Our 2017 Recipe Contest has closed and the winner selected. Here is her amazing cocktail:
In our kitchen test, this recipe made three small martinis. Using fresh lemon juice and high quality vodka makes a big difference, since these are the most dominant ingredients. We were all impressed with the taste, and their gorgeous color, offset by the yellow lemon rind and green mint garnish.
Ingredients:
1 T. sugar (to rim the glasses)
The juice of 3 fresh lemons
3 oz. vodka
1 c. ice cubes
2 mint leaves
Directions:
Squeeze lemon juice into a wide rimmed bowl. Dip rims of clean glasses into the lemon juice, then into the sugar. Set aside. Fill a cocktail shaker with remaining ingredients, and the lemon juice, and shake. Pour into prepared glass. Add lemon rind and mint for garnish.
The judges thought that muddling the mint would add another dimension to the drink. I tried this and thought the mint overpowered the elderberry once it was crushed a bit.