Star Anise Infused Pomegranate & Clementine Spritzer

Posted by Rowena Dumlao Rowena Dumlao - Giardina 1/15/2012

Star Anise Infused Pomegranate & Clementine Spritzer

Food photographs have a strong capacity to compel me to cook so I can arrive to my main goal - to eat, or in this case, drink. Some late night net surfing introduced me to a whole range of recipes I would like to go back to when time really permits. All with one helpful "favorite" button of food sites I frequent. I don't remember what pictures I clicked and set aside for future references but I do remember one drink that I was completely motivated to do. The champagne cocktail full of sun of Un Dejeuner Soleil was too sunny and delicious-looking to pass up.

I got some big, bright red pomegranates imported from Israel. They are actually the ones I had been looking for because I realized that they are better than the Italian ones. They are bigger, redder & tastier compared to the smaller & paler local ones. The clementines, the champagne, well, in a nutshell, I had all the ingredients ready to make that champagne cocktail but I had to abort my plan at the last minute. As soon as Riccardo saw the pomegranates, he assumed that I was making his favorite pomegranate & lemon spritzer and got truly excited about it. I didn't have enough pomegranates to do both drinks so my son got his spritzer.

This time, though, I already squeezed the clementine juice and mixed with the pomegranates so there was no choice but to substitute the lemons in the spritzer that he wanted. Clementine juice is equally delicious with pomegranates. I just needed to finalize it with something. I thought of cinnamon because it blended well with clementines when I made the clementine & cinnamon juice. Then I spotted the star anise still sealed in their tin box. Why not?

I divided the spritzer into two batches which was a relief because I just found out that my husband couldn't stand star anise just like our 2-year old daughter. My son and I don't mind it BUT.... I'm undecided whether I like it or not. The clementine and pomegranate blend is already exquisite on its own but if you want to spice it up a bit, try the star anise or perhaps another spice.