Shallots Web

As the Bun was rummaging through the refrigerator the other day he said, “Hey, we still have mint – we should make Southsides before it goes bad.” I immediately thought that it was time for a new application for the mint and a new cocktail for SW.

As a kid, I loved Country Time pink lemonade – the pink, specifically. No triangle jokes, please. I learned well after my thirsty childhood that the pink powder really bore no difference in taste to the regular yellow stuff and discovered that good pink lemonade is made with the addition of real raspberry or strawberry. I don’t think I have ever made good pink lemonade of the child-friendly variety, so I decided to go ahead with my adult version, which would use the innocuous flavor of vodka to enhance the pleasure of its refreshment. With the judicious addition of fresh mint, I think that this one sealed the deal as a summer-time keeper. The name is a product of my own fit of whimsy, based on the color, so don’t go ordering this libation at the local dive, unless you plan to bring your own strawberries and guide the bartender through the blending process. Do, however, invite your friends over for this one. Be ready to make a second batch.*

In a blender, combine:
5-7 whole strawberries
1 cup of vodka (I use Skyy)
1-2 sprigs of mint, leaves only
1-2 tablespoons of simple syrup, or to taste
Cover and blend this all together until the strawberries and mint are completely puree-d. Strain through a fine strainer and into a small serving pitcher, stirring the pulp of the fruit around until all of the liquid is through the strainer. To serve, pour into rocks or short glasses filled with ice, evenly distributing amongst four glasses. Top off each glass with club soda and stir gently, adding a mint leaf for garnish, if desired.

*Dear friends Keith and Mario enjoyed a few rounds of this cocktail with us during the Market Days weekend and we quickly found that one round may have been enough! Check out Keith’s shout out to SW on his blog, but be warned, he’s hilarious, but not for the faint-hearted!

Sadly, our dear friends Allison and Mark lost their grandmother, Viola, this past December. She had moved into a new apartment in August of last year, where she received a little more assistance when she needed it. As Allison and Mark’s mom, Bethany, and her husband, Harold, were discussing the new place and some of the new items they needed to pick up for Viola (new coffee pot, new TV), she interrupted, asking, “More important than any of this, is there a nice cabinet for the liquor?” Bethany just laughed and said, “You know, we already checked that out when we visited! There’s only one problem: it’s above the refrigerator and Harold is the only one who can reach it. I’m not sure that’s going to work very well. I think you’d have to drag a chair over if you wanted to get at it.” Then Harold said, “Yeah, maybe that’s not such a good plan considering you just fell earlier this week.” Viola replied, “I don’t know…I think reaching for a bottle of Wild Turkey sounds like a good way to go.”

My kind of lady.

Collectively, the Bun and I only talked with Viola a handful of times, but it was obvious to us how much she meant to her family and how much her family meant to her. As she would have wanted, the whole of her clan was celebrating her life in Michigan (her home state) a few weeks ago. We decided that this week’s cocktail should be in her honor. This is a sweet, but spicy take on a Manhattan and an Old-Fashioned, using fresh Michigan cherries and (what else?) Wild Turkey.

Cheers, Vi!

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Sorry, I am a little late with this recipe for the week, but I assume that most of the people reading this would not mind a Sunday nightcap.  This is pretty out of the ordinary for the Bun and me – neither of us are normally fans of vodka or creme de menthe, but we thought the same of Brandy Alexanders a few winters ago and they became a cold-weather favorite.  I am not gonna lie – the biggest reason we chose to try Vodka Stingers this week was the fact that they are mentioned in the Sondheim classic, “The Ladies Who Lunch,” from Company.  When the character Joanne (originally played by Elaine Stritch) brays out, “another Vodka Stinger!!!” we always wondered what all the fuss was about.  We found out.

These are not cocktails for the faint of heart – they go down like candy and hit hard.  I recommend one round and then about a two hour break.  =)  Since we are in the midst of the growing season, I added fresh mint to my shaker for this version, which lends a little green flavor and brightens what might otherwise might be a sugary finish.  I always encourage variations, but I also encourage you to rename your drinks if you change the ingredients or the mixing methods too much.  Let’s start naming drinks for ourselves!

In a shaker, combine:
1 cup of ice
5 parts vodka
2 parts creme de menthe
7-9 mint leaves
Shake all ingredients until the shaker is too cold to hold.  Strain into cocktail or coupe glasses and enjoy.  Expect cool, sweet, clean refreshment!