On the leftover nights, I don’t really bother with buying a bottle of wine.  (Although one would have gone marvelously with the leftover crab rollatini and lettuces with ume plum and blood orange vinaigrette.)  Instead, I mix up a couple of cocktails for Hades and me.  And in a lovely turn of events, I wound up with something that I would eagerly serve at any cocktail party.

Cheers to seasonal leftovers and winter cocktails.

Blood Orange Nocturne, makes one

2 ounces vodka (the house vodka is Chopin, but OYO is a close second)

2 ounces blood orange juice

1.5 ounces lime thyme simple syrup (equal parts lime juice and sugar with a generous helping of fresh thyme sprigs, simmered until dissolved and cooled)

Splash of tonic water, or some champagne, if you’re feeling saucy. And you should.

3 supremed segments of blood orange, sprig of thyme for garnish

In a cocktail shaker combine the vodka, orange juice and syrup.  Shake over ice until very cold.  Pour into a martini glass, top with a float of tonic water or champagne, the orange slices and the thyme.

Playlist included Nocturne op. 9 no. 2, by Chopin.