Tag: grapefruit

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Amanda’s Ruby Slipper

Ever wanted to click your heels three times and just go away for a little bit? Maybe not run away forever … but just a little break – A little rendezvous with a tin man, a dance with a scarecrow or a little adventure with a lion? Ever wished your cracked driveway was paved in gold instead sprouting weeds? Or that you lived in a land with some wonderfully royal name like “The Emerald City” that was ruled by a wizard instead of a royal buffoon. Sorry, I couldn’t help it! That’s the liberty portion of the blog LOL!

Maybe the kids screamed just one too many times today. Maybe your spouse came home from work grumpy, again! Maybe work sucks and the electric bill doubled. Maybe the dog took a shit in the living room, the fridge is leaking or the car won’t start.

Well in lieu of taking a nap in a field of poppies, here’s another little break. This is my version of Ruby Slippers. You don’t have to click three times, you just pour and then shake or stir … same difference … no weird Oz to fight with and the only wicked witch is you if you don’t intervene.

A google search yielded another recipe for a “Ruby Slipper;” but the name was too perfect for this cocktail as it contains Ruby Red Grapefruit vodka and juice and martinis are my “take me away”. So I created and dubbed this:

“Amanda’s Ruby Slipper”

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  • 1 oz vodka
  • 1 oz Deep Eddy’s Ruby Red Vodka
  • 1/2 oz Ruby Red grapefruit juice
  • 1/2 oz unsweetened cranberry juice
  • 1/2 oz spiced cranberry simple syrup

It is sweet enough without being overly-so. It is strong enough to be enjoyed by drinkers and mild enough that a less-experienced drinker could also enjoy it-or add a little more juice. I love both cranberry and grapefruit and the combination of the two with a hint of cinnamon and other spices in the simple syrup, hits the mark for me. I hope you enjoy it as well!

The grapefruit vodka and juice came from my recent post:  https://lifelibertyandlibations.com/2018/04/15/grapefruit-the-strangely-large-citrus-taking-over-summer-drink-recipes/

The unsweetened cranberry juice and spiced simple syrup are left over from my holiday libations posts :

Keepin it Festive … the historic and brilliant cranberry … in a cocktail!

The Bitterness of the Holidays

Yes, I am that resourceful. Yes, the juice and simple syrups keep that long.

Enjoy! I hope it gives you the “take me away” that you need, even if it lasts just a few sips.

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Grapefruit … the strangely large citrus taking over summer drink recipes

Grapefruit … it’s the big, awkward yellow ball in the fruit isle. Too big really to sit next to its other fruit counterparts; like a 3rd grader, in the Kindergarten classroom. It’s peel is an illusion to the fruit it hides inside – either pale like a lemon or bright pink. And unlike many others, it’s not a grab and go fruit. It takes preparation before consuming. A slightly tedious job, cutting out each individual segment of the separated halves, it’s almost ceremonial. The flavor is sour and bitter at the same time; but add a little sugar and I find it to be amongst my favorite flavors. It’s been a love of mine since I was a child and nowadays, I rarely take the time, but when I do, I always wish I bought them more often.

Famed for a diet named after it in the 80s, its been less thought of in the last 2+ decades. But this summer it’s big again and it’s making its mark in the drink world!

Deep Eddy’s Ruby Red Vodka is on fire right now! A sweetened and deliciously flavored vodka, it pairs well with tonic, sprite, and club soda or quite frankly, could be sipped over ice all alone! Throw some juice at it – like pomegranate or a berry lemonade for a fruity spritzer, use it to flavor a margarita, or even turn it into a mule by combining it with ginger beer. It really is a versatile liquor.

Grapefruit beers and radlers (a beer: juice/soda combo) are also quite the thing right now! I stumbled upon Shock Top’s Ruby Fresh and it reminded me very much of a grapefruit hefeweizen I drank in Epcot’s Germany pavilion. It was delicious and it had me wishing I could buy a 12 pack of just that flavor instead of the variety pack-but the other flavors were good enough too.

Then, I discovered that that German grapefruit hefeweizen I was referring to is made by Schöfferhofer and is now being sold in bottled 6 packs! So, I ran out to buy it as well. I love them and want to stock up in case they pull them after the season!

And while all of these are excellent and easy choices. I decided that I also needed an actual cocktail.img_4568

Here goes my version of :

The Charleston Fizz

  • 3 oz Red Grapefruit Juice (I used Trader Joes)
  • 2 oz of Gin (Tangueray is my go-to)
  • 1/2 oz Elderflower syrup
  • mix and top with ice and seltzer to taste

I enjoyed this cocktail for a few reasons. Mostly, it is my new preferred breakfast drink. As a grapefruit lover, I’d much prefer this over a mimosa. It’s not overly heavy or sweet. The elderflower syrup complements the grapefruit nicely without over-powering it. And for me, Gin is better than Champagne any day! The original recipe calls for fresh tarragon, which I didn’t have – not sure how that would change my opinion of the drink.

And for those who are looking for a simpler-to-make but worthy cocktail:

The Petite Fleur

  • 1 1/2 oz white rum
  • 3/4 oz triple sec
  • 3/4 grapefruit juice

This cocktail has been dubbed “an award-winning pre-dinner cocktail”. I find it lovely; but true to a good martini, it does pack a good punch. If you’re not a drinker … stick with Deep Eddy’s and a mixer.