Ruby Red Grapefruit-St. Germain Mimosa
Mar 27, 2013, Updated Jan 04, 2023
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By now it’s crystal clear that St. Germain tastes good with just about anything you can think of to pair it with. If you ask my brothers, it’s even better on its own, on the rocks, when late evening comes and something more is called for.
The affinity we all have over here for St. Germain is not surprising, given our affection for floral waters, for rose water and, even more, orange blossom water. I think of St. Germain, which is a distillation of elderflower essence, in the same family—just ramped up with spirits.
I also think of this mimosa as my version of an Easter bonnet. A colorful one with matching gloves and shoes. Those beauties for Easter or any other time may be an elegance we’ll never find ourselves walking out in, but there are other ways to get our bonnet on. Don’t worry about the men; they will think nothing of bonnets and everything of I’d love another.
Ruby Red Grapefruit-St. Germain Mimosas
I first tasted a cocktail mixing grapefruit and St. Germain in Chicago. The Beard nominated The Violet Hour does it, and this quote, proud. As does the bar in the Public hotel. Whether you are celebrating an Easter brunch this weekend, or just looking for something special and a little different anytime you’re celebrating, the pink hue of this drink along with the citrus-floral element, and of course the bubbles, will make your day. Be sure all elements of the drink are ice cold, and be sure to make the mimosas right before serving them so the bubbles stay bubbly and the ice doesn’t dilute the flavors. If you are making these for a very small group, the grapefruit and St. Germain could be shaken with ice, then splashed with the bubbly in the glass.
3 parts ruby red grapefruit juice, chilled
2 parts champagne, prosecco, or other sparkling wine, chilled
1 part St. Germain, chilled
White sanding sugar to rim the glasses (optional)
Citrus wedge (grapefruit, orange, lemon or lime)
If rimming your glasses with sugar, place the sanding sugar on a small, flat plate. Rub the rims of the glasses with a citrus fruit wedge, then immediately dip the rim into the sugar.
For a larger batch of drinks, pour the grapefruit juice into a pitcher filled with ice. Add the St. Germain and stir. Immediately pour into the serving glasses and top with champagne. Cheers!
Print this recipe here.
Well if no one else is willing to comment on drinks, I certainly will. And thanks Maureen, I had not heard of St. Germain, I will look for it..
In the old country there is a drink called Arack which Google states is: A strong alcoholic drink of the Middle East and the Far East, usually distilled from fermented palm sap, rice, or molasses.
The Arack drinks I have tried are anise flavored and so strong that I don’t really appreciate the taste, though in the old country it is very much appreciated, I hear. So over the years I have settled for US made Anisette, which is still anise flavored but not as strong (maybe 45 proof rather than 80 or 100), and is a bit sweet, depending on when you drink it and what your taste is at the moment.
So copying the idea of “B and B” which is Benedictine and Brandy, I invented a new drink called “B and A” which I named Brandy and Anisette. Vary the amount of Anisette to your taste, dilute with water or on the rocks, it is very good.
Along the same line if you are trying to duplicate Arack, but don’t like the strong taste, you can do a “V and A” which is a name that I just invented one minute ago! 🙂 The V is vodka, which adds a bit of punch to the Anisette, again ice or water or not, the vodka also dilutes the sweetness of Anisette. That drink is no where near as strong tasting as Arack, so if you like anise flavor and want to lower the sweetness, try it.
Then there is St. G and Vodka. Maureen you can claim that invention!
best, Jerry
How refreshingly delicious! It looks like the type of drink where you can knock back quite a few because its sweet and easy to drink. Then you stand up and realise just how much its gone straight to your head!!
Maureen
I love the St. Germain and grapefruit combo, when grapefruit not in season I like to mix St. G with grapefruit Lacroix. Try it, you won’t be disappointed….
This is such a fantastic beverage. For just a couple of us, I’ll squeeze a couple of grapefruits. For a small group, I’ll fresh squeeze a few and supplement a high quality carton. Still tastes really fresh that way and a bit less work.
Just a beautiful color and so tasty and refreshing on a nice sunny warm afternoon. Have made these a few times now and look forward to many more.
I love that you add fresh juice to this; I bet it gives fabulous flavor!