Stirred and Shaken

The dining area at the Angelika Cafe and Bar [510 Texas Avenue, (713)225-1609] was packed with moviegoers. A group at a nearby table was speaking German. That got me thinking about Marlene Dietrich. One of the drinks on Angelika's cocktail menu is a peach-martini variation called a Cosmic Angel. I asked the bartender if he could make me a Blue Angel. He gladly agreed. Unfortunately the drink prices must have been set by the film center's concession stand -- the martini was $9.

Angelika's Blue Angel: Curaçao is made from dried orange peels and has an intense orange flavor. The liqueur was invented on the Caribbean island of the same name. Blue Curaçao is colored but still tastes like the citrus fruit. The vanilla, peach and orange combination makes this drink taste a little like a blue Dreamsicle.

1 shot Stoli Vanil
1 shot DeKuyper Peach Pucker
1 shot Blue Curaçao
Lemon peel twist

Rim a clear six-ounce martini glass with water, then sugar. In a shaker with a half-cup of ice, mix the Stoli, Peach Pucker and Blue Curaçao, and shake well to blend. Strain into prepared glass. Drop in the twist and serve. Yields one.