The oddly named Pink Pussycat Cocktail, which isn’t really that pink at all, is a quick and easy drink which, unlike most cocktails, requires only one type of alcohol. This light and refreshing fruity drink is prepared with pineapple juice and has very low alcohol content.

Unlike most cocktails, this one requires only one type of alcohol and that’s gin. There’s no need for pulling several bottles of spirits and liqueurs off your shelf or out of your cabinet. Reach for the gin, and grab the grenadine and pineapple juice from the fridge. It’s really that easy.

How many of my cocktails have you made? I think this one makes number six or seven. When I published my first cocktail, the Old Pal, I thought it would be nice to run a cocktail series. At first I thought I would run it until the end of summer. That tends to be the time most people would enjoy a cold cocktail, right?

Now, however, I find myself with too many cocktail recipes and I think the summer series will continue way into the fall. I’m sure John.e will be happy to hear that! Oh, it’s not because he loves to have a drink. It’s because I have invested a lot of money into the growing collection of bottles on our side table. He’s not one to spend money without good reason! Me, on the other hand, I can spend it faster than I can earn it!

WHERE DID THIS COCKTAIL ORIGINATE?

Whenever I make a cocktail with an interesting name, like this Pink Pussycat Cocktail, I always look to see if I can find the reason behind the name. There has to be some sort of inspiration behind the name of a cocktail, right? I really didn’t find much for this one, unfortunately.

One possible explanation is that the cocktail was designed by Alice Schiller in the 1960s. She was the wife of a door to door salesman who made enough money to open a nightclub. After much success, he came home from work and told Alice that he wanted to transform the nightclub into a strip club. As you can imagine, she was mortified, but once her tears were dry, she decided that if he was going to run a strip club, she was going to make it the classiest nightclub ever!

The Schillers turned their nightclub, Jazz Seville, into The Pink Pussycat. And, Alice went to work. She created The Pink Pussycat College of Strip Tease, which you had to apply for. The cost of of tuition? $100. The program included ten individual courses. Once the girls graduated, they were assigned a stage name by Alice herself. Oh, and if you couldn’t make it to LA for class, you could order the course by mail and teach yourself at home!

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF A BUSINESSWOMAN!

What do you think; is the theory right? Was the savvy business woman, Alice Schiller, responsible for developing the Pink Pussycat Cocktail too? It would make sense! At last, Dear Reader, this is a wonderfully tasting beverage that is light and won’t knock your socks off after just one sip!

If you have any more information pertaining to the origins of this cocktail, or any ideas as to why this cocktail has been given the name it has, please leave a comment in the comment section below. Inquiring minds need to know these things!

HOW TO MAKE A PINK PUSSYCAT COCKTAIL

Now, for this drink, you will need only a few ingredients:

Gin – Gin is prepared with grains and flavored with botanicals. The main ingredient in gin is juniper berries, so you might detect a pine flavour depending on how sensitive your palette might be. Gin is originally a Dutch creation, but is now popular all around the world, and it is the main ingredient in a martini. Countless cocktail recipes include gin.
Grenadine – Let’s debunk one popular belief – grenadine is not cherry or strawberry syrup. In fact, grenadine is made with pomegranates. It is a syrup used primarily as a cocktail mixer. So, to prepare it, the pomegranate juice is boiled with sugar and reduced until thick and syrupy. You will find hints of citrus flavour and a gloriously stunning red colour.
Pineapple Juice – Just pick this up from your local grocery store. Be sure to get 100% pineapple juice and not a pineapple juice cocktail. This is the one I use anytime I need pineapple juice for anything.

This is how to assemble the drink. You do not need a cocktail shaker for this one. Fill a cocktail glass half full with ice. Pour the grenadine and gin directly into the glass over the ice. Top up the glass with pineapple juice. Use a long spoon or a cocktail stir stick to stir the ingredients together and enjoy!

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