Being a bourbon fan, I collect any recipe I find that calls for it. It doesn’t matter if it is a drink, meat, or dessert recipe, we are willing to try it. That wasn’t always the case. I wasn’t impressed with bourbon the first time I tried it. Eric had been introduced to Old Fashioned cocktails while on a business trip. He duplicated the recipe when he got home and had me try it. It was just a tad too strong for my tastes. I prefer a bit more sweetness with my alcohol.

My next foray into the world of bourbon was with a Manhattan cocktail. While an Old Fashioned consists of bourbon and bitters with a sugar cube melted in it, a Manhattan has some sweet vermouth added to the bourbon & bitters. Eric and his friends like to add orange peel and cherries to the cocktail as garnish. I thought the Manhattan was better than the Old Fashioned but I didn’t become hooked on bourbon until I had an Irresistible Manhattan. I’ve become such a fan of bourbon, that I will even sip it (very slowly!) straight up now, especially while aboard a 35-foot sailboat on Lake Michigan off the coast of Chicago with Andrew, Eric, and a good friend of the family, Captain Tom.

With Valentine’s Day approaching, a slightly sweeter version of a Manhattan seemed in order. This cocktail features bourbon, spiked with vanilla extract and some cherry juice. It goes well with both the surf & turf dinner and the rich chocolate mousse dessert on our Valentine’s Day menu.

Cupid’s Shot Cocktail

Cupid’s Shot Cocktail (adapted from rodellekitchen.com) 

Serves 2

• 8 ounces bourbon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 teaspoon simple syrup
• 1 teaspoon maraschino cherry juice
• Garnish with maraschino cherries

Directions:

Add the bourbon, vanilla, simple syrup and cherry juice to a cocktail shaker half filled with ice. Shake until the container is cold.

Shake the ingredients together until chilled.

Pour the cocktail into 2 highball glasses of ice and garnish with a cherry.

Serve over ice with a cherry garnish.

Even the cocktails need to be sweet on Valentine’s Day!  ~Linda

Cupid’s Shot Cocktail (adapted from rodellekitchen.com) 

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces bourbon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 teaspoon simple syrup
• 1 teaspoon maraschino cherry juice
• Garnish with maraschino cherries

Directions:

Add the bourbon, vanilla, simple syrup and cherry juice to a cocktail shaker half filled with ice. Shake until the container is cold. Pour the cocktail into 2 highball glasses of ice and garnish with a cherry.