Bloody good cocktails

It’s February and we are in citrus season. Being that we can’t travel to a warm climate where oranges and lemons grow, it seems fitting to pay tribute to those lovely flavours now, during one of the coldest months. Here are a few of my favourite blood orange creations!

Now is the season for that lovely fruit, and I encourage you to try blood oranges, if you haven’t done so already. If you can’t find blood oranges (or if you wish to make these drinks when they aren’t in season) you may substitute with regular navel oranges, but you will lose some flavour and colour. Warning: it does take some effort to juice these, so you will need to buy a bag of blood oranges!

Year of the Dog

Jennifer Tyldesley

I created this cocktail to celebrate the lunar new year in 2018, in order to ring in the Year of the Dog. The red colour of the blood orange and the number 8 (drops of bitters) both represent good luck. Ginger, a distinctive Asian ingredient, was chosen to round out the drink. Now it is the Year of the Ox – I was born in an Ox year – so I must create a cocktail for this year, too! Do you have any ideas? Drop me a line at bitters@freepourjennys.com!

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Equipment

• JBL Orange Bitters

Ingredients

  

• 1 1/2 oz bourbon
• 1/2 oz freshly squeezed blood orange juice
• 3 oz ginger beer
• 8 drops FPJ Orange Bitters
• Blood orange wheel

Instructions

 

• In a mixing glass with ice, stir together bourbon, juice, ginger beer and bitters.
• Strain into a chilled cocktail glass or coupe, and garnish with a blood orange wheel.

Bloody amaretto Sour

Jennifer Tyldesley

Adapted from Jeffrey Morgenthaler’s Amaretto Sour

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Equipment

• JBL Orange Bitters

Ingredients

  

• 1 1/2 oz Sons of Vancouver No 82 Amaretto if you don’t have this lovely amaretto, you really must get yourself a bottle, but you may substitute with Disaronno
• 3/4 oz bourbon
• 1 oz freshly squeezed blood orange juice
• 3/4 tsp Yukon birch syrup
• 1/2 oz egg white
• 4 drops FPJ Orange Bitters
• Blood orange wheel

Instructions

 

• Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with no ice. Shake hard to emulsify the egg white. Add ice to the shaker and shake again to chill.
• Double strain into an old-fashioned glass with fresh ice, if desired.
• Garnish with a blood orange wheel. If blood oranges are not in season, you may substitute lemon juice for the blood orange juice, and garnish the cocktail with a preserved cherry (or three)!
  

Blood Orange Mimosa

Jennifer Tyldesley

If a slightly less boozy cocktail is desired, you can aim for about 2/3 juice to 1/3 sparkling wine and omit the Grand Marnier.

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Equipment

• JBL Orange Bitters

Ingredients

  

• 3 oz dry sparkling wine or Prosecco
• 3 oz freshly squeezed blood orange juice
• 1/2 oz Grand Marnier optional
• 6 drops FPJ orange bitters or highbush cranberry & grapefruit bitters
• Several highbush cranberries or orange twist

Instructions

 

• Chill all ingredients. Slowly add wine, juice, liqueur, and bitters to a champagne flute.
• Stir gently to mix, and garnish as desired.
  

A few notes on alcohol consumption: these cocktails are strong, and they should be consumed in moderation; one serving of spirits is 1 ½ oz. A good rule of thumb is to have a glass of water for every alcoholic beverage. Cheers!