Cardamom Orange Gin Cocktail

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With our orange tree in full bloom, I’ve been struggling to come up with the perfect way to use the fruit. A classic mimosa felt too boring for our weekend brunch, while a spiced orange cake felt like far too much work to bake on a lazy night in. I finally settled for a cocktail, blending in the fruit with a cardamom {fun fact: cardamom is known as the queen of spices} simple syrup and an {optional} splash of gin. The sweet oranges juxtaposed the spicy cardamom perfectly, and for those who wanted to make their drink a little more adult, I added in a splash of gin to finish off the flavors perfectly. And to further elevate the drink, I rimmed the glasses with cardamom sugar to add to the sweet and spiced flavors.

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Ingredients
1 Orange, juiced
6 Cardamom Pods, crushed, or to taste
1 Tablespoon Water
1 Tablespoon Sugar
Cardamom Sugar, to taste
Crushed Ice, to taste
1 Ounce Gin {or to taste}, optional

Recipe
1. Heat the tablespoon of sugar, water, and the crushed cardamom over a low flame to make the simple syrup.
2. Using the orange, rim the glass with the fruit juice, then dip it into the cardamom sugar.
3. Add the cardamom simple syrup, orange juice, and gin to the glass. Top with crushed ice
4. Enjoy!

x Paris

Spiked Shamrock Shake + Spiked Mint Infused Whipped Cream

Since I tend to avoid fast food, I didn’t discover McDonald’s seasonal Shamrock Shake until a few years ago when I began seeing homemade recipes online. I decided to make the festive drink a little more Irish by spiking it with a shot of Baileys Irish Cream and a bit more mint infused by subbing the traditional vanilla ice cream + green food coloring for mint chocolate chip ice cream. Topped with a Baileys and mint infused whipped cream and garnished with a mint leaf, it created for the prettiest green milkshake in hand with the most refreshing and indulgent flavor. And the best part is, if you want to keep it from being a cocktail you can just sub fresh cream in place of the sweet, boozy cream. I hope you enjoy it as the days begin to get warmer and we get closer to Saint Patrick’s Day!

Spiked Mint Infused Whipped Cream

Ingredients:
1/8 Cup Heavy Cream
1/8 Cup Powdered Sugar
1/4 Ounce Baileys Irish Cream
1-2 Drops Mint Extract

Recipe:
1. Mix all ingredients together.

2. Add to the spiked milkshake.

3. Enjoy!

Spiked Shamrock Shake

Ingredients:
{Makes One Drink}
2 Scoops Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
3/4 Cup Full Fat Milk
1/4 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Ounce Baileys Irish Cream

Recipe:
1. Blend all the ingredients except the booze in a blender.

2. Add in the Baileys and stir.

3. Top with a spiked mint infused whipped cream and garnish with a mint leaf.

4. Enjoy!

x Paris