Cosmopolitan with St Germain

A sophisticated twist on a popular cocktail: the Cosmopolitan with St Germain. It's somewhat tart, mildly sweet, slightly floral, and 100% delicious!

Do you think Carrie Bradshaw would approve? I'd like to think so.

Cosmo

The Cosmopolitan was invented by a bartender in the late 1980s in New York City. A few years later the cocktail became extremely popular with young 20-something women when the TV show Sex and The City made it the cool drink to order on girls' night out. Even though I have never seen an episode of SATC (strange, but true), I have always associated the show with the pink cocktail.

The original Cosmopolitan cocktail contained Absolut Citron vodka, Cointreau, lime juice, and cranberry juice, a sweet and sour combination that also happened to be pretty and pink. Usually served in a martini glass, it was lovely to look at and lovely to sip while visiting with friends.

The cocktail also just happens to be an easy one to make yourself. My friend Lisa is a Cosmo fan and always orders it when we are out to dinner. But she also knows how to make a fantastic one at home, like we are doing today.

A cocktail is only as good as the ingredients that go into it, so purchase your ingredients wisely. Fresh lemon juice, mid-range (or top shelf) vodka, and quality sweetener makes a difference in the final product. Compared to the cost of ordering a cocktail in a restaurant or bar, you are still getting a bargain by making it at home!

Lessons Learned

• No cocktail jigger? No problem. Use measuring spoons. Two Tablespoons equals one ounce.
• While St Germain is popular, there are other European elderflower liqueur brands that are equally good including Bols (Netherlands) and Fiorente (Italian).
• It's important to use unsweetened cranberry juice, so check the ingredient label! Already sweetened cranberry juice will yield a cocktail that is way too sweet.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to A Couple Cooks for the St Germain & cranberry cocktail recipe.

Print