Blue Malibu Lagoon Recipe

I’m a sucker for a blue drink. But my favorite liqueur is golden colored Licor 43 (Cuarenta y Tres), a  Spanish elixir that tastes of warm citrus and vanilla, among the 43 ingredients in it. Hence the name. It mixes with nearly anything, and very successfully rounds out a sophisticated yet approachable cocktail.

I named this one after the Malibu Lagoon, a 13-acre beautiful wetlands area where Malibu Creek meets the Pacific Ocean. The lagoon empties into the ocean at world famous Malibu Surfrider Beach, renowned as a surfing and recreational destination, with 1.5 million visitors every year.

If you live in or are visiting the West L.A. area, you owe it to yourself to devote a lazy day to the lagoon — strolling along the wooden boardwalks that give access to the weedy salt water marshes, observing the natural bird sanctuary where several hundred species stop each year during their annual migrations. Expect to see pelicans, egrets, herons and ducks, for sure.

During your lazy day, picnic on the beach and take a dip in the ocean. Wear water shoes, because during low tide you will want to scramble over the rocks in the tide pools to see anemones, crabs, sea cucumbers, and starfish. While spotting watery things, keep your eyes open for stars having their own day on the sand; the celebrity-laden Malibu Colony is at the north end of the beach.  A half-mile south is the Malibu Pier, which is also worth a stroll.

Before you leave, take a tour through the nearby Malibu Lagoon Museum and the historic Adamson House to see stunning examples of prized Malibu tiles. 23200 Pacific Coast Highway (at Cross Creek Road), Malibu, CA 90265.

Tagged as: alcoholic drink, blue curacao, cocktail, Cuarenta y Tres, drink, Licor 43, lime juice, Malibu Lagoon, martini glass, recipe, white rum