I’ve never been a big V-Day person, but I do enjoy having a nice cocktail and cooking a nice dinner at home with my husband on Valentine’s Day. We like to try new cocktails while we listen to records in our living room and talk. It’s a fun before dinner ritual that always makes us feel close and helps us unwind after a long day of work.  It also feels so stylish, like we're somehow transported to a bygone era. Here are three great cocktails to make at home for V-Day.

Source: Serious Eats

Lavender 75

This is a personal favorite of mine. If you like the smell of lavender, you’ll love this floral, refreshing cocktail

• For the Lavender Syrup:
• 1/2 teaspoon dried lavender
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• For the Cocktail:
• 1 ounce lavender syrup
• 2 ounces gin
• 1/2 ounce lemon juice
• 2 ounces Champagne or other sparkling wine

Directions:

1.To make the lavender syrup: Combine lavender, water, and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat over high heat until boiling, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce to a simmer and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Strain through a fine mesh strainer. Lavender syrup will keep for one week in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

 2.To make the cocktail: Fill a Collins or tall rocks glass 3/4 full of ice. Add the lavender syrup, gin and lemon juice and gently stir. Top off with Champagne or sparkling wine.

Source: Food 52

Boulevardier

This is perfect for my husband because he loves negronis and bourbon, and this combines both

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2ounces bourbon
• 3/4ounce Campari
• 3/4ounce sweet vermouth

Directions:

1. Stir all ingredients with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. (Some choose to do this over ice.) Traditional garnish is a cherry, but an orange or lemon twist works well too.

source: saveur

Napa Sour

The pisco sour was invented in San Francisco, and this version substitutes cabernet wine for the traditional Peruvian brandy used in a pisco sour. It’s complex and refreshing and has such a lovely color for V-Day.

Ingredients

2 oz. whiskey

1 oz. lemon juice

¹⁄₂ oz. simple syrup

1 egg white

¹⁄₂ oz. Napa Cabernet

Maraschino cherry, for garnish

Orange slice, for garnish

 

Directions:

Shake all ingredients but the wine and strain over ice into a sour glass. Top with the cabernet and garnish with the cherry and orange slice.

 Happy Valentines Day, loves!  Use this day to celebrate your love for your honey, your gal pals, or yourself...because as the Beatles so eloquently put it, "All you need is love."

 

XO!

Sarah

 

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