A light, refreshing and utterly romantic Lillet cocktail made with prosecco and cardamom.
Sometimes I miss the days when it was just me and my husband.
I love my life, my kids, my home, this blog. This is an excellent “now.” But sometimes I miss my “then.”
I love remembering that time when it was just the two of us enveloped in the dark womb of time and space and love. When we were the strongest presence in each other’s lives. There was time to wonder. And wander. It was never too late. For anything.
There’s still time for those things, of course, but it’s not as abundant and you have to consciously create it.
One of our favorite places to do that is The Castello Plan. They have a signature cocktail named, very fittingly, The Pas de Deux.
I know, technically, pas de deux means “step of two.” But I like to imagine it means “none but two.” That’s what I see, what I feel, when I watch those dances. The rest of the characters, all the sub plots, everything leading up to that moment falls away and it’s just those two dancers. Alone. In their now. Discovering. Marvelling. Revelling.
I’ve written about Castello’s pas de deux before when waxing bombastic about my love for cardamom. It’s a wonderful Lillet cocktail made with prosecco, a sugar cube and a cardamom pod. It’s sweet, light, aromatic, bubbly and utterly utterly romantic.
It’s not on the menu anymore but I just learned that you can request it. If you live in the area and you go there, I highly recommend it.
Or, whether you’re down the street or halfway around the globe, you can make it at home.
Because sometimes, in your now, you want to enjoy your favoritest cocktail from the comfort of your living room couch. Where, seated next to your soulmate, you can hear the measured breathing of your sleeping children and live tweet the final episodes of #MadMen.
Eventually, this will be your then. So enjoy it now.
- a few Tbs of granulated sugar for the rim
- one cardamom pod
- one part Lillet
- two parts prosecco
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Moisten the rim of your glass on a wet paper towel and dip in the sugar. Castello uses a sugar cube, which is cool, but I like my sugar on the rim because it's closer to my taste buds.
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Place cardamom pod in the bottom of your empty glass.
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Add your Lillet.
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Top with your prosecco.
Julie is Hostess At Heart says
July 5, 2015 at 3:56 pmThis sounds Oh La La! We love recreating drinks at home when we are in a mood to have more than one (often it seems).
Christine says
July 5, 2015 at 7:09 pmHeard that!
BakingBeauty (@KrystleKouture) says
July 1, 2015 at 11:17 pmGirl, I need to make this at home because I have no idea how to pronounce it at the bar! 🙂
Is it possible to leave out/sub something for the cardamom, so pricey and I’m a cheapskate! 🙁 Nutmeg or cloves maybe??
Christine says
July 2, 2015 at 6:13 amI’m a cheapskate, too! Hurray for cheapskates! You can leave it out and it will still be delicious. The thing about the cardamom pods is that, if you do spring for them, they last quite a bit longer than ground spices.
Dot says
June 1, 2015 at 6:01 pmJust beautiful xxxooo
Christine says
June 5, 2015 at 7:42 amThanks mom 🙂
Paul says
May 29, 2015 at 11:00 amI meant tomorrow night! I tried to correct by your site told me I was “commenting too fast”.
Christine says
May 29, 2015 at 11:05 amThat’s funny! Just calm down, commenter! Tomorrow works too.
Paul says
May 29, 2015 at 10:55 amCastello? Tonight?
Christine says
May 29, 2015 at 10:58 amWorks for me!
bluecrabmartini says
May 19, 2015 at 9:22 pmDon’t you just love it when a restaurant makes a drink so special it stays with you forever? 🙂 Just came across your blog for the first time, but I’ll be back again for sure! Cheers!
Christine says
May 21, 2015 at 4:25 pmCheers! I was at yours for the first time too. Reminded me that MD was the first place I ever had crabs. With Old Bay of course. Fond memories.
nagimaehashi says
May 19, 2015 at 6:10 pmEvery time I come to your blog, I giggle at your blog name and tagline!! and your opening line for this post made me grin too!!
I think you and your hubby should take a weekend out just for the two of you. Go on, you guys deserve it! Relive the “then”! N x
Christine says
May 19, 2015 at 6:12 pmExcellent idea! Also I LIVE to make people giggle
Erin @ Platings and Pairings says
May 19, 2015 at 11:15 amThis cocktail looks amazing – I love anything with bubbles! Cheers!!!
Christine says
May 19, 2015 at 11:29 amCheers to you, too, Erin!