5 Ingredients or Fewer

A violet crush

by:
June 16, 2011
5
1 Ratings
A violet crush
  • Serves 1
Author Notes

"So unsuspected violets,
Within the fields lie low,
Too late for striving fingers,
That passed an hour ago,"
Emily Dickinson.
In search for a truly beautiful, truly purple and yes, even poetic drink, this idea evolved. As a riff on a traditional Kir, I have made a simple switch from the blackberry over to violet liqueur. It is floral rather than fruity, as you might predict. If violets were still in bloom you could garnish with the flower. You could make up a pitcher and bring it on a picnic or for an evening on the lawn at Tanglewood. Schubert's Nachtviolen would be perfect. I used nasturtium with proseco....love. —Sagegreen

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 3 ounces finely crushed ice
  • 4 ounces chilled dry white wine, or chilled dry, white proseco
  • 1 ounce creme de violette (violet liqueur)
  • edible flowers, such as violet, borage or nasturtium and/ or a sprig of pineapple sage, suggested garnish
  • squeeze of Meyer lemon or sweet lime, optional
  • For a stiffer variation, add a shot of Grey Goose vodka or for more flair Grey Goose Poire
Directions
  1. Add the crushed ice to your glass. Pour in the wine or proseco. (If you are seeking more variation add a shot of the vodka or poire here). I used a gravina wine in the one example illustrated, and proseco with nasturtium and pineapple sage in the other photographs.
  2. Slowly drizzle in the liqueur and watch the violet bloom with the sparkle of an amethyst jewel against the light. Add a squeeze of lemon or lime if you like. Garnish with an edible flower such as violet or nasturtium, if you have them and/or a an enhancing herbal leaf such as pineapple sage or lemon verbena. Each guest could have a different color flower if you make several.
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33 Reviews

Holly
Holly June 21, 2011
This sounds absolutely amazing. I used to love violet candies!
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 21, 2011
Thanks, Zahirah. I am going to have to find some violet candies to try! They sound so interesting.
 
Holly
Holly June 21, 2011
It was these: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._Howard's_Violet_candies. There was also gum. They are so perfumed, you can tell they're violet flavored before you even open the wrapper.
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 21, 2011
Thanks!
 
hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour June 20, 2011
Made this last night with Savignon Blanc, and it's not only gorgeous but delicious! It's not soapy at all - just nicely floral, slightly sweet, and immensely drinkable. Cheers!
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 20, 2011
You are the best, hla! I love how you make so many recipes and report back. I may make the aviator with pomegr. liqueur instead of the maraschino, next time I make drinks!
 
Greenstuff
Greenstuff June 20, 2011
This is good news, and I hope I didn't put anyone off. It's enough of a shame that some of my family's unlikely to give them another go, but that will leave more for me! It's great to be wrong.
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 20, 2011
Greenstuff, you didn't put anybody off. I just wonder if the glasses had a soapy residue on them per chance. And I learned that my drink is less original than I first thought, but I hope it will be a new, happy discovery.
 
checker
checker June 20, 2011
True romance...
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 20, 2011
Thanks, checker! (;
 
Greenstuff
Greenstuff June 17, 2011
I don't want to take anything from anyone or this beautiful quaff--but does anyone else find creme de violette to be a little soapy? A couple of us felt we'd over-done it after some violet kirs in France, and I'm wondering if it was just a steamy hot day or if there are people who are sensitive to violet.
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 18, 2011
Thanks for posting your note. I should not be surprised to learn that you could get violet kirs in France! Since I have learned that you can make your own liqueur from violets and there are over 23 cocktail ideas you can find online. So I guess I am hardly inventing the wheel with the kir idea here (even though I had hoped that I had). This idea was new to me. Rothman and Winter from Austria bottled the kind I found in NY; it does not taste at all soapy to me. I do remember gagging once when a British numismatic colleague served me tea in cups that had way too much dish detergent residue. Wonder if it could have been the glassware? Though when I worked as a beer maid in Germany, it was customary to wash out the glasses in plain water.
 
Lizthechef
Lizthechef June 17, 2011
Why not enter this stunner of a cocktail in the new picnic theme? I have to try this!
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 17, 2011
Thanks, Liz. I am thinking of a whole picnic basket to accompany this, since the contest seems more food-oriented...it will probably include figs wrapped in proscuitto, a baguette, herbed goat cheese, and pickled asparagus...but have to give it more of a think.
 
Midge
Midge June 17, 2011
How pretty! Would love to try this with sparkling wine.
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 17, 2011
Thanks, Midge. Yes, I intend to test this out this weekend with a proseco and update the variation. TiggyBee and hardlikearmour have both helped me think up the name. I think I will keep violet in there since it gets at both the taste and color.
 
nogaga
nogaga June 17, 2011
Gorgeous, and I'm sure delicous, and Amherst purple! Wow. Your glass is beautiful, too.
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 17, 2011
Thanks, nogaga. I hadn't thought of the Amherst College purple connection...we also have Amethyst Brook running very near to Emily's home here!
 
TiggyBee
TiggyBee June 17, 2011
There's the perfect name there: Amethyst Crush!!
 
wssmom
wssmom June 17, 2011
Swooning!
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 17, 2011
Thanks, wssmom. Since I think of you as the queen of drinks, that is a lovely compliment!
 
mrslarkin
mrslarkin June 16, 2011
What a beautiful love potion!
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 17, 2011
Thanks, mrslarkin. I hadn't thought of it that way before!
 
drbabs
drbabs June 16, 2011
Does Creme de Violette taste like those little violet candies?
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 16, 2011
Oh gosh, I don't know what those candies taste like. But violet liqueur tastes like concentrated very sweet violets, which on its own is too overpowering to me. I think I would also like it mixed with a dry champagne, too. Another day.
 
SKK
SKK June 16, 2011
This is a beautiful beverage and now will have to search out violet liqueur!
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 16, 2011
Thanks, SKK. If you like the Kir, you will probably like this variation.
 
TiggyBee
TiggyBee June 16, 2011
Velvet Crush? Anyhow, love your creation!!
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 16, 2011
Thanks, TiggyBee. I have been hunting for a good name. Hope you don't mind if I adopt your suggestion. The only hard part of this drink is having the liqueur on hand.
 
hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour June 16, 2011
This is gorgeous. I have some creme de violette, and will certainly try this next time I crack open a bottle of dry white wine!
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 16, 2011
Thanks. It really has an lovely amethyst jewel color and subtle violet flavor. Let me know what you think if you make this. I wasn't sure how else to begin using this liqueur, but this idea worked out really well for me.
 
hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour June 16, 2011
My absolute favorite, if I could only have one cocktail for the rest of my life, best ever drink uses creme de violette. It's the Aviation cocktail, and I highly recommend you give it a try!
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 16, 2011
Thanks. Having completed a certain number of hours in flying lessons, I will assuredly have to try that drink out!