Mrs. 500 Words frequently refers to peonies as "last day of school flowers" because, when she was a schoolgirl, she noticed the peonies in her parents' garden would finally open on the day school let out for summer holidays.
Living where we live, in Southern Ontario, we often remark on how the end of June means not only the end of the school year, but truly seems to represent the end of another year, more so than does December 31. Clubs, organizations, and activities all take a two month break, and the day after Labour Day, when the new school year begins and normal routines resume, seems to be the "real" New Year's Day.
All of which is to say, we should mark the occasion with a drink. And this week's drink is a sweet-tart, deep-pink concoction named in honour of the "last day of school flower", the peony.
Start by adding about a cup of ice to your trusty cocktail shaker, and then pour in 1½ ounces of white rum, ½ ounce of freshly squeezed lime juice, and 1½ ounces of frozen raspberry juice concentrate. I prefer the brand made by Welchs, but Minute Maid makes one too. If you let it thaw in the fridge beforehand, it'll be easier to measure.
Shake vigourously for 30 seconds and let settle for a minute or two. You want some dilution to occur. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with a few fresh raspberries on a small skewer, if you wish. Since this recipe requires you to add only 3½ ounces of liquid to your shaker, you can easily double it for sharing.
My original version was made with white rum, a sort of raspberry daiquiri, but in a recent blind tasting at our house, the version made with gin was deemed a winner. You could also use vodka.
In case you'd like to try any of last summer's cocktails, here are links to those posts:
- Margarita
- Sangria
- Aprodite (a pineapple drink)
- Long Island Iced Tea
- Frugal Cocktails
- Mojito
- Mint Julep
- Peach Daiquiri
Just mouse over the name of the cocktail and click on it to go to the post. Click on your browser's back button to return to this post.
Cheers!
Yeah Aeneas! That recipe sounds wonderful and I might end up liking Peonies after all! However, there is a part of me that cringes when you refer to your creative muse, Anne, as Mrs. 500 words. If it's OK with her, it's OK with me, but...I think she deserves more credit than to be an addition to your blog name.
ReplyDeleteSus