Warren Bobrow’s Cocktail Hour: Vietnamese Salted Lemonade Martini

This week’s Friday cocktail is a lesson in simplicity using ingredients that are easily sourced.

I’ve had a hunger for Vietnamese food recently. Perhaps it’s the change of seasons that make me desire spicier foods. Perhaps it’s the tart lip-smacking aromas of their unique lemonade? How about combining the Vietnamese Salted Lemonade with a bit of iced vodka and Agave syrup?

I think that’s what awaits you!

Vietnamese Salted Lemonade Martini

This electrifying cocktail came to me one night while enjoying a tall glass of Vietnamese lemonade in New York City. I was dining at my favorite restaurant down in Chinatown. It is called Pho Viet Huong. This place turns out fabulous food, lighting fast out of their kitchen. You literally order and it appears in front of you. Like magic. Their lemonade is freshly squeezed, they use palm sugar for sweetener and a bit of sea-salt to give the umami flavors of sour to sweet to sharp all at once in your mouth. Sure you can have a sweet lemonade, but the salty version is just perfect for the addition of vodka and the beguiling flavor of Agave Syrup.

10 lemons

Agave Syrup

Good Vodka (like Bluewater or Purity)

Sea Salt (just a pinch)

Bitter End Thai Bitters (or Angostura with a tiny Thai chili finely chopped)

http://www.bitterendbitters.com/proddetail.php?prod=ThaiBitters

Preparation:

Juice the lemons and strain out the pits. Correct sweetness with Agave Syrup.

Chill for a couple of hours in the fridge to combine the flavors

Add 2 shots of Vodka to a mixing cup ½ filled with ice. Add about 4 shots of the Vietnamese style lemonade (which is just like regular lemonade, except no white sugar is used)

Add ½ medicine dropper of the bitters (or make your own with Angostura and 1 tiny Thai chili well chopped)

Add a pinch of sea-salt.

Shake and strain into a pre-chilled tall rocks glass, check for sweetness/sourness and add a tiny bit of sea salt to the top of the glass. Add a tall straw and sip to the weekend!