Cocktail Recipes for Vegetarians |
Cucumber Vine (photo by Gracey Stinson, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Coming up with delicious foods to serve vegetarian guests has gotten pretty simple these days, but if you remain challenged on that score check out the Ambrosias, Tapenades & Pickled Vegetables section of AmericanFeast.com for some very versatile alternatives. If you’re ready to cook for your vegetarian friends and family members visit the Vegetarian section of this blog and scroll down for lots of great recipes, including Apple & Zucchini Salad, Couscous-Stuffed Artichokes and Southwestern Bean & Vegetable Stew.
What cocktails would make excellent choices for the vegetarians you love? For that advice we turned to our friend, spirits expert and author Gary Regan. It happened that our favorite mixologist had already turned his talents to the challenge. Gary’s come up with a couple of cocktail recipes that employ the unique qualities of flavored organic vodkas.
Tomato-flavored Crop Vodka lit up Gary’s taste buds when it evoked memories of farm-fresh cherry tomatoes, “The ones from the farm stand that had been picked just a couple of hours before you popped them into your mouth.” He liked Square One cucumber vodka because “the fresh cucumber flavor is light and fragrant.”
Gary battle-tested his new concoctions and got rave reviews from Dylan, a vegetarian and the 23-year-old son of an old friend. Unsurprisingly, the sampling of both of the creations on the same evening led young Dylan to turn in early, but we’ll bet he dozed with a smile that night.
Cucumber Martini
Ingredients for 1 Drink
• 1 1/2 Ounces Square One cucumber vodka or 2 ounces Crop cucumber vodka
• 3/4 Ounce Noilly Prat dry vermouth
• 2 Drops (no more) balsamic vinegar
• Freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
1. Fill a mixing glass two-thirds full of ice and add vodka, vermouth and vinegar.
2. Stir for approximately 30 seconds, strain into a chilled cocktail glass and sprinkle a little black pepper on top of the drink.
Red Snapper
Ingredients for 1 Drink
• 2 Ounces Crop tomato vodka
• 2 Ounces tomato juice
• 1 Pinch salt
• 1 Pinch black pepper
• 1 Dash Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 Lemon twist, as garnish
Preparation
1. Fill a cocktail shaker two-thirds full of ice and add all of the ingredients but the garnish.
2. Shake for approximately 15 seconds, strain into a chilled cocktail glass and add the twist.
If you’d like to purchase Gary’s newest display of wit, charm & knowledge go to: the bartender's GIN compendium
If you’d like to purchase the book on spirits & cocktails that Gary Regan calls, “My Baby” go to: The Joy of Mixology: The Consummate Guide to the Bartender's Craft
If you’d like to purchase a terrific bartender’s guide authored by Gary's partner Mardee go to: The Bartender's Best Friend: A Complete Guide to Cocktails, Martinis, and Mixed Drinks
To visit Gary and Mardee’s wonderful web site and sign up for their very witty newsletter go to: Ardent Spirits
Comments
Hey Jeff, I can't wait to try Gary's recipe this weekend for the Cucumber vodka. We hadn't thought to use some balsamic and pepper but it sounds awesome. Try this one too before the last of this season's yellow/orange tomatoes go away! We made it during Slow Food Nation at the Spirits Pavilion. I came up with it after presented with a list of what was in season by Marin Organics, our local non-profit that supports organic farming. It uses heirloom tomato water, sungold cherry tomatoes, basil, lisbon lemons, a touch of organic agave nectar and of course Square One Cucumber organic vodka. And there is another great one by our Mixologist, H. Joseph Ehrmann, called Celery Cup #1, that will turn a non-celery lover into a convert . . . Cheers! Allison - Founder of Square One Organic Spirits
http://www.squareonevodka.com/TownSquare/TS_MixologyArt/TS_cucumbercocktails.html
Posted by: Allison | September 18, 2008 11:19 PM