Homemade Grenadine

Monday I made grenadine. There really isn't much more to the story other than to say I was pretty intimidated, and stress ate an entire pom and a half over the kitchen sink, and afterwards I kicked myself that I had just spent the better part of the evening harvesting those little juicy seeds with nothing to show for it. So I gave myself a little talking to and got the show on the road.

First, the recommended way to peel a pomegranate. Score the rind with a knife as if you're cutting an orange into wedges. Carefully peel away the rind, leaving the seeds and membrane intact. Let just say this was how I did it.

Next you're going to squeeze with a fruit press or manual juicer and strain through a sieve. You are looking to get two cups of juice. The good news is that if you load up on the giant California pomegranates (as local as you're going to get if you live in Seattle) that have taken over grocery stores as of late, you might only need two and half fruit like I did. The bad news is that if you only have a lemon juicer like this girl, you are going to need to get at all the fruit - discarding the membrane - and press those suckers through in shifts. Don't panic after the first few squeezes. Just really pack the fruit in there! 

Add to the sugar for a few minutes stovetop on simmer. Once the sugar has dissolved completely, remove from heat. Let cool, then add a touch of vodka for a preservative. 

Homemade Grenadine

5-6 fresh pomegranates

1 cup sugar

1 ounce vodka

Peel the pomegranates, carefully peeling away the rind, leaving the seeds and membrane intact. Squeeze with a fruit press or manual juicer and strain through a sieve. You should have about two cups of juice. 

Measure one cup of sugar into a saucepan, add the juice, stir and bring to a simmer. Let the sugar cool. After tasting, add more sugar if you prefer a sweeter syrup. Stir in the vodka as a preservative. The grenadine will last about a month stored in the refrigerator. 

Isn't that coupe just begging for you to fill it with something delightful? Chilled and everything. Let's take this bad boy for a spin.

Dry Bourbon Pomegranate Manhattan

1 ounce bourbon

1/2 ounce dolin dry

1/2 ounce Cocchi Vermouth di Torino

barspoon grenadine

Peychaud's bitters

lemon peel garnish

Shake all ingredients, excluding the garnish, in a shaker over ice. Garnish with a lemon peel.

Of course, you can always make a Shirley Temple. (Takes me right back to elementary school birthday parties!)

Tequila Cocktail, the Rosita

Since we're on a tequila kick ... you should probably try the most delicious tequila cocktail I've enjoyed in quite some time. Just when I thought Campari was getting tired, The Savory willed me to try a drink that combined all my favorites: tequila, Campari, sweet vermouth and dry vermouth. Yes, you read correctly, two varieties of vermouth! This is always a good sign. I reduced the standard amount of Campari (as much as I love the bitterness of Campari, like to taste my tequila), and doubled the bitters. Garnish with a strawberry - it is the juiciest summer for berries after all!

Rosita Cocktail
1 1/2 ounces 100% agave tequila
1/2 ounce sweet vermouth
1/2 ounce dry vermouth
1/4 ounce Campari
2 dash Angostura bitters

Stir ingredients in a shaker with ice cubes. Strain into a chilled glass filled with ice. Garnish as you like - strawberry or lime wedge would both be good options. 

Cheers.

Wine Wednesday: For the Love of Vermouth

This slight variation on the classic Vermouth Cocktail replaces the traditional orange bitters with grapefruit, and adds an extra dash of Angostura aromatic bitters. The depth of flavor and slight sweetness allow this cocktail to pair well with spicy cuisines such as Mexican. (Just trust me on this one!) I have suggested vermouth brands below, but feel free to use your favorites.

Vermouth Cocktail
1 ounce Dolin Dry Vermouth
1 ounce Vya Sweet Red Vermouth (or Punt e Mes for a bolder, prune flavor)
2 dashes Angostura bitters
1 dash grapefruit bitters

Shake all of the ingredients over ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon peel. Enjoy!

quick 'n dirty martini guide

I’ve always had a fascination with martinis. Even before I first ordered one, and somehow still after I finally tried my first, mistakenly translating my love of olives into a naïve enthusiasm for an extra dirty martini. I also ordered blue cheese smothered French fries that day. My sodium levels are still trying to bounce back from that one.

What was your first martini experience? Hopefully you didn't get off to the rocky start I did. On the off chance that I can thwart the painful trial and error process that I went, I’ve put together a quick and dirty guide to martinis. 

gin

Fancy a recommendation? I like to keep it local, and Big Gin distilled by Captive Spirits in Ballard is where its at. Aromatic without compromising that juniper flavor for ginner appeal.

vermouth

Vermouth is an aromatic, fortified wine. Most martinis come up short on the vermouth. I’m here to tell you that you want about 1 oz. per cocktail. Up to 2 oz. if you like a wet martini. Keep your vermouth in the fridge and don’t let it get too old. You would never keep your open wine bottles out with your liquor, nor should do you so with your vermouth. It will turn to vinegar, and perpetuate the myth that people do not like vermouth. No Martini & Rossi, please. If you give vermouth an honest try, but still find yourself shying away, a dry martini will only lace the glass with vermouth and let you get down on your gin. Less common these days is equal parts dry and sweet vermouth, which will give you ‘a perfect martini’ or a ‘50/50.’

This is where I make a case for the stirred martini. Despite the sex appeal lent by Bond, shaking a cocktail is typically reserved for when it requires emulsification, such as when the ingredient list includes citrus juice. You should stir a martini. Twirl a long bar spoon around the edge of ice the glass or shaker. Don’t skimp on the ice, but do give it a serious minute or two. You will be able to gauge when the cocktail has been chilled enough with the palm of your hand. 

garnish

Olives are a classic choice, though actually my martini is the one place I don’t like an olive. Admittedly, I’ll often ask for a few on the side, because who can pass up a good olive? When at home, I usually help myself to a little dish of them. Your other option for garnish is to go ‘with a twist.’ The twist can be given to the lemon over your cocktail if you like the additional spritz of citrus. The Gibson is a variation on the martini which adds cocktail onions to your standard dry martini.

variations

Bond's Vesper has a 3:1 Gin to to Vodka ratio. A Paisley adds a touch o' Scotch. I have yet to try one, but believe me it's first on my list! Out of diplomacy I'll include the vodka martini.

This is what I would serve if you came by my place for a martini:

wet martini with a twist

3 oz. Big Gin

2 oz. Doulin Dry Vermouth

Combine gin and vermouth in a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir until chilled and strain into two chilled martini glasses. Garnish with a lemon twist. Mmm.