I’m a connoisseur for the finer things in life, including premium alcohol. Don’t ever show up to my house with a bottle of generic alcohol, or cheap wine. Bust out the good stuff. I have a bottle of 18 year McCallan scotch to match retailing at $200 a bottle.
The flavor “blood orange” piqued my interest. I had been buying a lot of Vodka’s lately and this was one I found at a specialty wine store on Kaahumanu. Charbay also makes a line of high end vodkas in green tea, raspberry, pomegranate, lemon and grapefruit.
“BIG O”
Ingredients
Ice
1 ounce blood orange vodka
1/2 ounce Cointreau or other triple sec
2 ounces blood orange juice
1 ounce Simple Syrup
Large dash of orange bitters
Large dash of Angostura bitters
Directions
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add all of the remaining ingredients and shake well.
- Strain the drink into a chilled martini glass.
Makes 1 drink.
Spiced and Spiked Blood Orange Cocktail
- For the Clove and Cinnamon Syrup:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon whole cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- For the Cocktail:
- 1 1/2 ounces vodka
- 1 ounce blood orange juice (about 1 orange)
- 1/2 ounce clove and cinnamon syrup
- Dash of orange bitters
- Blood orange slice to garnish
PROCEDURES
-
For the Clove and Cinnamon Syrup: Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir sugar until dissolved. Add cloves and cinnamon sticks and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Strain cloves and cinnamon sticks from the syrup and refrigerate (syrup keeps in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks).
-
For the Cocktail: Combine vodka, blood orange juice, and syrup in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Strain liquid into a cocktail glass and garnish with a blood orange slice. Serve immediately.
Blood Orange Martini
- 4 ounces vodka
- 1/2 ounce triple sec or flavored orange liqueur
- 2 ounces blood orange juice
- 2 blood orange slices
Blood Orange and Lychee Vodka Sorbet
Recipe Ingredients
570ml / 1pint blood red orange juice (about 15 oranges)
110g / 4 oz granulated sugar
200g / 7oz lychee
25ml / 1fl oz vodka
1 egg white
Mise-en-Place:
Juice the oranges and zest 2-3 for added flavour
Weigh the ingredients
Cooking Method:
Place the orange juice, zest and sugar in a saucepan, bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes
Remove from heat and allow to cool (place in a container with wide surface area to aid swift cooling OR place in a small bowl then place the smaller bowl in a larger bowl with ice and water to act as an ice bath.)
When cool (or at least lukewarm) blend the lychee, vodka and orange mix until smooth
Using an Ice Cream maker:
Place the mix in the maker
Lightly whisk the egg white to the ‘ribbon stage’
Add the whisked white to mix
Leave to freeze in mixer
By Hand:
Turn the mix into a container
Freeze for 1 hour
Lightly whisk the egg white to the ‘ribbon stage’
Stir the whisked white into the partially frozen mix
Leave to freeze for another 1 hour
Churn the nearly frozen sorbet with a heavy whisk to prevent the formation of ice crystals
Leave to freeze
Effen Cucumber Vanilla Vodka. Another great premium infused vodka with delicate flavor! This bottle was gone on my birthday. The Vanilla mixed with the cucumber makes it more versatile to other mixers and herbs including basil and mint. Effen means “Smooth” in dutch. A trendy new vodka. My fav!
Effen Cucumber Bloody Mary
- 2 parts EFFEN Cucumber Vodka
- 2 Basil Leaves, torn
- 4 parts Tomato Juice
- ¾ parts Bloody Mary Seasoning
Garnish with a slice of cucumber and lemon
Effen Cucumber Tonic
- 2oz. of Effen Cucumber Vodka
- 4oz. of tonic water
Garnish with a slice of lime
Effen Cucumber Watermelon Soda
- 2oz. of Effen Cucumber Vodka
- 1oz. of simple syrup
- Fresh watermelon
- Fresh basil
- Finish with soda water
Muddle the watermelon and basil, then shake with the simple syrup and Cucumber Vodka. Pour into a highball finish with soda water.
Effen Cucumber Elegant
A chilled cocktail with a strong mint taste. Elegant, indeed, and simple too.
INGREDIENTS
– 2 Parts EFFEN® Cucumber Vodka
– 8 Mint Leaves
– 1 Part Fresh Lime Juice
– ¾ Parts Simple Syrup
HOW TO MAKE
Combine ingredients in 3 piece shaker and shake vigorously to chill. Strain into chilled cocktail/martini glass. Garnish with lime wheel or mint sprig.
Effen Cucumber Martini
A refreshing take on the classic martini designed by mixologist Dushan Zaric.
INGREDIENTS
– 2 Parts EFFEN® Cucumber Vodka
– 1 ¼ Parts dry white vermouth
– ¼ Parts Absinthe
– 1 Thin Cucumber Wheel
Effen Cucumber Basil Temptress
Mixologist David Nepove designed this fresh mixture of mint, lime and cucumber.
INGREDIENTS
– 1 ½ Parts EFFEN® Cucumber Vodka
– 1 Part Lime Juice
– ¾ Parts Simple Syrup
– 3 Leaves of Basil
– 1 ½ Parts Club Soda
Effen Cucumber Coconut Palm
Another David Nepove mix, this fresh cocktail mixes coconut water and kiwi.
