What plant is so pretty that you can actually drink up its beauty? The poinsettia of course! Serve up poinsettia cocktails – Grand Marnier recipe or vodka recipe or both! – all through the holidays and especially on December 12 which has been proclaimed “Poinsettia Day.”
Dress up your cocktail cart with small pots of colorful poinsettias. There is a bounty of these lovely plants all around town. A few suggestions: Mike’s Country Market and Greenhouse offers 4”, 6”, 8” and 10” poinsettias in white, pink and vibrant red. Along with the traditional winter flowers, Townside Gardens on Franklin Road offers a gorgeous rose poinsettia.
This plant is also known as “Winter Rose” because its curly leaves bunch together to form a rose shape. George’s Flowers, also located on Franklin Road sells red, pink and white poinsettias that can be delivered for a special holiday gift. Poinsettia themed cocktail napkins and cocktail picks to complete your cocktail setup can be found at local shops or on-line.
Joel Roberts Poinsett would certainly be pleased that a cocktail was named after his favorite plant. He was the first United States Ambassador to Mexico in 1828. He brought the Poinsettia plants back to his home in South Carolina and the plant was later named in his honor.
Poinsettia Cocktail
Makes one cocktail.
- 1 ounce chilled cranberry juice
- 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier
- 4 ounces chilled champagne
- Frozen cranberries in Pomegranate Liqueur and an orange peel twist garnish
Add the cranberry juice and Grand Marnier to a champagne flute and top with champagne. Garnish with a cocktail pick filled with frozen cranberries in Pomegranate Liqueur and an orange peel twist. I like to add a small ice cube to my cocktails to keep them icy cold.
Frozen Cranberries in Pomegranate Liqueur
- 72 fresh cranberries
- 1 ½ cups orange juice
Place orange juice in a saucepan and bring to a boil then quickly reduce heat and add cranberries. Cook cranberries for one minute (do not allow cranberries to “pop” from the heat). Remove cranberries from heat, drain and allow to cool.
In a small saucepan combine ½ cup pomegranate liqueur and 1 cup sugar. Heat over low heat, stir to combine and continue to heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
18 cocktail picks
Place 4 cranberries on each cocktail pick. Place the picks in a flat freezer container so that the picks will lay flat in two layers in the container. Pour the pomegranate sugar mixture over the cranberries. Cover container tightly and place in freezer overnight. Every few hours turn the container over to help marinate the cranberries. Roll cranberries in fine sugar for service.
Cranberries can be kept in the freezer for several weeks.
Vodka Poinsettia Cocktail
Makes one cocktail.
- 2 ounces Vodka
- 4 ounces chilled Cranberry juice
- 2 ounces chilled champagne
Place vodka and cranberry juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into a champagne flute. Top off the flute with champagne. Add small ice cube if desired. Garnish with a cocktail pick filled with frozen cranberries in Pomegranate Liqueur and an orange peel twist.
About the Writer:
Following her career in healthcare dining and nutrition management, Becky Ellis followed her passion to create Bubblybee, a champagne and food blog. Her motto is “Don’t wait to celebrate! Pop the cork now!” She loves to share tips for entertaining with bubbly. Find her creative recipes and champagne tasting notes at bubblybee.net and Instagram @bubblybeeboop.
