7 celebration cocktails with a romantic twist

"When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible." Nora Ephron

The following are my favourite cocktails that I discovered and have enjoyed making all the lovely days in my life. I have attached the perfect book to read and/or movie to watch as you sip these delicatable drinks.

LOVE POTION

Book: Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

Movie: Practical Magic directed by Griffin Dunne

Ingredients 3 oz gin 1 oz lime juice 1 oz elderflower liquor 6 oz rosé champagne

Instructions - In a cocktail shaker, combine the following: gin, elderflower liquor, and lime juice.

- Add ice and shake for 10 seconds.

- Add your rose petal ice cubes to an empty cocktail glass.

- Strain cocktail mixture onto the ice.

- Top with rose champagne and enjoy.

From HelloFresh

RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE MARTINI

Book: Chocolat by Joanna Harris

Movie: Chocolat directed by Lasse Hallström

Ingredients 1.5 oz Chambord 1.5 oz Kahlúa 1 oz heavy cream 80 percent dark chocolate shavings (for garnish) Raspberries (for garnish)

Instructions - Add all ingredients except garnishes into a shaker tin and shake with ice.

- Strain into a chilled coupe.

- Sprinkle dark chocolate shavings and add a raspberry on top for garnish.

From Ayza's in New York

LA VIE EN ROSE

Book: That Night in Paris by Sandy Barker

Movie: Paris, je t’aime - multiple directors

Ingredients 1.5 oz 619 Rose Petal Vodka .5 oz simple syrup .5 oz lemon juice .5 oz St. Germaine 2 oz ginger beer

Instructions - Combine all ingredients, except ginger beer, in a shaker tin with ice.

- Shake and strain over fresh ice.

- Top with ginger beer.

- Garnish with lemon wheel and mint leaf.

Created by Justin Greenwood,

San Diego.

Queen of Hearts

Book: American Royals by Katharine McGee

Movie: Young Victoria directed by Jean-Marc Vallée

Ingredients 1 1/2 oz. gin 3/4 oz. hibiscus syrup 3/4 oz. lemon juice 2 oz. sparkling wine

Instructions - Shake gin, hibiscus syrup and lemon juice. - Pour into a wine glass and top with sparkling wine. - Garnish with edible flower and lemon twist.

Courtesy Gayot.com

Dolce Vita

Book: Our Italian Summer by Jennifer Probst

Movie: Under a Tuscan Sun directed by Audrey Wells

Ingredients 3/4 oz. Campari 1 oz. Half & Half 3/4 oz. Crème de cacao 1/2 oz. raspberry eau-de-vie 1 spoon raspberry preserves

Instructions - Shake and strain into a glass. - Garnish with shavings of dark chocolate.

Courtesy Gayot.com

ENDLESS LOVE

Book: The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

Movie: Endless Love directed by Franco Zeffirelli

Ingredients 2 oz. vodka 1 oz. lemon 3/4 oz simple syrup 1/2 oz Luxardo maraschino liqueur Splash of cranberry juice

Instructions - Shake vodka, lemon, simple syrup and liqueur together. - Add a splash of cranberry juice and garnish with a cherry and lemon twist.

Courtesy Gayot.com

And the final cocktail is my favourite ...

Cosmopolitan

Book: Nine Women, One Dress by Jane L Rosen

Movie: Valentine's Day directed by Garry Marshall

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces citron vodka

3/4 ounce Cointreau

3/4 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed

1/2 ounce cranberry juice cocktail

Garnish: lime wedge

Instructions

- Add the vodka, Cointreau, lime juice, and cranberry juice cocktail into a shaker with ice and - shake until well-chilled. - Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. - Garnish with a lime wedge.

If you try one of these cocktails, let me know the occasion.

Yours in love ❤️

Valerie 🌸

Image courtesy of Elena Veselove @Dreamstime.com