Good Morning Darlings!

Conversation last night at our house:

Me: “Honey, we should invite Rick & Denise over on Monday for the Chinese New Year. We can drink the sake they brought us in the gorgeous sake set they gifted us with and I can make pad thai.”

Eric: Crickets – then laughter. “Honey, sake is Japanese and pad thai, is, well, Thai.”

Me: “Um…”

I really should get out more.

Thank goodness for my friend Sofia, in NYC. She knows how to celebrate Chinese New Year. She sent me wonderful recipes for the most fun cocktails for your Chinese New Year.

As the Chinese New Year begins on Monday, Jan 23rd, many preparations and celebrations will unfold for the next 15 days. The year of the Dragon is upon us, what will we celebrate and wish for this new Lunar Year? Longevity, love, or wealth? If you were born in the year of the Dragon, then it looks like these are all in the cards for you and you should celebrate with these fun New Years-inspired cocktails!

Canal Street
2oz CAMUS Elegance VS Cognac
4oz ginger ale
2 lemons
2 limes

Squeeze the lemons and limes over fresh ice. Add the CAMUS and ginger ale to the ice and stir. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with cinnamon stick (optional).

Fireworks
1.5oz Russian Standard Vodka
2oz lemongrass purée*

Combine ingredients over ice and shake vigorously. Strain and garnish with a lemongrass stalk.
Lemongrass purée: Cut the bottoms off of 3 lemongrass stalks and put into a blender with 5 tsps of sugar and 1 liter of water. Blend until smooth.

Lucky Dragon
2oz CAMUS Elegance VSOP Cognac
.5oz Grand Marnier
.25oz ginger liqueur

Combine all ingredients with ice and stir. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with an orange twist.

Now all you need is some cool Chinese lanterns and some snacks – instant party!

Happy Chinese New Year, everyone! How will you celebrate?

xoxo, Patti

Today blogging to The Vapors – Turning Japanese