It’s that time of year – everything is turning orange, and that has nothing to do with autumn foliage. While I love pumpkin soup and pumpkin-stuffed ravioli, I never caught on to the pumpkin spice coffee craze. (I’m visualizing the friends who are shaking their fists at me right now.) Or the pumpkin spice martini craze.
Thankfully, a year ago I was staying at the renowned Hotel Splendide Royal in Rome and had the occasion to indulge in cocktails with nary a gourd in sight. All three cocktails offered on our group’s special menu were marked safe from pumpkin flavors.
I am delighted to share with you the Adèle Mixology Lounge’s Lui e Lei, a lovely, quaffable concoction of rose, elderflower and butterfly pea flower-infused vodka. And Prosecco. Of course, there must be Prosecco.
The cocktail turns a beautiful lilac color once the butterfly pea vodka is added, making it a veritable Halloween potion that will wow your party guests (legal drinking age, of course).
Unsurprisingly, my best recommendation is to stay at Hotel Splendide Royal, enjoy a couple of cocktails on the roof, where Adèle is located (with its amazing views of the city), and take nothing more than an elevator to your room – especially if you have an enormous suite like I did (more about that another day). If you would like me to make that happen for you, please message me.
Cheers, Salute, and Buon Halloween!
Ingredients
- ¼ oz (½ tbsp) rose syrup
- ¼ oz (½ tbsp) elderflower syrup
- ½ oz (1 tbsp) butterfly pea flower-infused vodka or gin
- 3–4 oz Prosecco, chilled
- A few drops of fresh lemon juice, optional, to encourage a shift towards pink or purple
- Edible rose petal or lemon twist, to garnish
Method
- Add the rose syrup and elderflower syrup to a chilled coupe glass.
- Pour in the Prosecco slowly, leaving room for the vodka or gin.
- Gently float the butterfly pea flower-infused spirit over the top, or pour it in slowly to create a layered effect.
- For the color-changing flourish, add a few drops of lemon juice and watch the blue hues shift towards violet or pink.
- Garnish delicately and serve immediately.
A note on sweetness: Both syrups are sweet, so I’ve kept the quantities modest. If you prefer a sweeter cocktail, adjust to taste.
If you can’t find butterfly pea flower vodka (Unicorn is the only brand I’ve found), Total Wine & More carries a butterfly pea flower gin called Indigo Gin, which works just as well.
