The first solar eclipse to cross the lower United States in 38 years goes down Monday. And judging by the current state of things (Trump, ahem), this could be your last chance to kinda-sorta see one, unless you plan on taking a drive. I don't want to be all doom and gloom, but if I'm going out, it's gonna be after I down our latest drink of the week: Celestial Haze.
Now, themed cocktails can be bad. While that dish or drink you saw on Pinterest may look cool, often times it tastes like flat Four Loko. I, however, put taste first, because if you're making the effort to pull off one drink, it might as well be worth it to whip up a few. Not to mention, if you're throwing a total solar eclipse party (it's a thing, right?), that cocktail better match the occasion and be damn good. Not one or the other.
I wanted Celestial Haze to look spacey — and out there — but I didn't know how. I also wanted it to have a blue-purple hue, plus some kind of citrus slice to represent the sun being swallowed by darkness, so that's where I started. We recently used crème de violette in the classic Aviation cocktail, which means there should be a bottle in your bar if you're following along at home. Mix that with Kinky Blue (a vodka with tropical and wild berry flavors), as well as orange rum and a bit of fizz, and you have yourself a stellar elixir that fits our aforementioned requirements.
This cocktail is perfect for any coast-to-coast solar eclipse celebration, or even a binge-worthy night of your favorite sci-fi flicks.
Makes 1
1.5 ounces orange rum (orange vodka works, too)
1 ounce crème de violette
1 ounce Kinky Blue or blue Curaçao
Sparkling water or tonic, to top
Orange slice, for garnish
Fill a cocktail shaker 2/3 with ice, then add orange rum, crème de violette and Kinky Blue. Shake until well-chilled. In a Tom Collins glass filled with ice, strain in cocktail. Top with sparkling water. Garnish with an orange slice.
(Bonus points for those of you with a rock candy swizzle stick on hand.)
Follow CL columnist Chris Fasick (@cfasick) on Twitter, or email him at cdfasick@gmail.com if there's a cocktail or recipe you'd like featured.
This article appears in Aug 10-17, 2017.