Valentine’s Day was the one chance I got as a child to safely express my unrequited love for my secret crushes in 8 letters or less through the confectionary text messaging of my time, the Candy Heart. Through an innocent and seemingly innocuous note scratched into the surface of this heart-shaped courier I could tell Stephanie Fillipello that I thought she was “Hot Stuff” or reveal to April Micare that she was my “True Love” or errantly insinuate that I thought Paul Denunzio was a “Cutie Pie”. (I just like you as a friend Paul.)
A box of chocolates simply lacked that abridged conversational feature and plus on a paper boy’s salary I’d have had to select a single lucky lady to be the recipient of my adolescent amorous advances. Flowers are overtly affectionate and anaphylactically inappropriate when given to someone with an acute floral allergy, while Valentine’s Day Cards embellished with a pithy message from Batman and Robin like, “Want to see my Bat Cave?” not only got me suspended for 3 days but got me an invite from Paul Denunzio to the Valentine’s Day Roller Skating Party. (Rachael Klimchak had already asked me so I turned him down)
No, it was the reliable Candy Heart that I time and time again chose to be the chalky messenger of my love and with Valentine’s Day less than a week away I have put together a recipe for an adult version of the classic Candy Heart called the Candy Heartini.
The Candy Heartini
• 1 oz Vodka
• 1 oz Blue Curacao Liqueur
• 1 oz Watermelon Pucker Schnapps
• 1 oz Apple Pucker Schnapps
• 20 Candy Hearts
• Wedge of Lemon
First, grind the candy hearts in a coffee bean grinder until they are a fine dust. Then pour the candy heart dust onto a plate, rim a martini glass with the lemon wedge then coat the rim of the glass with the powder.
Next, in a mixing glass filled with ice combine the Vodka, Blue Curacao, and Schnapps. Shake vigorously for 15-20 seconds and strain into the martini glass being careful not to rinse the powder from the rim. Finally, sprinkle a pinch of the candy heart powder onto the surface.
The one stipulation though is that if you decide to make a Candy Heartini you are in essence agreeing that “UR A 10” and that you will “Be Mine”. (Not you Paul)
