Raspberry Lemondrop Martini

To Make Lemonade:

1 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1 cup sugar
1 cup hot water
3 cups cold water

Mix hot water and sugar together until dissolved. Mix in lemon juice and water. Refrigerate.


To Make Cocktail:

Fresh raspberries
1 shot Stoli Raz
1 shot Chambord, optional (if not using Chambord, use 2 shots vodka)
Ice
4 oz freshly-squeezed lemonade
Sugar

Shake lemonade and vodka in ice-filled cocktail mixer.

Press rim of martini glass onto plate of sugar.

Pour optional Chambord shot into martini glass.

Carefully pour lemonade mixture over Chambord.

Float 4-5 raspberries as in martini glass.

Garnish with lemon twist.

Ginger & Lemon Martini

So, I have been experimenting with my new, oh-so-cool lemon and ginger-infused vodka. I decided to combine a bunch of my favorite ingredients and see what happened. Dee-lish-us!

I played around with the quantities, and settled on this (adjust according to your preferences):

2 ounces ginger and lemon-infused vodka
4 ounces ginger beer
1 splash lemon juice
1 generous splash Angostina bitters
1 lemon wedge
Sugar
Ice

To be all sophisticated (remember, I am 26, a big girl now!) I used a large martini glass for this drink.

Pour vodka, lemon juice and bitters into cocktail shaker filled with crushed ice. Shake vigorously.

Run lemon wedge over martini glass's rim. Press rim into sugar on plate.

Pour contents of cocktail shaker into martini glass. Top with ginger beer and garnish with lemon wedge!

Strawberry Basil Summer Cocktail

One of the best drinks I have had was a strawberry basil martini served at 28 Degrees , in the South End of Boston. At first strawberries and basil seemed an unlikely combination, but after trying my friend's drink, I was hooked. Bursts of fresh basil and sweet strawberry flavor ensure this will be a staple on my balcony this summer.

To make:
3 fresh basil leaves
3 large fresh strawberries
2 ounces vodka
2 ounces seltzer
1 lemon wedge
1 teaspoon sugar + extra for glass rim
Ice

Muddle the basil and strawberries in the bottom of a shaker. Add the vodka, sugar and ice. Shake well. Rub rim of glass lemon wedge and dip in sugar. Pour cocktail into glass, top with seltzer and garnish with the lemon twist.