The Black Rose Cocktail

My husband loves a beverage.  And for that matter, so do I.  And ... well, so does my little sister, who is the inspiration for this cocktail my husband invented:  The Black Rose.

So the story goes:  once upon a time my lil' sis went to a bar before coming over to our apartment.  When she arrived, she was RAVING over a cocktail she had:  "it smelled like rosemary, but was sweet with blackberries, and had some citrus."  Now my husband can't resist a cocktail challenge ... and so he got to mixing; and, thus:  The Black Rose.

Here's what you do:

First of all:  rosemary vodka.  You'll be hard pressed to find this, so make it!  It's simple.  Take some vodka and put some rosemary in it.  Let it sit for 3 days, and voila:  rosemary vodka!  How much?  However much!  We made a small batch - the vodka bottle (it was big) had about a quarter of a bottle left, and we put in three sprigs of the herb.  If you have less springs, you can always let it steep longer.  You'll know when it's done because it will smell amazing and be tinged with a greenish hue!

Next:  rosemary liqueur.  You'll probably not find this either.  That's okay.  Make it as well.  This one takes a bit more work, though still not much.  Here's what you do:  to make a full recipe take 3 cups of sugar and dissolve it in a cup of water over medium heat until you have a murky looking syrup.  You do not need to let it boil.  We aren't making caramel here!  When it is done, take it off the heat and mix in 3 cups of vodka.  Put it into a container with 3 cups of ripe blackberries and let it sit for 10 days.  We think the wait is worth it ... though admittedly unfortunate.  You can always make a fraction of the recipe.  We made a third this time.

And when it's finished ... it's time to mix!

Here's the recipe:
1.5 oz rosemary vodka
1.5 oz blackberry liqueur
.75 oz lime juice
.75 oz grapefruit juice (not grapefruit drink)

Mix over ice, strain, and put in a pretty glass - garnish with a sprig of rosemary if it pleases you!

The Wine Baby

Do you like wine?  I LOVE wine.  But, WOW was it an acquired taste.

I had my first sip of this fermented juice at 18 in London, England where I was visiting with my dad and sister.  In England, the legal drinking age is 18; and, I was so excited to be an adult!  Yet I had previously experienced little of this adult hobby, so I decided to order something safe:  alcoholic juice.  I imagined it tasting like ... well, grape juice with a little kick.  But ... I was a WINE BABY; and, unfortunately so was my dad who offered no help in ordering.  So I ordered the only wine I knew how to pronounce:  an incredibly dry (wine with little to no residual sugar and, therefore, NOT so sweet) Chardonnay.  While one of, if not the most popular grapes in the world to drink, it was not the ideal first wine for this WINE BABY.

This was NOT juice.

This tasted more of spice than sugar.  There was a residue of powdery butter left in my mouth.  My cheeks puckered and my throat closed in.  It was painful to swallow.  I forced the entire glass down because my sweet Daddy was paying for it, but there was no pleasure in it, and I, therefore, deemed wine: not for me.

There were occasions when I had a sip of something sweeter to be sure ... but I never pursued the beverage as a hobby ... I never knew anything about this infinite subject ... until I met Jared (my husband) - a WINE ADULT.  Luckily, he knew what wines were for babies like me.  At one of our first dates he asked me what kind of wine I liked, and I responded "cold and sweet."  He delivered.

I have since come to believe that a Moscato from the Asti region of Italy (called Moscato D'Asti) is a WINE BABY'S mother's milk.  Want to start liking good, quality wine?  This is a great place to start. It is often considered "off-dry" (just a little sweet) though you can find fully sweet versions, is a frizzante (just a little sparkle), and is very low in alcohol content.  While my Jared would probably not like the comparison, it's the closest thing to sparkling grape juice you will get in something of quality.

We suggest Nivole for your first bottle - or your weekly bottle in our case.  It's about $12 for a half bottle, but it's quality.  It's sweet, yet not syrupy.  The bubbles ensure that it is crisp and not flabby (exactly what it sounds like).  It has floral notes and tastes of peach and apricot.  It's light.  It's refreshing.  It's "cold and sweet," perfect for WINE BABIES and ADULTS alike.

Are you a WINE BABY?  Maybe a WINE TODDLER like me?
Do you even like wine?
What kinds are your favorites?