Tropical Firework Cocktail

The 4th of July holiday is always a high point of my summer. Maybe it’s memories of growing up with a family that had no qualms about handing off sparklers and small firecrackers to all the kids after a day of barbecuing. Gathering in the woods behind my grandparents house, we’d chase each other, write our names in the dark until the sparklers burnt our fingers, and light off bottle rocket after bottle rocket until we’d run through the pack. Fireworks, and staying up extra late to play with them, were the highlight of the holiday.

Even though the 4th has passed, simply being at the halfway point of summer fills me with a desire to hold on to the color and spark of those fireworks. So when I saw these bright orange and yellow marigolds, I felt instantly inspired to make this summer cocktail.

In addition to providing a pop of color, marigold petals have a sharp, citrusy flavor that’s a nice accent to richer tropical flavors like pineapple and passionfruit. Combined, these elements make for a very fruity cocktail. But it’s tangy, sweet and SO refreshing. The bright colors evoke summer sunshine, and the marigold petals eventually turn the cocktail to a golden saffron color (marigold being, after all, the poor man’s saffron). It’s a great way to kick off your sunny summer afternoon and work your way toward dusk and the promise of fireworks to come.

photos by Elana Lepkowski

Tropical Firecracker Cocktails 2014-07-17 22:22:18

A tropical pineapple & passionfruit gin cocktail
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For the Cocktail

1. 1-½ ounces London Dry Gin (try SW4!)
2. 1 ounce Pineapple Syrup (see recipe below)
3. ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
4. ¼ ounce Passion Fruit Syrup (Monin makes a great bottled version)
5. small handful of marigold petals (about 1 tablespoon)
6. whole marigolds for garnish

Pineapple Syrup

1. 1 cup sugar
2. 1 cup water
3. 1 cup cubed pineapple chunks

Directions

1. Make the Pineapple Syrup. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium high heat. Stir to dissolve sugar and bring to just under a boil. Remove from heat and let steep for about an hour. Strain into an airtight container. Will keep refrigerated up to a month.
2. Combine everything in a shaker ⅔ filled with ice. Shake well to combine for 20 seconds and strain into a cocktail glass. Top with marigolds.

By Elana Lepkowski freutcake http://www.freutcake.com/