Initially, I was going to talk about today’s cocktail in terms of it continuing the red berry theme for the three Valentine’s Day recipes I posted over the last week. But I was pretty sure Tuesday’s recipe use of cherries did not actually fit the berry criteria. It’s a good thing I did my research! Botanically, cherries are drupe fruits and not berries. A drupe (AKA stone fruit) includes all fruit that has one seed surrounded by a hard outer shell, like peaches, olives, nectarines, apricots, and plums.

Further digging provided the information that even though raspberries (featured in today’s recipe) have berry in their name, they are also drupes (albeit, aggregate drupes), not berries! That left me with strawberries from the Valentine’s dessert post for the berry. Alas, not even strawberries are berries. Strawberries are also classified as aggregate stone fruits like raspberries!

Technically, no berry themed recipes for this Valentine’s Day from me. Fortunately, the red theme works for this holiday!  Cheers!

Raspberry Chocolate Kiss Martini

Raspberry Chocolate Kiss Martini (adapted from marthastewart.com), Serves: 2

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 6 sprigs of fresh mint, both leaves & stems
• 4 chocolate wafer cookies, finely crushed
• 20 raspberries
• 3/4 cup Pinnacle Whipped Vodka
• 1/4 cup cranberry juice
• additional whole raspberries and mint leaves for garnish

Directions:

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, water, and mint. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil, and stir, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove the simple syrup from the heat and allow it to cool. Strain the mixture through a sieve. Store the leftover syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Make the mint simple syrup.

Fill a shallow dish with enough simple syrup to just cover the bottom of the bowl. Place the crushed cookies into another shallow dish. Invert a martini glass into the simple syrup and then immediately into the crushed cookies to coat the rim of the glass.

Coat the rim of the martini glasses with simple syrup, then crushed chocolate wafers.

Place the raspberries in a cocktail shaker and crush them with a muddler.

Muddle the raspberries.

Add 1/4 cup of the simple syrup, the vodka, and cranberry juice to the shaker. Fill the shaker with ice. Shake the cocktail until the container is well chilled. Strain the drink through a fine mesh strainer into the prepared martini glasses. Serve immediately with raspberries and mint leaves for garnish.

Love & chocolate for Valentine’s Day!

Happy Valentine’s Day!  ~Linda

Raspberry Chocolate Kiss Cocktail (adapted from marthastewart.com), Serves: 2

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 5-6 leaves & stems of fresh mint
• 4 chocolate wafer cookies, finely crushed
• 20 raspberries
• 3/4 cup vodka
• 1/4 cup cranberry juice
• additional whole raspberries and mint leaves for garnish

Directions:

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, water, and mint. Over medium heat, Bring the mixture to a boil, and stir, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove the simple syrup from the heat and allow it to cool. Strain the mixture through a sieve. Store the leftover syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.

Fill a shallow dish with enough simple syrup to just cover the bottom. Place the crushed cookies into another shallow dish. Invert a martini glass into the simple syrup and then immediately into the crushed cookies to coat the rim of the glass.

Place the raspberries in a cocktail shaker and crush them with a muddler. Add 1/4 cup of the simple syrup, the vodka, and cranberry juice to the shaker. Fill shaker with ice. Shake the cocktail until well chilled. Strain it through a fine mesh strainer into the prepared martini glass. Serve immediately with raspberries and mint leaves for garnish.