Food and Recipes Recipes Cherry Blossom Cocktail Fruity, tart, and slightly floral, this cocktail pairs well with warm weather. By Southern Living Test Kitchen Southern Living Test Kitchen The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on July 24, 2022 Print Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Christine Kelly, Food Stylist: Ali Ramee Active Time: 5 mins Total Time: 5 mins Servings: 1 This cocktail is as pretty as the clusters of pink cherry blossoms that burst into bloom each spring in Washington, D.C. on the trees that were a gift of friendship from Japan in 1912. It tastes fruity and crisp, with floral hints from sake, a Japanese spirit made from fermented rice. It has a lovely balance of sweetness from grenadine (bottled syrup made from pomegranates) and tartness from cranberry juice and fresh lime. Ingredients ¼ cup (2 oz.) sake 3 tablespoons cranberry juice blend 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (from 1 lime) 1 tablespoon grenadine ½ teaspoon orange-flavored bitters Fresh or frozen cranberries Directions Fill a cocktail shaker two-thirds full of ice. Add sake, cranberry juice, lime juice, grenadine, and bitters. Place lid on shaker; shake until well combined and chilled, about 30 seconds. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with cranberries. Serve immediately. Print