A different pointsettia — a cocktail

Published 2:59 pm Friday, November 14, 2008

Make a batch: The perfect holiday cocktail is easy to assemble in crowd-pleasing quantities, attractive and goes down smooth. This poinsettia cocktail from Valerie Peterson’s entertainingly irreverent “Peterson’s Holiday Helper” is the perfect fit.

POINSETTIA COCKTAIL

3/4cup cranberry juice

3ounces simple syrup (see note)

6ounces orange liqueur, such as Cointreau

1750-milliliter bottle Champagne, chilled

18fresh cranberries

In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine the cranberry juice, simple syrup and orange liqueur. Shake well (until the shaker is covered with condensation). Strain the mixture, dividing it between 6 Champagne flutes.

Add the Champagne, dividing it between the glasses. Garnish each drink with 3 cranberries skewered on a cocktail pick.

Note: To make simple syrup, simmer 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1 cup of water until the sugar is dissolved, then cool.

Makes 6 servings.

From Valerie Peterson’s “Peterson’s Holiday Helper”

Associated Press