Spring, Sprang, Sprung

Happy Vernal Equinox! 
There some old school liqueurs that, while not commonplace on bar shelves are available at larger liquor emporiums and specialty food stores. It's the first day of spring and the flowers are blooming early this year. I've already seen some wild violets unfolding their purple petals. That reminded me of a liqueur I chanced upon in Brussels many springs ago. It was love at first sip. But it wasn't meant to be, the affair was a mere vacation fling thanks to the fact that Créme de Violette was not available in the US. However, last summer I was delighted to chance upon a bottle of Créme de Violette in one of those hoity toity fancy pants specialty food emporiums. And, better still, it was one of the least expensive items in the store. 

There are a couple old school cocktails featuring Créme de Violette. The Aviation and Blue Moon are really old school cocktails that evoke '20s era gentility sipping them on a veranda, maybe the veranda, or the sun parlor. I imagine the Baldwin Sisters from The Waltons drank them when they weren't sipping daddy's "recipe."


Aviation
What you'll need:
2 oz. Gin
1/2 oz. fresh Lemon Juice
1/4 oz. Maraschino Liqueur
Dash of Crème de Violette
Ice
Martini glass
Lemon Twist

How you'll build it:
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Martini shake. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon twist.


Blue Moon Cocktail
What you'll need:
2 oz. Gin
1/2 oz. fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 oz. Crème de Violette
Ice
Martini glass
Lemon Twist

How you'll build it:
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Martini shake. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon twist.