Plum delicious: Plum cocktails

Plum Cocktails (click for the recipe) are the perfect refresher for late summer/early fall.
   While still cooling enough to combat the lingering heat, they aren’t as wildly height-of-summer as frozen margaritas.
   They would be a great precursor to a casual dinner party.
   Not only are these cocktails delicious, they are lovely to look at, thanks to the color released by the plums.
   And plums are perfect right now, just waiting to be put to work in this seasonal drink.
   There’s one very important direction to follow in this recipe. If you don’t do it, you won’t get the fabulous red color that is part of this cocktail’s appeal.
   Make sure to add the plums to the simple syrup while it is still boiling on the stove, just as the recipe says. That way, the plums release their color. If you add them after you take the syrup off the stove, the color release won’t work properly.
   Sugar (I substituted an equal amount of Splenda) and water are cooked together, and then brought to a boil. Plums cut into wedges are added, then the mixture is taken off heat.
   The syrup is refrigerated until cold.
   Lime juice is squeezed from a wedge into a glass filled with ice, and the wedge dropped in. A quarter cup of syrup and one ounce of gin is added, and sparkling water tops off the cocktail (I use club soda instead.)
   I pop a couple of plum wedges into each cocktail before serving.