In the deep recesses of my liquor cabinet stood this pear-shaped bottle of Golden Pear Liqueur from Budapest, Hungary – the gift of a Budapest-ian guest at least 10 years ago – and had it not been for the gaze of a pal during a tasting, it would have languished another 20 years.

Bet I’m not alone in having liqueurs, or other alcohol-gifts (homemade wine anyone?) neglected far too long.

It was so orange!  Think Tang-Orange.  And what would I do with it?  Well, said friend wanted to try it – after said friend had tried absinthe and homemade grappa.

And it was just the right moment as I had imbibed both the absinthe and grappa too.

Pepcid AC was definitely in the plans that night.

So, I poured her a ½ jigger taste, and I poured one for myself.  Sweet, honey-thick but only in my minds-eye, and with a bouquet of every pear I had ever had.

Fast forward to tonight, making Chef David Lawrence’s Pan Seared Filet Mignon with Blackberry (and Cab) Reduction Sauce.  As we were destined to loose 2/3 of a cup of cab to the recipe, and we usually drink a bottle with dinner, we thought we’d try the pear liqueur again, in the aforementioned martini:

1/2 jigger pear liqueur

full shaker of ice

balance between the cubes with your vodka of choice

shake

use a minimum of two lemon peels around the rim and drop in the glass, on hindsight, three or four, or a slice would suffice.

Looked like an Aperol Spritz.  Bright orange color, sweetness at lips, gone at swallow, apertif or digestif, your choice.  OMG!  So refreshing!

Conclusion: If you have an over-sweet liqueur collecting dust in your liquor cabinet, cut it down by many thirds and still keep the nuances intact – make it in a martini.