Valentine’s Nightcap: Raspberry Rosewater Martini SHARE: Tweet </noscript> So Valentine’s Day is on a Monday this year — ideal timing for a creating romantic dinner at home. That is, if your idea of a romantic dinner at home includes frantically slaving over a stove after work in an attempt to create an over-the-top romantic feast, whilst ignoring your significant other and becoming more and more irritable by the minute. My guess is that most of us will be going out to celebrate and leaving the gourmet cooking to someone else this year. Still, even if you’re not up for making a sexy meal this time around, let me show you how easy it is to whip up a signature cocktail to set the mood and (naturally) enhance your chances of getting lucky. The following is a recipe for a most deliciously exotic Valentine’s Raspberry Rosewater Martini. This blushing libation is flavored with the natural sweetness of macerated raspberries and the intoxicating aroma of rose petals, which is sure to set the mood for great things to come! Plus, it’s a cinch to make; and who can really mess up a cocktail anyway? Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! Making a Valentine’s Raspberry Rosewater Martini –Before you head out for dinner chill two martini glasses and macerate the raspberries. –Take a pint of fresh raspberries (or 1 cup of frozen, thawed) and toss with 3-4 tablespoons sugar, add the juice of half a lemon juice and them macerate (kind of like marinating) until you get home (up to 3 hours). –Upon arriving home, add 2 tablespoons of the macerated raspberries to your chilled martini glasses. –Fill a martini shaker with ice and add: –4 ounces good quality vodka –2 ounces Cranberry or Raspberry Juice (whichever you can easily find) –2 teaspoons rosewater (available in most specialty stores or middle eastern markets) Shake all ingredients together and pour over the macerated raspberries. Give the cocktails a final little stir and serve! *Note: If you’re more of a martini-purist and are not into sweet (or pink) martinis, simply add 2 teaspoons of rosewater to a basic vodka or gin martini recipe for a little something unexpected! Enjoy these special cocktails with your Valentine with the promise of passionate things to come! And if you happen to drink to many, please refer to our natural hangover cure post. Make sure to read the rest of The Mindful Foodist Kristen Boye’s full HyperVocal archive for great recipes, gift ideas and staying healthy on a budget. You can follow her on Twitter @mindfulfoodist. Kristen Boye Kristen began her career in the wellness industry over twelve years ago. She started by studying naturopathy straight out of high school, but quickly realized that even well-intentioned people cannot and will not get well if they don’t understand how to identify, relate to and prepare the healthy food that they are supposed to be eating. This realization led Kristen to pursue her culinary training through the Natural Gourmet Cookery School. The fact that she could barely cook, or identify many exotic ingredients when she arrived in New York did not deter her, and by graduation she was cooking with the pros! Kristen is thrilled to have the opportunity to blog about important food issues, share recipes and create a strong and passionate community of mindful foodists!
Borg 5pts This is a fabulous idea and very unique. The rosewater is such a great touch and thank heavens no chocolate is involved! Add a little bouquet of tea roses for your sweetheart and you have the beginnings of an easy to "put together" Valentine celebration 2011. Cheers!