The Hyacinth Cocktail

Let’s Get Blitzen: Cocktail Advent Calendar – Day 7 is upon us and here we have The Hyacinth. It’s Friday, we’ve made it through the first week of this advent calendar, I hope you’re feeling no pain by this point. This drink is the perfect welcome cocktail – it’s so simple but elegant – sparkling wine and blueberry syrup with a few fresh blueberries for garnish.

I picked up this little lavender tree from the grocery store and I think it’s just about the cutest little holiday  decor item, it’s like a pint-sized Christmas tree. I’m not sure I’m doing a very good job of keeping it alive, I’m not exactly a green thumb.

I inherited a little fern when I started at my new job back in September. By October it was starting to turn brown and I decided to put it in a window in the common area of my office and make it a ward of the state. So, yes, I orphaned my plant, but in fairness, it was a responsibility I was utterly unprepared for. I’m just hoping this lavender tree makes it til December 22nd, when I fly off to sandy beaches and sunny skies.

I’ll be having a green Christmas this year, even if this lavender tree doesn’t. My parents winter in Florida and I’ll be heading down for a 10-day sojourn. Don’t be too jealous, I won’t be coming back with a tan, I don’t tan. My delicate Irish pallor gets glows brighter than Rudolph’s nose after a few minutes of sun exposure…and then falls off.

Yes, I wear sunscreen, if I didn’t, I probably would have lost my nose years ago. I was that kid in the swimming pool wearing a t-shirt and a zinc oxide nasal mask.

Thankfully, I look great in hats. Terrible in sunglasses, but great in hats. Sunglasses make me look like some kind of bug. Hats, especially fabulously wide-brimmed ones, make me look like some kind of 1940s screen siren. My theory is that most sunglasses hit my eyebrows at a weird spot, making it look either like I have no eyebrows and am a new alien species, or that I only have eyebrows, making me look like Eugene Levy. Hats on the other hand, pair well with my gigantic head and defined bone structure. It’s good to know your strengths people.

At any rate, hopefully I’ll have actually completed all 24 days of this advent calendar before I flee to Florida, so that I can sip on some of these cocktail creations without having to stage and shoot them first!

I’m not sure what my first vacation drink will be – but this could certainly be a contender. I served this at my book club Christmas party over the weekend and it was a major hit. It’s a bit of a weird experience to be celebrating Christmas under a canopy of palm trees but I think I’ll manage. Maybe I’ll have to take a departure from a seasonal beverage and opt for a daiquiri or piña colada.

Wish me luck.

The Hyacinth

5 from 2 votes

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The Hyacinth

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

5 mins

Total Time

10 mins

 

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: French

Keyword: The Hyacinth

Servings: 1 drink

Ingredients

• 1½ tsp Blueberry Syrup recipe follows
• 4 oz sparkling wine
• Fresh blueberries for garnish

Blueberry Syrup

• 1 pint blueberries
• 1½ tbsp sugar
• ¼ cup water

Instructions

1. Place Blueberry Syrup into a Champagne flute. Top with sparkling wine and garnish with 3 or 4 fresh blueberries.

Blueberry Syrup

1. In a small saucepan, place all ingredients over medium heat. Bring to boil, reduce temperature to low and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until berries soften. Remove pan from heat, strain syrup and cool.

Recipe Notes

Recipe from: Gibson, Dee and Lyle Caterer. "Hyacinth." Food & Drink. Spring 2010.