1990s Recipes + Menus

Mi Rosa

October 1996
“To gild refined gold, to paint the lily, to throw a perfume on the violet, to smooth the ice, or add another hue unto the rainbow, or with taper-light to seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish, is wasteful and ridiculous excess.” —The Life and Death of King John, William Shakespeare.

The rosebud garnish on this delicious cocktail seems a bit like painting the lily. Maybe not as bad as garnishing heaven with a taper-light, but still, probably not necessary


1/4 cup rinsed drained picked-over fresh raspberries
1 oz (2 tablespoons) Tequila
1 teaspoon sugar
6 tablespoons fresh orange juice
6 tablespoons chilled Champagne or other sparkling wine

Garnish if desired: short-stemmed rosebud

In a blender blend raspberries, Tequila, and sugar until smooth and force through a fine sieve into a small bowl.
In a Champagne flute stir together orange juice and sparkling wine and add shaved ice to within 1/2 inch of rim. Carefully spoon raspberry mixture over ice and garnish with rosebud. Makes 1 drink.
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