Good Luck Happiness

It’s one of my favorite times of year: the season when all the interesting citrus comes in. I never really know what to do with it all since I’m not the sort of cook that does a lot of sweet dishes, and end up defaulting to drink recipes. Blood orange is an especially nice ingredient to work with. It behaves a little more like red grapefruit than orange in cocktails.

This recipe calls for both fresh blood orange juice and Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur. It was really coincidence that I ended up buying a bottle of Solerno pretty much at the same time as the fruit. I went to the store for some Combier, but they were out. The Solerno vaguely appealed, so on impulse, I decided it was coming home with me. Tasty product, pretty package.

Good Luck Happiness

• 2 oz calvados
• 1/2 oz Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur
• 1 oz blood orange juice (half a fruit)
• 1/2 oz lemon juice
• 5-6 mint leaves

Break the mint leaves in half and drop them into the tin. Combine remaining ingredients and ice cubes, shake well. Strain into a double old fashioned; add fresh ice. Garnish with a blood orange half-wheel and mint sprig.
ROWEN, FOGGED IN LOUNGE

This one’s easy drinking but with plenty of character and snap from the calvados base—an inspired thought. I thought about going slightly more tart, but like the balance as it is. The mint is pretty subtle, a little twinkle here and there.