We’ve known for some time that mixing vinegar in beverages is fantastic, but who knew it was becoming a trend? Many creative recipes are popping up with great new ways of bringing new life to everyday cocktails. We saw bartender Tony Miccilota prepare this delicious take on the vodka martini at the Dukes Hotel in London, England using high quality balsamic vinegar. We used our Strawberry Dark Balsamic Vinegar but you could easily substitute our Mission Fig, Pomegranate, or Traditional Balsamic Vinegars instead. As David Flaherty advises in his article Vinegar Gets Popular in Cocktails, “The one thing I would stress for someone new to vinegar is to choose really good vinegar. Buy the best you can afford and taste it on its own.” Make no mistake, this is not a sugary sweet, so-called foo-foo drink; these martinis are bold and stand on their own. Balsamic vinegar was discovered as a sour ingredient by progressive bartenders dealing with a shortage of limes. Let us know what you discover; we’d love to feature good ideas!
INGREDIENTS
- 3 ounces vodka
- ½ to 1 teaspoon Olive This! Strawberry Dark Balsamic, or Pomegranate, or Black Mission Fig, or Traditional Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 strawberry
- orange rind (used as a twist)
DIRECTIONS
For best results, place the vodka and martini glass in the freezer for at least an hour ahead of time. Alternatively, you can use a martini shaker filled with ice to chill the vodka.
Start by pouring about ½ to 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar into a small dish or saucer. Roll the strawberry in the balsamic vinegar to coat it thoroughly. Place it immediately into the chilled martini glass. For a “dirty” martini drizzle a bit of balsamic vinegar directly over the strawberry in the martini glass.
Add the 3 ounces (3 shots) of chilled vodka to the martini glass.
Shave off a piece of orange rind with a knife or vegetable peeler. Twist the orange rind over the martini allowing the oils from the orange peel to mix with the vodka. Run the orange twist around the rim of the glass and serve immediately!
MAKES 1 MARTINI
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