April Fool’s Day – Even the gods love jokes. ~Plato

April Fool’s Day is widely celebrated across the world as a day that tolerates practical jokes, hoaxes and a wee bit of foolishness. Since it’s not considered a legal holiday, lets honour it in our own way, with some ‘Springy’ cocktails.

I’ll be honest and say that I have never particularly liked April Fool’s Day, primarily because I have a relatively substantial fear of looking stupid. I’m pretty sure that the majority of you out there feel at least somewhat the same way, or at least did at one point, so will know where I am coming from. Anxiety dreams ring a bell, anyone??? Luckily, being a grown-up allows for many opportunities to get over this sort of thing, like, turning a day of dread into a day of exploration! Okay, that’s a little over the top, but any excuse to look for and try out new cocktails is right up my proverbial alley. So for those of you with equally irrational fears like mine, check out these Spring cocktails. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me…. Wait a minute, go ahead, fool me repeatedly, I’ve got the cocktails to make it all better :).

Spring has Sprung

2 oz lemon vodka

2 oz Grand Marnier

2 oz Rose’s lime cordial

lemon or lime slice

Add liquid ingredients to a shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a highball glass. Garnish with slices of lemon, lime or orange if desired.

Tasting Notes: beautiful deep yellow colour; coats throat (if perhaps you’ve had too many tequilas the night before!); tastes somewhat like a lemon cough drop; a bit syrupy; boyfriend thinks it’s tasty, me, meh, not so much (not a big cough drop fan)

Fling into Spring!!

5 oz coconut rum

2 oz lemon-flavored vodka

2 oz pineapple juice

1 oz cranberry juice

splash lemon juice

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into 3 or 4 martini glasses (depending upon how thirsty you are!).

Comments: I don’t tend to like lemon-flavoured things (candies, drinks, food) but somehow this works as it adds just a slight citrus note but doesn’t overpower the coconut ‘beach’ flavour. Feel free to add a twist of lemon as garnish and play with the glass choice if you tend to stay away from ‘martinis that are really cocktails in a martini glass’.

Tasting Notes: if you could somehow transform lying on a beach in the Bahamas to a cocktail, this would be it!; quite sweet, a bit syrupy tasting; lovely pale yellow colour

Blue Spring

1 oz vodka

1/2 oz triple sec

1/2 oz blue curaçao

lemonade

pineapple slice

In a highball glass half filled with ice, add the vodka followed by the triple sec and the curaçao. Stir well, top with lemonade and garnish with the pineapple slice.

Comments: Being flexible with the amount of lemonade allows you to adjust tastes for your different guests. E.g. if a guest prefers a less sweet, less ‘alcoholy’ drink, add more. If you’ve got a laidback afternoon planned, save some time and make up a pitcher.

Tasting Notes: striking electric blue colour; nicely balanced between the sweet and tart and quite refreshing with the citrus; considering the amount of booze, you can’t really taste the alcohol (which is good for those that don’t imbibe frequently)