Grapefruit Buck

Grapefruit Buck     (makes 2 large drinks)

3 oz Vodka (a smoother vodka like Grey Goose works well with this drink)

3 oz  St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur

6 oz of freshly squeezed white grapefruit juice

1 splash of ginger beer

Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice and serve up in martini glass, add a splash of ginger beer as a float

This drink is from the Four Seasons San Francisco and was long a favorite until I made them so often, that yes, I burned out on them. Two or three years later, I am ready to bring them back. I made them for my mom while she was visiting and she made the happy cocktail noises-- and even claimed: "Lynnie, this is one of the best drinks I have ever had in my life." Now granted, I come from a long line of women who get verbally excited over all the particulars regarding food and drink and often recklessly spout out loads of praise invariably laced with superlatives.  This, paired with my clear understanding that everything in life is about expectation, requires me to implore that you, perhaps, lower yours.  Because... I do in fact hope you love this drink.  It is brightly acidic, pleasantly floral and has so many complimentary flavors dancing about in your mouth. It may not be the best drink you have ever had in your life, but it is damn good my drinking friends. 

The Fruit:
My friend Virginia moved to Aptos and along with her move came the loss of my dear friend AND the loss of my fresh grapefruit supply. We used to make salty dogs at her house every January when the grapefruits came in and sit outside and watch the boats go by on the Delta. She would always drop huge bags of grapefruits at my door, freshly picked from her tree. She was like cocktail citrus Santa. 

So my mom and I are driving back from the market, lamenting that we did not know someone with a grapefruit tree, and she screams: "pull over!"  She had seen a grapefruit tree peeking out over someone's fence, and it was loaded. Ten minutes later, Reba had made friends with Karen. It was Karen's parent's house and she had just lost her mom. We talked to her, my mom consoled her and she gave us a HUGE box of grapefruits. As we picked them, we talked and we laughed about various things while exchanging recipes. It was such a lovely moment of human connection. She encouraged us to come back anytime to get more.  Needless to say, the visit ended with a lot of hugging. I should also mention I come from a very long line of nurturing, gregarious, fearless, do-anything-for-the-recipe-women. 

CHEERS!

Japanese Kiwi

Japanese Kiwi (makes 4 martini-sized drinks)

7 oz of Vodka
4 oz Sake
Juice of 4 limes
5 oz Simple Syrup
5 kiwis 

Puré kiwis in a mini food processor, pulse until smooth with some small chunks remaining. You can add a quick pour of simple syrup depending on the ripeness of your kiwis. 

add first 4 ingredients in a shaker of ice & strain into martini glasses. Add about 3 heaping table spoons of kiwi into the martini glass & stir to incorporate.

garnish with a lime wheel 

(because sakes have varying sweetness and limes have varying tartness…once you make the drink in the shaker, pour a little into a glass, taste and you may need to add more lime or more simple syrup to taste). 

I had this drink at Paragary's, a Sacramento restaurant that opened in downtown Stockton several years ago (it is no longer there). I ordered this drink and could not believe how interesting the combination of flavors was. They called it The Lounge Lizard which I changed for obvious reasons… I told the bartender that night that her tip would double if she could manage to sweet talk  the ingredients out of the bartender. She returned --after what I can only assume was a lot of eyelash batting- with it written on a napkin.   It was worth every penny!

Cheers!