A drink for saints and sinners

All Saint's Day has passed, but you can celebrate St Germain any day. The lovely liqueur was introduced to us by friends with a suspiciously well-stocked bar for people who insists they are not lushes.

Made from elderflower, St Germain is quite sweet and fruity, not floral as you might expect. Around $35 a bottle, it's an indulgence for people who regularly buy under-$10 wine -- but it can be used sparingly to great effect.

The beautiful bottle reminds me of Guerlain Shalimar, and comes with a small booklet of recipes. Intriguing options:

• Sangria Flora (with fresh fruit and white wine)
• Winter Cup (with spiced rum, mint, and fresh strawberry, lemon, lime, orange)
• Pear Tree Martini (with pear vodka, fresh lime juice, and Angostura Bitters -- another cocktail ingredient to explore)
  

My favorite uses so far are a splash in champagne or a gin & tonic. The original St Germain cocktail is a slightly more involved version of the former:

• 2 parts champagne, sparkling wine, or dry white wine
• 1 ½ parts St-Germain
• 2 parts sparkling water or club soda

Stir ingredients in a tall ice-filled Collins glass, mixing completely. Think of Paris circa 1947. Garnish with a lemon twist. (Instructions from www.stgermain.fr/cocktails.php)