If you're looking for the next zeitgeist-in-a-glass, skip the fruity martinis and lo-carb coolers. The latest in potables is a garden party cocktail with floral flavours.
Toronto's 8 Resto-Lounge launched floral cocktails this week to herald spring, mixing vodka with a line of infused syrups from France (look for crème de rose, crème de violet, rosewater and other essences at specialty food shops) to make three signature martinis: rose, violet and lavender. They manage to be crisp, sweet and fragrant without tasting like eau de cologne.
"They're very summery, but you have to sip them," bartender Sandra Manstrone says, adding that they are more intense than the usual juicy highball summer drinks such as cosmos or mojitos.
If you don't have a specialty syrup on hand, Food & Wine magazine's pocketbook Cocktails 2006 ($21.95 on newsstands) has this adaptable recipe for lavender syrup: Heat three ounces simple syrup (you can make 1½ cups of simple syrup by dissolving one cup of sugar in one cup water) and add two teaspoons of dried lavender.
For gorgeous finishing touches, rim glasses in flavoured sugar (ideally it should match the syrup flavour) and float gorgeous edible flowers, such as violas and phlox (8 orders them from Cookstown Greens, 705-458-9077), on top.
An easier route is to use a floral liqueur such as Alizé Rose, a combination of passion fruit, strawberry, lychee, cognac, vodka and rose that hit stores recently. It works in cocktails or served straight up over ice.
The key to a fine floral cocktail is going easy on the bouquet, says Laura Panter of Toronto's Martini Club. Otherwise, you risk mixing a potion better suited to granny's perfume collection than your taste buds.
"You have to use florals very carefully to get just a nuance," says Panter, who started serving pear and lavender martinis about a year ago, and now plays with rose and jasmine too. "It's almost more for the nose than the palate."
Stylish gal about town Milka Mili, who works as events and promotions co-ordinator for the Liberty Entertainment Group, says the rose martini is her current drink of choice. "It's pretty and feminine, very unique in its flavour and is beautifully presented."
But guys like them too, Manstrone says. "They order them, but they request only white flowers as garnish."
8 Resto-Lounge's Rose Martini
2 ounces vodka
½ ounces crème de rose
rose-flavoured sugar
edible flower
Rim a martini glass with flavoured sugar. Mix vodka and rose syrup in a martini shaker with ice. Pour into glass. Float flower in liquid.
