Fruit and Honey Infused Cocktails
The last of Cameron Bogue's Cocktail Creations
Cameron Bogue, Smirnoff Vodka's resident mixologist has taken us to Maui, and Lala Land, then we hit the Big Easy and the Big Apple and now find ourselves in the Pacific Northwest where coffeehouses and organic food reigns supreme.
In Seattle, Cameron says, "for my own cocktail inspiration, I visited the Pike Place Market, referred to by locals as "The Market." Fresh coffee and hazelnuts caught my eye, but for some reason those reminded me of my Maui excursion. I finally decided that tart cherries were a better option and would make a tangy infusion with Smirnoff vodka."
Pike Place Market truly is a foodie's delight. Fresh fish of just about every stripe, produce, fudge, jams, jellies, preserves and a stunning array of local, artisanal producs abounds in every stall. It's no wonder Cameron found inspiration a plenty for his fantastic Cherry Vedder.
The Cherry Vedder
1 1/2 oz Tart Cherry-Infused Smirnoff Vodka
1 oz Simple Syrup
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1 egg white
3-4 oz of soda water
Combine first 4 ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously for 5-8 minutes. Once the sides of the tin are covered with ice, shake for 3 more minutes! Strain into fizz glasses (cocktail glasses will work, too). Top with soda water and garnish with two dried tart cherries. Yields 2 cocktails if served in proper fizz glasses.
Tart Cherry Infused Smirnoff:
750 ml of Smirnoff Vodka
4 oz dried Montmorency cherries
Let steep at room temperature for 24-48 hours. Strain and you're ready to mix!
As a Portland native, Cameron has a fondness for the city and its farmer's markets. He says, "Open to unexpected flavours, I was most intrigued by the abundant local honey and lavender displays. Lavender is more than a stape in grandma's potpourri- it's actually edible! A member of the mint family, lavender can be used for cooking, specifically with fennel, rosemary, sage and the like."
Compelled to experiment with the bounty of lavender before him, Cameron decided to infuse simple syrup with the herb, and Smirnoff vodka with local honeycomb. The result? His sophisticated and fresh Honey Rose cocktail.
Honey Rose
1 1/2 oz of Honeycomb-infused Smirnoff Vodka
1/4 oz Organic lavender syrup
1/4 oz Lemon juice
Shake all ingredients with ice. Serve up in a hand blown martini glass.
Honeycomb-Infused Vodka:1 Litre Smirnoff Vodka
8 oz Honeycomb (one round)
Let steep for 48 hours at room temperature or until all honey has dissolved. Strain.
Organic Lavender Syrup:
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
1/2 cut Organic dried lavender
Let steep for 24 hours at room temperature. Strain into storage container. Keep refrigerated.
If you'd like to have me post one or two more of Cameron's cocktail concoctions, either email me or post on the discussion board (below) and I'll see what I can wrangle up for you. Until then, cheers and happy cocktail hour to you!