INGREDIENTS
– 1 ½ Parts EFFEN® Cucumber Vodka
– 1 ½ Parts Coconut Water
– 1 Small Kiwi or Half of a Large Kiwi, Peeled
– ¾ Parts Lemon Juice
– ¾ Parts Simple Syrup
Effen Cucumber Blonde Bloody Mary
Tabasco heat meets blonde beer in this delicious David Nepove contribution.
INGREDIENTS
– 2 Parts EFFEN® Cucumber Vodka
– 4 Grape Tomatoes
– 1 Dash Celery Salt
– 1 Dash Pepper
– 2 Dashes Worcestershire
– 1 Dash Tabasco Brand Pepper Sauce
– ½ Parts Lime Juice
– 2 Parts Blonde Beer
Yazi Ginger vodka, named after the Chinese dragon, etched on the bottle, a symbol of strength and confidence, is another great premium vodka I came across and is a nice edition to my bar. 😉 Yazi contains four different species of ginger, an ancient aphrodisiac, along with lemon, orange, cayenne and red pepper, giving it a distinctive (and seductive) taste and is made using only the purest, glacier-fed spring water from Mt. Hood (Oregon’s highest peak).
Yazi Ginger Peartini
1 oz Yazi Ginger Vodka
1+1/2 oz Absolut Pears vodka
1/2 oz Harlequin Orange Liqueur
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
1 oz simple syrup
1 tablespoon fresh pear puree
Fresh nutmeg
Fill a shaker with ice. Add the vodkas, orange liqueur, juices, simple syrup and pear puree. Cap the shaker and shake vigorously for 15-20 seconds. Strain (or double strain if you prefer a smoother cocktail) into a 10 oz chilled martini glass and garnish with a pear slice and a light dusting of fresh nutmeg.
Tip
You can substitute triple sec for the Harlequin, but I prefer Harlequin because of the richness of the cognac.
Warm Embrace
1 part Yazi Ginger Vodka
½ part coffee liqueur
1 part half & half
Mix ingredients in a shaker with ice, serve on the rocks and garnish with a cherry.
Pua ‘Olena
By Bob Melton, Chuck’s Steakhouse
Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach
1 oz. Yazi Ginger Vodka
3/4 oz. Malibu Coconut Rum
1/2 oz. Sohi Lychee Liqueur
1 oz. Lilikoi Juice
1 oz. Guava Juice
1/2 oz. Kiwi Fruit Juice
Pour all ingredients into a shaker filled with ice. Shake to chill and strain into chilled martini glass.
I prefer Mazama vodka over brands like Absolut Peppar. They make the most amazing bloody mary’s in the world! My secret ingredient to the best bloody mary’s on the sandbar? Mazama Infused Pepper VODKA.
Pepper-Vodka-Soaked Cherry Tomatoes with Seasoned Sea Salt
yield: Makes 2 cups
Store-bought seasoned salt can also be used in the following recipe.Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.
ingredients
- 1 pint vine-ripened cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup pepper-flavored vodka
- 3 tablespoons coarse or fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon pepper
preparation
Poke 5 or 6 holes with a wooden pick or skewer in each tomato and put in a shallow bowl. Pour vodka over tomatoes and let stand, covered, tossing occasionally, 1 to 2 hours, or until soaked to desired taste.
In a small bowl stir together salt and pepper.
Serve tomatoes with seasoned salt for dipping.
Spicy Lobster Sauce with Vodka
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pepper vodka
- 2 dried chili peppers, crushed
- 6 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- 14 ounces tomato sauce
- 4 ounces tomato paste
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Fresh chili peppers to serve, diced
- 16 ounces lobster meat, cut into chunks
Cooking Directions
- Add crushed chili pepper to a bowl and pour in vodka.
- Heat a frying pan to medium heat and saute bacon 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook another 3 minutes.
- Add basil and parsley and cook 1 more minute, stirring.
- Add vodka with chili peppers and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add tomato sauce and paste. Mix well.
- Add lobster meat and cook another 10 minutes.
- Add heavy cream and mix well. Reduce heat to low and simmer 2 minutes.
- Top with diced chili peppers and serve over your favorite pasta! We like jalapenos, serranos or habaneros for this recipe.
Penne ala Vodka Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound penne
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup vodka
- 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
Directions
Cook penne according to directions on package. Drain and set aside. In a large skillet heat olive oil. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add vodka and cook until the flames dissipate. Add cream and bring to a boil. Reduce heat so that cream simmers. Stir until mixture has reduced in volume by half. Add tomato sauce and season with salt and pepper. Add cooked pasta. Stir until coated and heated through. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.
Absolut Wild Tea Vodka was a very popular bottle at my party and was almost immediately gone. I only got a taste on the tip of my tongue but the flavor is delicate and slightly sweet. Great spirit!
ABSOLUT® FUZZY MARTINI
In a shaker, mix 1-1/2 parts ABSOLUT® WILD TEA, 1/2 part peach liqueur, 1 part peach nectar or puree, juice of half a lemon, splash of simple syrup and mint leaves. Shake with ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint.
ABSOLUT® WILDFLOWER
Muddle 1/2 part ginger in a mixing glass with 1/2 part lemon juice and 1 part elderflower juice or liqueur. Add 1-1/2 parts ABSOLUT® WILD TEA. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass.
Kristie Manning 