Valentine's Day Floradora Cocktail Recipe
If you are looking for the perfect Valentine's Day cocktail, look no further. This Valentine's Day floradora cocktail is the ideal flirty drink for you and your date. Comprising raspberry gin, rose water, lime, and fizzy ginger ale, this drink is sweet, fruity, and sophisticated. A simple garnish of rose petals and raspberry complements and enhances the flavor of the cocktail and gives it a stylish, romantic finish.
This drink, created by Tasting Table recipe developer Jennine Rye, is inspired by the classic floradora cocktail. This gin-based tipple is named after a popular musical that first debuted in 1899 and soon after made its way to Broadway. So the story goes, one of the stars of the show claimed to have asked a bartender to create a new cocktail for her, and the floradora was born; a raspberry- and gin-flavored drink that made history. This cocktail is simple to assemble and deliciously romantic. It's a great way to woo your darling gin lover this Valentine's Day.
Gather the ingredients for this Valentine's Day floradora cocktail
To begin this Valentine's Day floradora cocktail, you will first need to gather the ingredients. Grab raspberry gin, rose water, lime juice, ginger ale, raspberries, and dried rose petals.
Step 1: Add ingredients to cocktail shaker
Pour the raspberry gin, rose water, and lime juice into a cocktail shaker.
Step 2: Add ice
Add a handful of ice to the cocktail shaker.
Step 3: Shake
Place the lid on the shaker and shake it for 10–15 seconds.
Step 4: Pour into a glass
Pour the gin mixture into a glass.
Step 5: Add ginger ale
Top the glass with ginger ale.
Step 6: Garnish and serve
Garnish with the raspberries and rose petals before serving.
How can this Valentine's Day floradora cocktail be adapted?
Although there are relatively few ingredients in this Valentine's Day floradora cocktail, there are a variety of ways in which this recipe can be adapted to suit your needs or preferences. If you do not have raspberry gin, this floradora cocktail can similarly be made with a mixture of straight gin and raspberry syrup. Or, for a more alcoholic kick, why not use a mixture of gin and Chambord? To make this a virgin cocktail, you can omit the gin entirely and simply mix up the drink using raspberry syrup, rose water, lime juice, and ginger ale.
While the floradora is classically a raspberry-based drink, if raspberry isn't your thing or you don't have any raspberry-based ingredients, it is possible to use different flavored gins to add different finishes to the drink. To give this drink more of a kick, you can swap out the ginger ale for a more fiery ginger beer. Finally, if you get back from the supermarket and realize you forgot the limes, don't worry — lemon juice makes a good replacement and adds that citrusy zing.
What can I serve with this Valentine's Day floradora cocktail?
This floradora cocktail is light and versatile. It can be served and enjoyed on its own as a romantic evening beverage with your loved one, or it can be served as an aperitif before, alongside, or after your Valentine's Day meal.
A great option is to mix up this cocktail and serve it alongside a Valentine's Day charcuterie board. Charcuterie boards make a great meal option for sharing with your significant other for special occassions: They are simple to assemble, elegant, and perfect for sharing, and their mixture of sweet and savory components pairs wonderfully with this Floradora cocktail. Or, to finish off your Valentine's Day meal with panache, try serving up this fruity beverage alongside your chosen dessert or sweet. Chocolate cake makes a delicious and romantic pairing with this drink. To really push the boat out, you could serve this floradora cocktail with some homemade white chocolate and raspberry macarons. Finally, why not serve this Valentines Day floradora cocktail alongside a bunch of roses or a box of chocolates as a wonderfully romantic gift for your loved one?
- 2 ounces raspberry gin
- ⅛ teaspoon rose water
- Squeeze of lime juice
- 4 ounces ginger ale, chilled
- 2 fresh raspberries, to garnish
- ¼ teaspoon dried rose petals, to garnish
- Pour the raspberry gin, rose water, and lime juice into a cocktail shaker.
- Add a handful of ice to the cocktail shaker.
- Place the lid on the shaker and shake it for 10–15 seconds.
- Pour the gin mixture into a glass.
- Top the glass with ginger ale.
- Garnish with the raspberries and rose petals before serving.