Drinks

Orange Bloom Cocktail

March 22, 2019 by Jennifer

If you live in Southern California you’ve probably heard all about the Super Bloom. But in case you haven’t, it’s this amazing explosion of wild flowers that has hit California for the second time in two years thanks to all the rain. It’s an explosion of color that stretches from San Diego all the way to the Northern Sierras and has people driving miles just to experience it.

The colors are stunning. There are reds and blues, yellows and purples… every color in the rainbow. I love wild flowers. It’s a wonderful thing to be hiking in Joshua Tree or up in the mountains and see these stunning bursts of color. There are Desert Lilies and Buttercups, Scarlet Indian Paintbrushes and Gravel Ghosts just to name a few. But it’s the California Poppy that’s most common. The poppy is a bright orange flower that blankets the state every spring and is believed by some to be how California got it’s nickname, the Golden State. It’s also those little orange blossoms that inspired today’s 1930’s cocktail, the Orange Bloom.

This is a wonderful little drink that ushers in spring while keeping winter alive. See, all different types of citrus from Meyer Lemons to Cara Cara Oranges are available during the winter months, and Cointreau, which comes from a variety of orange peels, is one of the Bloom’s ingredients.  But there’s also gin which can be quite floral depending on the brand. It’s those floral flavors that make this drink ideal for spring and summer.

I discovered the Bloom in my 30’s Old Mr. Boston book. I know I’ve been turning to this cocktail tomb quite a bit recently, but there are several nice little tipples in there. A tipple like this three-ouncer that combines sweet and tart (or winter and spring) thanks to the gin, Cointreau, and sweet vermouth. So, while we’re still getting the occasional rain and/or snow storm, that’s okay because it means that wonderful super bloom will be around a little while longer, which means there’s still plenty of time to mix up your own personal Orange Bloom and enjoy a little winter with a just a hint of spring.