Happy New Year!
I’m not big on new years resolutions. I see no reason to hold off on doing something you truly want to do, so waiting till January 1st doesn’t work for me. I’m sure the reason most resolutions are not kept past January 3rd is that they tend to be things people don’t want to do.
That’s not to say I don’t see an advantage to the new year. It’s a time to reflect, look back on what was and move forward. If your year was good, you can build on it. If your year was crappy, well then you get begin all over again. A new year gives us a chance to clean the slate and start fresh.
Personally I found 2011 to be kind of meh. It was year I spent waiting, and because of that I feel almost that it was a lost year. It had ups and downs along the way, but looking back the downs outweighed the ups. So I’m looking forward to 2012 and all of the opportunities it has to offer.
I’m starting the year off with this fresh start drink, a rosemary scented grapefruit cocktail. The fresh squeezed grapefruit is a nod to the healthy living many have promised to adhere to this month. And the rosemary sugar syrup and booze are there to throw resolutions out the window. Feel free to use store bought grapefruit juice, but keep in mind that they are often sweetened so you may have to cut back on the sugar in the syrup. Also, if you are on medication that doesn’t play well with grapefruit .. drink something else please.
Rosemary Scented Grapefruit Cocktail
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2-3 long sprigs of rosemary
- 4 cups fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
- 3 oz vodka
- 2 oz Triple Sec
- Make the rosemary syrup: In a small saucepan heat the sugar and water until the sugar has completely dissolved. Add the rosemary and simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- In a pitcher, mix the rosemary syrup with the grapefruit juice, vodka and Triple Sec.
- Serve over ice with a rosemary “stirrer”.
Enjoy!
What She's Having 
I love grapefruit juice – these look delicious!
This is a perfect cocktail. I love grapefruit and rosemary add vodka its even better. Gorgeous photos Happy 2012.
Love this cocktail idea! Such an awesome flavor combination! Thanks for sharing :)
The rosemary syrup and grapefruit together sounds incredible! Cheers to a great 2012.
I never would have thought to pair grapefruit with rosemary. This sounds fantastic! Wishing you great things in 2012 :)
This looks super yummy. I heart grapefruit… do you think it would also be good with basil??? Happy New Year!
Thanks! I think basil would work well too. If you try it let me know how it turns out!
This cocktail is so pretty! Happy 2012!
oo this looks fantastic! and i absolutely love grapefuit cocktails. Happy New Year!
This cocktail sounds like a nice, fresh start to the new year. Mind you, I think I’ve consumed more booze in the past two weeks than I normally do in two months, so it might be another week or so before I’m ready to whip up a cocktail…. but you can bet this’ll be at the top of my list when I’m ready to imbibe again! :)
Lovely cocktail, I usually agree about the new year but need to shake things up so I am committing to some…
This looks so amazing Lynn! Love the dark photos!
Yumm! I love grapefruit.
This definitely sounds like a great way to start the year off right. Love the combo of grapefruit and rosemary!
I love your fresh start cocktail. I do make resolutions, but I make them all year. It keeps me focused. I really feel that 2012 is going to be an outstanding year, I may just have to figure out a way to will that into existence :)
There is nothing about this that I don’t like! And your pictures are gorgeous! Cheers to a non-“meh” 2012 :)
What a great twist on a salty dog! I love rosemary and I bet its woodsy flavor goes well with a sweet sour grapefruit. And best of all, I think my husband would love this cocktail. Sounds like a great way to toast to 2012. Cheers!
The Dinner Belle for Kimberlybelle.com
Okay, I am SO making this (minus the sugar). I love grapefruit and I love rosemary. And I am stumbling this too…
That’s my kind of cocktail!
Rosemary syrup and grapefruit is a brilliant combination and this sounds like a great way to kick off 2012. I hope this year is far better than “meh” for you!
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Mmm i’ve been totally craving grapefruit, this sounds so refreshing!
This looks delicious! Make me 1 or 6?
“The fresh squeezed grapefruit is a nod to the healthy living many have promised to adhere to this month. And the rosemary sugar syrup and booze are there to throw resolutions out the window.” – this made me laugh, seriously. hahaha. I like the way you write with ease, it’s refreshing.
I’ve been looking for some good grapefruit recipes! And I agree with the above comment :P
Gorgeous picture Lynn. And the grapefruit and rosemary make the cocktail almost good for you! :)
Such a refeshing cocktail!
Lovely flavor combination! Beautiful photos, too.
We had this on a warm spring day at a baby shower. It was served in a punch bowl. I can calculate it, but might you have the proportions for a large punch bowl?
I don’t know how many cups are in a punch bowl, but if you keep the proportions of ingredients the same you should be fine.
Make some new resolutions:
#1: Never use Triple sec. This is bad stuff. Use Cointreau – which is the same family of liqueurs, but very good!
#2: Be no whimsy and drink vodka. Use gin – it works perfect with the bitter orange liqueur [which would be your Cointreau], with the grapefruit [grapefruit and gin are a combination made in heaven] and do to the resiny flavor of gin, it also works fantastically with rosemary!
#3: Never call a long drink a cocktail! A cocktail is short. A Martini cocktail [nothing with fruit!] is a cocktail, or a Manhattan, or a Sidecar! The cocktail deities will hate you, if you call long drinks cocktails. Period.
#4: Fresh fruit in drinks is nothing about health – but everything about taste.
#5: Responsible drinking is good – don’t feel bad about it [actually if you drink one or two drinks, it is far more unhealthy to grieve about it].