Fresh Cranberry Christmas Cocktail

Recently I've come across a few cocktails using fresh cranberries.  Yesterday I picked up a bag of them at the grocery store, and when I got home I couldn't put my hands on the recipe I thought I'd seen in a magazine.  So I made one up.  Often you see vodka with cranberry, but we didn't have any vodka, so I used some gin.  The taste reminds me of pine trees, so I think it works for the holidays.  Add that lime twist, and you've got the color palette, too!

I started by making the cranberry puree.  I placed about two cups of cranberries and one cup of sugar in a small saucepan and stirred it up.  I had rinsed the berries, so there was a little moisture, but not much.

 I cooked this on medium-high heat for about eight minutes. 

After a few moments the berries on the bottom started to burst, adding more liquid to the mixture, and eventually it all came to a boil.

 While this was bubbling, I zested a lemon.

Once the eight minutes was up, I removed the berries from the heat and added the zest.

I stirred it up and let this rest for a few moments.  Then I used an immersion blender to blend it all together.  You could use a regular blender or a food processor, too.

Next I strained the mixture through a fine mesh strainer.  Because it's so thick, I used a spatula to push the mixture through.

This made about one cup of puree.  The recipe below is only for two cocktails, so there is plenty of puree left for more later.  It will keep well in the fridge.  This will be a great pre-Christmas-Eve-Dinner drink for Saturday!

I was feeling fancy, so I pulled out my grandmother's Waterford Crystal glasses.  I haven't used these in years, but knowing I'd be taking pictures, I thought I'd use something other than our simple K Mart glasses.  I'm glad I did!

 Here are the other ingredients: Ginger Ale, Gin, a lime, and there's a cocktail shaker and a small measuring glass, oh, and the pint glass is for mixing. 

I poured four ounces of gin into the pint glass.  Then I added about two tablespoons of the cranberry puree.  I cut two lime peels for garnish before squeezing the juice of both halves of the lime into the glass.

Here's what the mixture looked like before I shook it.

 So, then I used the stainless shaker (like you see bartenders use), and placed it on top of this pint glass and shook vigorously.  Here's what it looked like after that.

Next I strained this mixture into the two glasses, divided evenly, then topped it off with a splash of ginger ale and the lime twists.  Of course, you could serve this "up" in a martini glass with no ice if you're feeling extra fancy.

It was delicious!  And pretty easy.  I think it's so much fun to make cocktails (or anything, for that matter) from fresh whole ingredients.  I have a couple of vintage cocktail recipe books that are fun to look through and experiment with.  Ocassionally we'll end up in a restaurant or bar where the cocktails are made this way, and it's such a treat!  I could watch those bartenders all day.  And their garnishes are an art form...sugar cubes, candied ginger, cucumber slices, a variety of olives and onions, endless fruit slices, wedges, peels.  So chic! 

 Fresh Cranberry Christmas Cocktail
Puree:
2 c fresh cranberries
1 c sugar
zest of one lemon
Place the cranberries and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.  Stir often for eight minutes, as the cranberries burst and the sugar dissolves and bubbles.  Remove from heat, and stir in the lemon zest.  Allow the mixture to sit for three minutes.  Blend with an immersion blender or a stand blender, then strain through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth.  Set aside.

Cocktail for 2:
4oz gin
2 T cranberry puree (above)
2 oz ginger ale
Lime peel for garnish
Juice of one lime
Combine gin, puree, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker with ice.  Shake vigorously, and strain into two glasses.   Top with a splash of ginger ale, and garnish with a lime twist.  Enjoy!


Do you guys experiment with food or cocktail recipes?  I didn't used to, but the more I cook and prepare food and drink, the more confident I become.