my true love brang to me.  Truly.  That’s what I wrote.  Perhaps I’ve sampled too many of the fourth of The Twelve Boozy Beverages of Christmas?  Let’s try that again…on the fourth day of Christmas my true love sent to me a Cranberry Thyme Sparkler.

Verdict?  Tasty.  Not an all-consuming love, but tasty.  Actually, the addition of the grated lemon peel (I used a microplane to ensure a fine grate) is delightful.  It adds this bright note that I’m really digging.  The thyme is a cool concept, but I couldn’t really taste it.

Here are the details:

Cranberry Thyme Sparkler

Prepare ahead of time:
1/2 c fresh cranberry (I used frozen from a bag I tossed in the freezer a couple of weeks ago)
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c water
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme

Bring the first three ingredients to a boil, turn down and cook a few minutes until the cranberries pop.  Remove from heat, add the sprigs of thyme and allow to steep until cool. Once cool remove thyme and cranberries (though, in hindsight, the cooked down cranberries might be a nice addition to the glass).

The above will make approximately three cocktails.  For each individual cocktail, mix together the following:

2 ounces cranberry thyme syrup
1/4-1/2 fresh grated lemon peel
2 ozs vodka
4-5 ozs 7up

Fill a highball with ice, add all ingredients, festively decorate with a few fresh cranberries and a sprig of fresh thyme (dang, I forgot the thyme).