Marcellus

Welcome to spring and another wonderful cocktail. This month we are making Marcellus, a drink inspired by one of my favorite characters in this month's book. Hint, he's an octopus! We used raspberry liquor and red edible glitter to embrace his color. We used champagne to get the bubbles from his tank (and to make the glitter swirl in the cocktail). And the most fun was creating our own strawberry octopus garnish. I bought my candy eyes but Susan actually made hers because she is incredibly resourceful and creative. With a variety of potential choices for the base you can customize this to your heart's content. Susan used a blush moscato and I used a prosecco, both with tasty results!

The first hint of advice, make this cocktail over your sink! For whatever reason the glitter makes the cocktail foam when you add your choice of bubbly. Susan and I both had this issue even though we both used different bases. Otherwise, we both thought this was a fun version of a mimosa. Susan's was a bit sweeter with the pink moscato and mine a little drier with the prosecco. The glitter adds a fun touch as it's carried through the cocktail by the bubbles. The raspberry flavor could have been a bit stronger, so feel free to play around with the proportions. I have to admit this drink also got me a bit buzzed, but Susan was fine. I also loved the candy eyes from the octopus! The tasted a bit like marshmallow and were a great, unexpected flavor with the strawberry. We hope you enjoy and until next time have a drink, read a book and be happy!

Jen

Susan

Recipe

1 oz raspberry liquor

Your favorite bubbly chilled (moscato, prosecco, asti)

Edible red glitter

Strawberries

Edible eyes (can find at Michaels)

Add raspberry liquor to a champagne flute. Stir in a 1/4 tsp of edible glitter. Top with your bubbly (do this step over the sink in case it foams over a bit). Hallow out a strawberry from the bottom using a small paring knife. Cut v shaped slits 1/3 of the way up the strawberry from the bottom where you hollowed it out. Gently press the bottom down on a cutting board to slightly bend up the "legs". Cut off the green top. Cut two small indentations near the top where the eyes will go. Gently press your candy eyes into the strawberry.