I really try to make use of what is in season and freshly available in my area.  This way of thinking is not relegated to just edible delights, I also like to incorporate seasonal and local ingredients into my cocktail repertoire.  I love a good martini and I have about 10 pounds of blood oranges that I need to use so I saw an opportunity to try something new. Plus, now is a great time to come up with a few new drinks for SB46!

I know some of you are familiar with the Blood Orange but for those of you who aren’t here is a bit of background information!  The blood orange is a popular kind of orange with red pulp that gives it its name.

The blood orange is not as large as a typical navel orange, and some varieties of the fruit also have darker colorings on the outer rind. Blood oranges are also less acidic than navel oranges. The juice is a bit tart for my liking, when just drinking straight but perfect to mix into a cocktail. It gives just the lightest hint of raspberries. At least I think so!

Being winter in the United States, it is an excellent time to use what is becoming one of my favorite citrus fruits. There is just something sexy about the red flesh of the Moro variety.

There are many varieties of blood oranges, but the most common three include the Moro, the Sanguinello and the Tarocco. The Moro is the newest kind of blood orange, the Sanguinello originated in Spain and the Tarocco originated in Italy.
 
I have included a variation for rum or vodka.  I have found that people really prefer one or the other.  I dabble a bit in both but generally prefer vodka. I am a martini girl…I broke my diet over the weekend having a few sips of a dirty martini with a few blue cheese stuffed olives.  I couldn’t help it, we were at a martini bar after all ????

Blood Orange Cocktail
1 oz of a good white rum.  OR 2 oz of good quality Vodka No one wants the headache that cheap liquor gives you. Really
1/2 oz Cointreau Liqueur OR Triple Sec
4 oz of freshly squeezed Blood Orange juice
1/2 oz of simple syrup. I generally have this on hand but you can use what you have. May also use a bit of super fine sugar.
3/4 oz of fresh lemon juice

Get a glass prepped: rub a slice of the blood orange around the rim of a glass (yes, I used a martini glass…use what you want) and dip into a bit of sugar on a plate.

Add the ingredients to a shaker of ice, shake it like Tom Cruise in Cocktail and strain into your glass.  You can double this if you have company or you want a really big drink ????

Now I’m just being silly….