The Cocktail Napkin – It's Finally Spring!

By Jo Petteruti, Mixologist and Owner, Jo's Stillwater Tea Room   I don't know about you all, but for me this winter seemed to go on and on.... And, while our valley can certainly use the extra water that a wet winter brings us, it's still always nice to see the signs of Spring. March 20 is the first day of Spring. Daffodils are starting to poke their leaves up through the soil, with their sweet-smelling buds not far behind.  Robins are out and flying about.  Temperatures are getting into the 60s with the warmth of the sun coming through.  Buds are starting to appear on the trees.  Spring is a treat for the senses and it can inspire us to do more outdoors. The Vernal Equinox was Wednesday, which means that the hours of daytime and nighttime are just about equal in time.  An equinox happens twice a year, on the first day pf Spring and on the the first day of Autumn (the autumnal equinox).  Now that we are into Daylight Saving Time, we have more daylight to go out and play in. As a bonus, we also had a Full Super Worm Moon on the Equinox.  So with a rising full moon, nice weather and a little more daylight available, how about toasting the Spring season with a sparkling spring cocktail...? Ginger and lemon is a wonderful union of flavors that can compliment a spring day.  The Tea Room combines the crisp flavor of ginger and the fresh citrus of lemons, enhanced by a little Sparkling Brut to capture the bright and sparkly feeling that a Spring day can inspire in a cocktail we call the Ginger Sparkle.  Here's our recipe: Ingredients:

• 1 oz Domaine De Cantone Ginger Liqueur
• 1 oz Pallini Limoncello
• 3 oz Cook's Sparkling Brut
• 2 Fresh Lemon slices

Preparation:

• Chill a coupe glass.
• Add a good scoop of ice to a cocktail shaker, then add the Ginger Liqueur, the Limoncello and one lemon slice.
• Cover and shake well until icy cold. Remove the cover, add the Brut, recover and mix lightly.
• Run the the second lemon slice along the rim of the chilled glass, strain the shaker's ingredients into the glass, and garnish with the second lemon slice.

Sip and enjoy... Ciao!