Recipe: The Pink Wink

Here's a drink I came up with a couple years back (I think I posted it in ye olde Yahoo! ). Valentine's Day was the inspiration, so I'm throwing it out there again.

I've made this for quite a few folks and it's been very popular (even with one sworn hater of gin). That's not a brag, just telling you that the test marketing has seen good results.

It's essentially a pink martini, the flavor is fruity, but not distinctly so (it sorta tastes like Red Vines). It's not too sweet, goes down easy, and is very strong (hence the "wink"). I made the recipe for two, each serving is technically a double (in the old days this would be a recipe for 4).

The Pink WInk

6 oz gin
2 oz dry vermouth
2 oz triple sec
2 oz coconut rum
1 tsp grenadine

Shake it all up on ice, strain into martini glasses, garnish with a cherry or something cute. Get ready for love.

i like the name! :wink:

the drink sounds tasty but 12 ounces of hard alcohol? is that one serving or more like six? is it served in one of those "super-sized" martini glasses?

"I made the recipe for two, each serving is technically a double (in the old days this would be a recipe for 4)."

So you've got yourself two 6oz drinks when done...But it cuts down perfectly fine if you're both tiny folk. If you make the whole recipe, fill the martini glasses and there may be some extra. When you special friend says "MMM-! That was good!" you can slyly say "There's a little more in the shaker..."

Just about all modern martini glasses are BIG. A standard drink (built around 1 1/2-2 oz booze) usually sits in the bottom of the glass like your bein' cheap. The Pink Wink will fill the glass and fill your special somebody with one of life's greatest emotions: The joy of a generous drink offered by a friend.

(This forum always makes me thirsty.)
(Edited by yer's truly to correct some basic math)

[ Edited by: woofmutt on 2005-02-08 19:58 ]

I really like the sound of that one, Woofmutt. It's a rare cocktail that combine my two favourite spirits with such aplomb.

This weekend I might have to substitute normal rum and coconut syrup for the coconut rum, but I'm sure things will work out for the best.

Trader Woody

Well I hope you do try it and are to the point in your comments. (McDonalds is considering the Pink Wink for one of their new Happy Hour Meals. Feedback from a connoisseur such as yourself would be useful.)

Regular rum may throw off the color slightly. Oh no. I guess one should avoid a gin too heavy in the juniper (not that common in most the big gins), though one of the main points of the drink is to play the aromatics and botanicals off the fruity and sweet. And it's pretty.

On 2005-02-10 19:49, woofmutt wrote:
Well I hope you do try it and are to the point in your comments. (McDonalds is considering the Pink Wink for one of their new Happy Hour Meals. Feedback from a connoisseur such as yourself would be useful.)

Easy, tiger. Time to get the claws back in their sheaths.

I used Gordons gin (I understand that's what they use at McDonalds on the continent)and Havana Club 3 year old rum, halving the ingredients on this practice run. I just used a small amount of coconut syrup (slightly less than a teaspoonful).

I really liked it - firstly, the colour was lovely and almost glowed near lighting. Perhaps the subtle brownish tones of the rum gave it a certain depth. The taste combined the punch of a good martini with a subtle sweetness. If anything, the rum came through clearer than the gin. Paerhaps it's because it blends well with the other ingredients. A tip-top drink.

So thanks, you grumpy old sod.

Trader Woody
edit Just so Tiki Centralites know, this is a classic example of unrequited love. Woofmutt has made me chuckle many a time over the years and I've always a place in my heart for him, while he plainly thinks I'm a complete cock. Just right for Valentine's day, eh?

[ Edited by: Trader Woody on 2005-02-11 10:34 ]

Well last night I made up a couple of Pink Winks and they are great. Fantatsic taste and great colour. Reminds me of a great martini, but slightly more mellow with a great coconut taste running through it.

It's gonna be served on a regular basis from my home bar.

[ Edited by: Kon-Hemsby on 2005-02-13 01:55 ]

You have no idea how happy both of yous experimentation and enjoyment of the recipehas made me. Seriously. And I think it may be the first time [deleted for peace keeping reasons].

(Also: I have no clue of that which Woody spake in regards to an unnamed and silent tension tween he and me, but I'm well known for being a first rate jerk so he's probably right. He's ALWAYS right.)

So Woofmutt, what's your cocktail for easter?

On 2005-02-14 19:19, woofmutt wrote:
he's probably right. He's ALWAYS right.)

Glad you noticed! It's quite a novelty on an internet message board. cough

But no, there's no silent tension. I've always loved your posts, however curmudgeonly they might be. The fact that it's not reciprocated just adds a frisson....

Trader Woody

This is a helluva drink. The whole idea of the perfect cocktail (IMO) is to be chock full of booze but yet smooth to the palate and gullet. This drink does it in spades. It's easy enough to make a good recipe using lots of juices and syrups but to make one using just a tsp of grenadine and all the rest being booze? Outstanding!

Pink Wink is not a bad name at all but I think if I had a commercial bar I would want to call it a Pink Panther because it is a martini and hell, Pink Panther just sounds cool!

Webtender.com has two drinks called Pink Panther but one is made with Crystal Light Kiwi and the other with Fanta grape soda so screw them! Just an idea. Whatever the name is, it's a great drink.

