If you’ve had the pleasure of knowing a Cancer, you’re familiar with their hard shelled exterior and sweet, gooey inside. Hyper sensitive, they’ll flinch at the most unexpected (and inconvenient) times. Sort of like walking on something else that has a hard outside and soft inside. Oh yeah-egg shells. Adored for their childlike hearts and sensitive natures… if you can make it through the self-inflicted mood swings, this lovely lady is well worth knowing. Which brings me to our fruit at hand, the Lychee. Ruled by the Moon, it’s soft, white flesh illustrates it’s pale Lunar qualities. Though you wouldn’t guess it from it’s scraggly branches and plain shell. Is it the Lychee’s intoxicating aroma or delectable taste which makes it so wonderful? Dear Cancer, I advice combining the senses and taking a good whiff whilst inhaling this cocktail to enjoy a multi-faceted libational journey. I’m sure you have no qualms with inhaling cocktails, do you now? Delicate and ladylike Cancer could easily inhale five LYCHEE LOVELYS in five minutes!

INGREDIENTS:
- 3 oz freshly extracted pear nectar (the sweeter the pear, the less ginger syrup is needed. I’ve found Bosc to be quite good.)
- 2 oz lychee infused gin*
- 1 oz ginger syrup*
- 1/2 oz fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:
Add lychee gin, ginger syrup, pear and lemon juice to ice filled shaker and shake vigorously for ten seconds. Pour into martini glass (chilled is nice) and garnish with slice of pear.

*LYCHEE INFUSED GIN:
In the absence of fresh lychees, place one can of lychees (without the juice) and 750 ml gin into an airtight container in a dark spot for one month. strain into final storage container (such as the original gin bottle) for future use.

*GINGER SYRUP:
Combine in sauce pot: one cup sugar, one cup water and two thumbs of freshly chopped ginger. Bring to boil and allow to simmer for twenty minutes. To chill quickly, place pot in ice bath; or wait until mixture cools by itself. Pour (using a funnel is helpful) into final storage container, adding approx 1 oz vodka as a preservative.

(Recipe created by Gwen Sutherland Kaiser)

ALSO TRY: Lychee Coconut Cupcakes