Skinny POM Vodka Mojito

 Photo by Sheila San Juan                            

It has been a Pleasantville type of week here in Orange County, CA.  Everyday I envision the news segment in the Pleasantville movie, "It's another beautiful day in sunny Southern California."  Seeing how it is 75-95 degrees on a daily basis, who couldn't go for a day at the beach with some refreshing cocktails?!

I shop at Trader Joe's on a pretty regular basis, I've noticed that they sell, what I assume are discontinued Stoli Vodkas.  I've purchased a regular size bottle of Stoli Gala Apple and Stoli White Pomegranate for only $5.99 per bottle in the past.  I've seen this a few times and whenever there is a flavor that entices me I say, hey why not at that price.

At first attempt with my new Stoli White Pomegranate I tried to create a Chocolate Covered Pomegranate Martini recipe.  I had purchased some mint at Albertsons to try and infuse into my martini, they only sold one type of mint and it had a root attached so that you could plant it after using the mint you need.  I got home and played around with my martini concoction, however it was not to my standards to be confident enough to share the recipe.  Do not fret though, I really like this idea and will still continue to play around with this idea.  Once I believe it cannot get any better I will share my recipe with you!

Going back to that mint that I purchased, my husband planted it in a pot and put it on our balcony.  The first few weeks the mint was started to get pretty paltry and I thought she might not make it.  However, my husband moved the mint to our staircase, which gets direct sunlight, and that mint just started taking off.

Now that I have some serious mint action going on, mojitos have been on the mind and my friend Sheila inviting me to hang out at her beachside pad and go play at the beach was the perfect excuse for some mojitos.  So I put together a little Mojito Kit to take over, which included - limes, Stoli White Pomegranate, my muddler, Hansen's Club Soda, fresh mint of course, POM juice, and the most ab fab Penguin Martini Shaker.

Typically your traditional mojito would consist of lime and mint muddle with some pure cane simple syrup, using rum and club soda.  My recipe excludes the simple syrup and uses fresh pomegranate juice to add a little natural sweetness.  It is my personal preference to enjoy vodka rather than rum, you can use either one to make your mojito and they will both taste great.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Stoli White Pomegranate (can use a limon vodka, or if you want a traditional style mojito, I suggest Bacardi Limon)
• 3 Slices of Lime
• 5-10 Mint Leaves
• POM Juice
• Club Soda
• Mint Sprig (optional garnish)

Before going any further you will also need a muddler preferably, you could MAcGyver kitchen items if need be, but I cannot guarantee this will work.  Also a martini shaker is needed for best results.

Directions:

1. Take your Lime Slices and Mint Leaves and toss into bottom of shaker, splash in a little bit of POM Juice.  Muddle together until well mixed.  
2. Fill the rest of shaker tin with ice.
3. Add 2 oz. of  Stoli White Pomegranate.
4. Shake vigorously for 10 seconds.
5. Pour contents into glass of choice, I absolutely love the way they look in a mason jar.
6. Add ice to glass until full and top off with Club Soda to the brim of glass.
7. Add Mint Sprig to edge of glass for a garnish, if you wish.

Sit back and enjoy!

Shhhh...don't tell, we snuck some on the beach (aqua fresca style)

Berry Punchtini

Ingredients:

• 8 Fresh Blueberries
• 2 Fresh Strawberries (sliced)
• 5 Fresh Raspberries
• Stoli Razberi Vodka
• Stoli Blueberi Vodka
• Stoli Strazberi Vodka
• Simple Syrup
• Lime cut into 6 slices

Tools Needed:

• Martini Shaker
• Muddler
• Frozen Vintage Champagne glass/Martini glass

Directions:

1.  In Martini Shaker pour in 1 oz. Simple Syrup and toss in Fresh Berries.

2.  Muddle the Simple Syrup and Fresh Berries thoroughly, until berries are well blended and juiced out.

3.  Pour in the flavored Stoli Vodkas.

4.  Squeeze in two slices of Lime tossing them into the mix, so when you shake up the martini you will get some extra lime pulp into your drink...mMMmm lime pulp!

5.  Shake vigerously for about 10 seconds.

6.  Strain into frozen glass, sometimes I will use an extra strainer, as seen in ad below, that I hold above the martini glass while pouring.  This will make it so you don't get any big chunks of fruit residue and will really give the drink a professional feel.

7.  Garnish with a lime, and now the best part....Enjoy!

Grapefruit Martini

  

Continuing on my journey of making fresh fruit incorporated drinks I have concocted up a refreshing Grapefruit Martini.  Made with fresh squeezed grapefruit juice, vodka and a dash of pure cane sugar simple syrup.  This reminds of when I was a kid and thought grapefruits were just way too tart and would sprinkle sugar on top and bite right into the grapefruit with that sweet and tart flavor.  I hope you enjoy as much as I did!
Tools Needed:

• Martini Shaker
• Martini Glasses
• Measuring Tool (Could be a jigger, or I used a measuring cup that had ounce measurements on the side)
• Juicer (Optional)

Ingredients:

• 1 Grapefruit (Any type will work, makes two martinis)
• 2.5oz. Absolut Citron
• 1/4-1/2oz. Pure Cane Sugar Simple Syrup
• Cane Sugar

Directions:

1. Put your martini glasses in freezer to get them ice cold while you are making your drinks.  It only takes about 10 minutes for the glasses to get frosty, but you can put them in earlier to get them extra cold.
2. Cut your grapefruit in half or quarters, dependent on what type of juicing tool you have available.  When you have the fruit cut in half cut off a small sliver to be able to use as a garnish if you want.  I used a juicer where where you twist the halves to get your juice.  If you don't have a juicer available to you though you can just cut into quarters and squeeze the juices on out, this is going to be just as good, so long as it's fresh squeezed juice. 

3. Fill your martini shaker full of ice, measure out 2.5oz. of Absolut Citron Vodka, 2oz. Grapefruit Juice, and 1/4-1/2oz. simple syrup (dependant on how sweet you would like it to taste). 
4. Shake vigorously for about 10 seconds, I like to see very small ice flakes in my martinis, it's sort of your way of knowing that someone put some extra time and care to make sure your martini is going to be ice cold and enjoyable.  No one likes a warm martini...ewww.
5. Dip top of martini glass into grapefruit juice and then dip into cane sugar.  Strain your martini into the glass and top with your garnish.  Ready to sit back and enjoy :)

Skinny Pineapple Mojito

This is one of my new favorite drinks, and I don't even like rums.  I've been trying to create drinks that incorporate fresh fruit for the Spring/Summer season; and this is no exception.  With fresh pineapple, mint and limes you get amazing natural flavors without all the calories that normally come with a Mojito.  Cheers to summer!

Tools Needed:

• Martini Shaker
• Muddler

Ingredients

• 6 Pineapple Cubes
• 10 Mint Leaves, mint sprig for garnish (optional)
• 3 Lime Wedges
• .5 oz Pineapple Juice
• 2 oz. Bacardi Limon
• Splash of Soda Water

Directions

1. Chop up your pineapple cubes, they should be pretty small about 1cm each.
2. Put the pineapple cubes, mint leaves and lime wedges into bottom of pint glass.
3. Pour in your pineapple juice, muddle vigorously to get the juices out of pineapples and limes.
4. Scoop in ice to fill up glass.
5. Add in the Bacardi Limon and shake in martini shaker for about 10 seconds.
6. Pour back into your original glass and top with soda water.
7. Add mint sprig to top of glass for garnish.  Enjoy :)

 You can see the chunks of pineapple floating in the drink and they as you drink you will get those yummy chunks of pineapple coming up and they are absolutely fantastic...mMmmM