiser heads prevailed.
 
Now you can celebrate the Cherry Blossom Festival wherever you are with my Cherry Blossom Cocktail—it’s easy and delicious.
 
Ingredients 
Salt as needed
1-1/2 ounces 1800 Silver Tequila
1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
1 ounce grapefruit juice
1/4 ounce cherry juice (or grenadine)
Grapefruit slice or maraschino cherry for garnish
 
Directions

1. Dip the rim of a martini glass in lime juice and salt the rim of a glass.
2. Pour the tequila, lime juice , grapefruit juice and cherry juice into shaker with ice and shake well.
3. Strain into the salt rimmed martini glass straight up or serve over ice.
4. Garnish with a grapefruit slice or cherry.

ChefSecret:  If you’re in a place where there is a cherry tree still in bloom, garnish with a sprig of cherry blossoms.

Quip of the Day:  What did the cherry blossom say to the bee? “Bee-hold my beauty!”
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to  Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.

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