Easter is time for pastel shades, and there’s no cocktail ingredient more suited to that than Creme de Violette. It’s one of those ingredients that can make a stunning addition to a cocktail, but needs to be used with care. It’s most famously used in the Aviation, a drink which can have a stunning pale blue or pale violet color depending on the brand of Creme de Violette that’s used. I have had magnificent Aviations — and yes, the striking color is absolutely part of the appeal — but I’ve also had ones which taste like swallowing a flower bed. That’s Creme de Violette for you!
The art to using it well, in my experience, is to be very sparing with it. Half an ounce is quite enough to give a drink that violet flavor and color, though if you really love your florals then you could opt for more. You also want to use bold, flavorful other ingredients that can stand up to the strong taste of violet. Lemon juice is a traditional pairing too, to give a sharper edge to a drink.
This cocktail from LALO Tequila carries all of those principles through to create a tequila twist on the Aviation. If you’re looking for something particularly striking and on-theme for your Easter brunch, then this will be a stunner at any event.
LALO’s Springtime Serenade
Ingredients:
- 1.5 ounces LALO Tequila
- 1 oz lemon juice
- ½ oz Tempus Fugit Creme de Violette
- ½ oz simple syrup
Method:
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a coupe glass over ice. Garnish with edible flowers
