Drinking in Season: Spiced and Spiked Blood Orange Cocktail

Ingredients

• 1 slice blood oranges 
• 1 ounce blood orange juice ( 1 orange)
• 0.5 ounce cinnamon 
• 2  cinnamon sticks 
• 1 Dash orange bitters 
• 1 cup sugar 
• 1.5 ounces vodka 
• 1 cup water 

Equipment

• sauce pan

Directions

1. Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir sugar until dissolved.
2. Add cloves and cinnamon sticks and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and let cool. Strain cloves and cinnamon sticks from the syrup and refrigerate (syrup keeps in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks).
4. Combine vodka, blood orange juice, and syrup in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Strain liquid into a cocktail glass and garnish with a blood orange slice.
5. Serve immediately.