This, my friends, is a London Scotland Strawberry Martini.  It’s a glorious concoction of gin, strawberry puree, grenadine, lemon juice, with a splash of champagne.  It’s sweet and refreshing.

You may have noticed that what had been planed all along to be a London Strawberry Martini, inspired by a visit to Café Intermezzo, was quickly renamed when B gently pointed out that Hendrick’s gin isn’t a London gin.

Wait.  What?

Call it a blonde moment, but it never occurred to me that the London Strawberry Martini got it’s name from where it’s gin was distilled. I was so excited to have a cocktail recipe to share with my niece Kate, who is newly relocated from NYC to London, that I just reached for the prettiest gin bottle in the freezer.

Sorry Sapphire, while I do love your blue hue shining through our LED illuminated freezer…Hendrick’s is one handsome bottle of gin. I have no gin experience.  Most of my gin memories scream pine tree.  Who wants to drink a pine tree?

I decided this summer that I needed to know how to make a good Gin & Tonic.  Which in turn meant that I would need to sip them.  Over the past few months I’ll admit that I have developed an appreciation for gin and even find it refreshing.  I’ve also learned that not all gin’s taste like pine trees or juniper to be precise.

Hendrick’s gin, delivered in it’s apothecary-style handsome bottle, has a cucumber influence.  So while my selection was completely based on beauty….cucumber and strawberry now sounds like a martini match made in heaven.

~ Scotland Strawberry Martini ~

1 1/2 ounces Hendrick’s gin
1/4 cup strawberry puree
1 Tbl. lemon juice
ice
1 Tbl. grenadine
splash of champagne

Shake gin, strawberry puree, lemon juice and ice in a shaker.
Pour into martini glass with grenadine.
Top with champagne.  Enjoy!!

Love you bunches Kate.  Hope London is treating you well.  Know that I’m always searching for the perfect Rye cocktail and stove top (no oven required) recipe to share with you. xoxo Aunt Libby

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The Pomegranate is visually stunning.  It’s deep red seeds whisper romance.  I’ve wanted to share this Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail since they came into season but needed to wait for the right moment.   It’s thyme.

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Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail

Course Cocktail

Ingredients

• 1/4 ounce cognac
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• 1 ounce pomegranate juice
• 3 ounces Champagne or other sparkling wine
• Pomegranate seeds

Instructions

• Add the cognac and bitters to your Champagne flute.
• Pour the pomegranate juice into the flute.
• Slowly pour the Champagne into the flute to fill to the top.
• Sprinkle in a few pomegranate seeds.

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