Beautiful flowers to transform your cocktails

Now that the summer season has arrived, it’s time to make the most of all the fabulous flavours nature has to offer. Cocktails are always a great way of making your guests feel welcome and pampered. The key to a great cocktail is not only the proper mix, but also the perfect presentation. Beautiful flowers can help you turn pretty cocktails into truly enticing beverages. Here are some excellent ideas to consider when decorating your summer drinks.

Van Gogh Cocktail

One of the best examples of using beautiful flowers as a cocktail garnish is the Van Gogh cocktail. This delightful drink consists of Bombay Sapphire gin, lemon juice, crème de Violette and some simple syrup. This drink is purple in colour which is why the most beautiful flowers you can use to decorate it is the purple pansy. Float it on top of the drink just before you serve. It’s dark purple petals will certainly stand out against the light purple cocktail.

Wild Hibiscus Flower Sparkler

This cocktail consists of a few ounces of champagne or sparkling wine along with a dash of Wild Hibiscus syrup. Given the ingredients, it makes sense that this cocktail should be decorated with beautiful flowers that will reflect this flavour and divine aroma. The hibiscus is, therefore, the ideal garnish for this drink. You will need to rest the bloom on the side of the glass since it is larger than most others.

Exotic flavours

Some cocktails include an infusion made from a specific type of flower or plant. When this is the case, you should try to use that bloom to garnish. Fruit blossoms and exotic flowers will give your cocktail the most amazing look and we all know that you eat (or drink) with your eyes first.

No matter which of these, or other, beautiful flowers you choose to decorate your cocktails, make sure that they are safe for consumption. Some flowers contain toxic properties and they should not come anywhere near your food or beverages. Secondly, you need to make sure that the flowers you use are organic and properly washed. Take care when washing your blooms. You may want to submerge them in water for a few minutes to flush out any bugs.