EDIT: Pink Wink is an very good name just ignore my ramblings...

[ Edited by: Kono on 2005-02-16 19:41 ]

I'm happy to hear of further happiness with the Pink Wink.

As for the name, you could call it a Pink Panther, but only if you garnish it with an extremely rare and valuable gem and serve the Mancini soundtrack on the side.

On the other hand I'd hate to take the name of a drink based around Crystal Lite or Fanta since I have a little taste. Also, as I wrote above, it's the smooth + strong that equals the "wink". Nudge-nudge.

On 2005-02-08 19:56, woofmutt wrote:
When you special friend says "MMM-! That was good!" you can slyly say "There's a little more in the shaker..."

Oh, haven't we all fallen for the old 'there's a little more in the shaker' trick, and woken up the next day finding ourselves woozy, laying on a ploar bear rug, clutching the giant gemstone garnish, with the Mancini record having long ended and the needle skipping?

Close enough! This is a 'I don't know what hit me' drink, in a good way. Tried your recipe this past weekend, and it's everything you said it would be! Excellent flavor, and now it's the current favorite.

I made up a batch of these last night for six. Everyone loved them!

Great drink, great name, this will be a regular in my home.

Thank you!

OK Woofmutt,

I'm heading out to the liquer store right now to buy Pink Wink ingredients. I'll report my findings in the morning.

:wink: :drink:

It's 7:39pm. I just poured a pair of Pink Winks for my wahine and I. After just a sip or two she whispered into my ear. I wont repeat what was said, but I'll just say that the Pink Wink is a big hit! :wink:

Mahalo Woofmutt!!

Neat to know! The Pink Wink has led to several people suggesting I start college funds for their unexpected offspring. But I tell 'em "If yer gonna play with fire you gotta learn to change a diaper."

This was my first "tiki central" recipe and it's fab! My husband (who thinks that I can't shake a cocktail to save my life) totally loved it as well! Thanks for sharing!!

There's a distant rumble coming from the far horizon and you know it's the thunderous sound of Cupid's Arrow Brigade in their Flying Hearts getting ready for the big V-Day run...And you should be getting ready too with plans of serving a drink inspired by that big heart shaped day: The Pink Wink *Sweet & strong, it's great for couples, even better for lonely hearts! *

This message brought to you by The American Pink Wink Producers & Imbibers Association

Apparently I forgot to raise this post from the dead last year. Maybe I thought love was lost here? I have no idea.

But here it is so you can lay aside those Sunday paper ads for red undies and cheap flower and just plan to say I LOVE YOU! with a stop by the booze shop.

(Edited for clarity cuz it sounded like I told you to lay aside your Sunday underwear which was made of red paper. I only know one person on Tiki Central who wears red paper underwear on Sundays and I didn't want this post reading like it was a personal message to that person.)

[ Edited by: woofmutt 2009-02-08 09:15 ]

Tried the pink wink, first I love the name but it was tasty.

*Who can turn the world on with a smile?
Who can take a nothing day, and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile?
Well it's you Pink Wink, and you should know it
With each tip and every little sip you show it

Love is all around, no need to waste it
You can have a Pink Wink, why don't you make it?
You're gonna drink it all
Then into love you'll fall...*

Those words can be clunkily sang to the tune of the theme from The Mary Tyler Moore Show. If you're under 40 you probably have no idea what the heck I'm talking about. Go see if it's on the Youtube or better yet track down Hüsker Dü's version of it.

Or you can do something better with your time and make a Pink Wink.

I made one as soon as I read the first post. Damn strong and damn good, if I ever do get that tiki bar in business I want to serve this one!

ONE WEEK TIL YUH GOTTA PROVE YER LOVE!!!

And what better way to prove yer love than gettin yer persona muy especial and yerself a lil tipsy with a Pink Wink?

I enjoyed this one very much. As part of my Tiki Month celebration, I posted about it, with a link back to here:
http://www.killingtime.com/Pegu/2012/02/14/valentines-tiki-drink-the-pink-wink/

I personally don't see this as a tiki drink.

"I enjoyed this one very much. As part of my Tiki Month celebration, I posted about it..." -PeguDoug-

Below is PeguDoug's post from his site The Pegu Blog

THE PINK WINK

• 3 parts London Dry gin
• 1 part dry vermouth
• 1 part Cointreau
• 1 part coconut rum
• grenadine

Grenadine should be approximately 1 tsp per ounce in a part. Stir lovingly with ice until well chilled. Strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with pomegranate arils at the bottom of the glass, and drizzle more grenadine into the drink to settle among the arils.

I took a few liberties with WoofMutt’s recipe. First, I replaced his cherry garnish with the pomegranate arils because I think they are more Tiki-like, and more importantly so that whomever you offer them to will be yours forever!

Second, I guess the grenadine used in the original is the artificially colored stuff, because my natural grenadine made no impact on the color of this drink in the called for amount. I doubled it, and also drizzled a bit more to settle into the bottom of the glass among the pomegranate arils.

The result is an odd duck, but exotic. Contrary to the poster’s original comments, I don’t see this one wining over any gin-o-phobes. And and the frou-frou drink crowd won’t get it either. But if you are looking for a Tikified Martini, with some pleasant Valentine’s Day symbolism, the Pink Wink may be your destination.

Bump