“I want to be a superhero. Maybe I’ll be a bartending superhero who shakes martinis to save the world.” Shanola Hampton
Ok so enough with the food. It is another very cold (but very sunny) Northern MN day and so I think we need to get our feel good spring and summer feel on! I have noticed that this year, the fresh raspberries and blackberries have looked good in our local Walmart even! Costco always has a nice selection of fresh lemons and limes! All that is a bonus considering when I woke up it was -9 with 40 mph winds and the forecast for the next ten days is not any better.
How I came about making this Huck-Raspberry Martini is a combination of two things. One I love to watch Twin Cities Live during the winter months. A few months ago they featured a raspberry martini which has now been twisted! On a recent trip to a local liquor store (isn’t there a more flamboyant term for that …..I looked thru the thesaurus and the best I can come up with is Spirits. For this blog it will be the local Spirits store). Anywho, at this particular “Spirits Store” https://www.facebook.com/71bottles/ the proprietor (Chris) and his manager (well the manager of the store, I’m pretty sure his wife is his manager) ((Amanda) introduced me to a tasting of Huckleberry Vodka. Funny thing about this particular Huckleberry Vodka it comes from the state of Idaho………SCORE!!! So after giving it a whirl, Amanda and I discussed what cocktail it would be wonderful in. A light bulb broke in my head and I KNEW what I had to put it in!!!!!! I’m giving you the link the 44North Mountain Huckleberry Vodka site but you must be of the consuming “spirit” beverages age (I believe that is 21 in all 50 states) to enter. http://44northvodka.com/vodkas/gluten-free-mountain-huckleberry-flavored-vodka/
Huckleberries grow in mountainous areas. Find them along mountain slopes, in forests, and around lake basins between 2,000 and 11,000 feet above sea level. Huckleberries ripen in mid- to late-summer and typically reach their peak in August.
So now you know the history behind why I came up with this particular cocktail . I’m it making quite well I’d say!!! Let us get to concocting because I believe that is what you do with a Martini!
First we assemble the ingredients (or line the parade up).
“Shaken, not stirred”
You can use bottled lemon juice but the real thing is always the best. So we start with our raspberries and the rosemary. You must remove the bottom leaves of the sprig of rosemary and toss those leaves in your shaker. (A few years ago my sister and I were sitting on Broadway in Fargo having a delightful spirit out side of the establishment known as Rosey’s Bistro and Bar https://www.roseysfargo.com/ and I learned about these fun lids you put on an ordinary canning jar. I LOVE IT!!!! (I’m pretty sure I found mine on Amazon….you know the rest I don’t need to share the link). Add 4 raspberries to the jar and muddle these two together .
“As for rosemary, I let it run all over my garden walls, not only because my bees love it but because it is the herb sacred to remembrance and to friendship, whence a sprig of it hath a dumb language.”
Thomas More
and muddle some more
How to Muddle
Choose a gentle muddling tool.
Put the ingredients in a sturdy glass.
Press and twist lightly.
Finish the drink.
So now we just add 1 Tbsp of simple syrup (you can make your own but this is a thing I buy), 2 Tbsp cranberry juice, 3 Tbsp 44N Huckleberry Vodka, 1 Tbsp plus 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice (buy if you must but squeeze for the best) and 1/4 C to 1/2 Cup ice.
Life is grand with a martini in hand!
So now just put the shaker lid on and shake and shake and shake!!!!
vigorously – with vigor;
All that is left is to pour into a nicely chilled martini glass and garnish with the sprig of rosemary and the extra raspberries and of course enjoy!!! I can’t say Bon Appetite, I think this calls for “Salute!”
Join me in #Eatingmywaythruwinter or in this case #drinkingmywaythruwinter
“the really important things are said over cocktails” – Peter F. Drucker
And I guess this time I’ll add the recipe!
“I never go jogging, it makes me spill my martini.”
George Burns