the snowy poinsettia martini
Brace yourselves. Christmas is coming.
Full-fledged, straight-up holly jolly is infiltrating the FMG space and here we’ve our first ho-ho-holy shit I’m drunk cocktail of the season. It’s a pretty one, too. The Poinsettia Martini is a perfect sip for a holiday party or a casual, cozy evening on the couch.
A little narrative about poinsettias: back in the old days, Home Depot carried $1 poinsettias on Black Friday, and I’d always try to get there early enough to buy a couple. I’m not sure they do that anymore, but I do still enjoy a couple plants in the wintertime. My neighborhood used to plant them outside the entry, though they haven’t the past couple years because the new management is a bunch of cheapskates. Assholes. Taking away my Christmas spirit.
So, to rekindle the poinsettia aesthetic, I made a martini. She sparkles and whispers sweet nothings, like any good Hollywood actress. Cranberry juice, a touch of orange liqueur, spiced rum, and a splash of cinnamon orange maple syrup flavor this simple but beautiful glass. A wonderful kickstart to the season.
Rum Rum, Rudolph
Actually kind of hate that Christmas song. The guy’s voice irks me.
As with a few of my recent cocktails, the spiced maple syrup is the only real “prep” you have to do here. Boil up some maple with cinnamon sticks and orange peels, then steep for awhile to let the mix cool and the flavors infuse.
I made some sugared rosemary and cranberries for garnish. You don’t have to do this, but it adds a special little twinkle to each cocktail. For these, make a simple syrup of sugar and water, dip the rosemary and cranberries to coat, then lay out to dry on a wire rack for about an hour. Roll the sticky garnishes in sugar.
For the cocktail, mix up that syrup with spiced rum, cranberry juice, and orange liqueur. I also shook in an egg white for the froth, but you don’t need to do this. If you want, though, dry-shake all the components for one minute before shaking with ice for about 30 seconds. I chose to rim my glasses in cinnamon sugar before I poured. Again, optional, but lovely.
Totally fucked up some Christmas cookies I tried to test today, so we’ll be tackling those when my grumpy ass mood settles. Stay tuned for a cookie box in early September and don’t forget to browse my kitchen and active lifestyle gift guides while you wait! Think of them like magazines in a dentist’s waiting room. Far more entertaining than staring at wallpaper.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
the snowy poinsettia martini
Ingredients
- 2 oz spiced rum
- 1 oz cinnamon maple syrup (recipe below)
- 2 oz cranberry juice
- 1/2 oz Cointreau (orange liqueur)
- sparkling rosemary and cranberries, for garnish
Cinnamon Maple Syrup
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 2 orange peels (about 2 inches long)
Instructions
- In a small saucepot, combine the maple syrup, 1 cup of water, cinnamon sticks, and orange peel. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat, stir, and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain into a jar. This syrup makes enough for 6-8 drinks.
- In a cocktail shaker, measure the spiced rum, syrup, cranberry juice, and orange liqueur. Add ice and shake until cold. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with sugared rosemary and cranberries, as desired.
