I'll Have Another: Summer Cocktail Week 3 (Adam & Michelle)

I'll Have Another

There are so many good, fresh ingredients to infuse with vodka throughout the summer that I knew it would play a prominent theme in many Summer Cocktail drinks.  I was super excited to drink the finished product the whole time it was infusing and the end result might be one of my finest creations to date.  The name for our drink, "I'll Have Another" is obviously inspired in part by the Triple Crown hopeful horse, but also inspired by the fact that it's nearly impossible to drink only one of these.

Ingredients for Infusion:

Vanilla Flavored Vodka (used Stoli Vanil)

Strawberries

Fresh Mint

Lemon

Cut the stems off the strawberries, cut into quarters and fill a jar that will seal air-tight.  I used two pints of strawberries for about half liter of vodka.  Pour vodka in the jar until the strawberries are covered.  Let sit at room-temperature for 3-4 days.  Add 10-15 fresh mint leaves along with the freshly-grated zest of one lemon to the jar and stir.  Let sit for an additional 3-4 days.  I stirred it a couple times during that period, but that probably isn't necessary.  Pour the infusion through a fine strainer into a bottle, smashing the strawberries with a fork to get all the liquid out.  I ran it through a strainer a couple times to get most of the sediment out.  Cover and chill the vodka until ready to use.  WARNING: the first time I infused vodka with strawberries and was straining it I thought "Cool--fruit soaked in vodka!  I'll eat the fruit and it will be just like college!"  Umm...no.  Infusing the strawberries for a week sucks all the flavor and color out of the fruit and into the vodka, leaving a white and not great tasting ex-berry.

Ingredients for I'll Have Another:

1 big shot of infused vodka (see above)

Sparkling Water (used plain flavored H2O)

Mint Sprig

Add a big shot of the infused vodka to a low-ball glass over ice.  Top off with sparkling water and garnish with a mint sprig.  The mint sprig should be on top of the ice so when you take a drink you get the smell of mint, which brings out the flavor.  That is the same idea as in a Mint Julep (traditional drink of the Kentucky Derby), which makes it a winning strategy for I'll Have Another.

Bonus Cocktail:  We've only just begun experimenting with what is a versatile infusion.  As a follow-up we made a slightly sweeter martini version, which we'll call "Maybe One More."  Chill your martini glass with ice.  In a shaker add 1 shot of infused vodka, 1 shot of triple sec, 1 shot of lemonade and some mint.  Add the ice from your glass, shake, strain and garnish with a lime wedge.