As another year comes to a close and I sit back and reflect on 2016, I think of all the cocktails I made — the ones I've shared with you, and others I haven't yet. But also the drinks I got to try out and about around Tampa Bay. One of my favorite pastimes, as you've probably guessed, is sitting on a bar stool somewhere with dreamy cocktails and talented bartenders. I love tasting what these creative minds pour into my glass.
This week, we're celebrating New Year's. We survived the stress of the season's other holidays — the gift shopping, get-togethers, relatives on the Trump train. Now it's time to party, cut loose and do you. After all, New Year's is about looking forward, especially this year. There were lot of sucky aspects to 2016 (ahem), so 2017 has to be better, right?
One thing I think we're all looking forward to: Champagne.
More than likely, you'll ring in the new year with a bubbly toast at midnight. But instead of a standard glass of Champagne — whether it's the cheap stuff or that "complimentary" glass you get after paying a $100 cover charge to hang around an overcrowded bar — let's fancy it up.
Hibiscus flower adds a touch of class, great flavor and, dare I say it, symbolism to our first cocktail of 2017. That's why we're tapping hibiscus florets, which go from dried to rehydrated once you use them to create a simple syrup, for our upgraded sparkler. We're not incorporating the syrup into our New Year's beverage, but it can be refrigerated and used to liven up a myriad of cocktails. Pro tip: Add an ounce to your next margarita.
So here's to 2017. May this be the year we look back on without thinking, "I wish I would've drank that."
Makes 1
Hibiscus Simple Syrup:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
10-12 dried hibiscus florets
In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Turn off heat and add hibiscus florets, allowing them to steep until syrup is cool. Store in fridge for up to a few weeks.
Cocktail:
1 rehydrated hibiscus floret
3 dashes orange bitters (optional)
5 ounces Champagne
Place hibiscus floret (remember, you're pulling one from your syrup) in the bottom of a Champagne glass and add orange bitters. Top with Champagne.
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This article appears in Dec 22-29, 2016.