Winter Fruit Martini

It always seems odd to me that Grapefruit is a winter fruit but that is when you really see the nicest grapefruits and it is when they are in season. This holiday serve this refreshing martini as a precursor to your holiday dinner. Or, you can make a modified version of this as a Grapefruit Mimosa. To do this use a splash of grapefruit juice, a splash of Aperol and a splash of Elderflower liquor and top with champagne.

Ingredients:

2 oz Malfy Grapefruit Gin

1/2 oz Aperol

1 oz elderflower liquor

1/2-1 oz fresh lemon juice

Lemon peel or grapefruit slice for a garnish.

You can modify how tart you make this martini! If you like the bitter sweet orange flavors of the Aperol you can use 1 oz instead of 1/2 oz. If you do that, be sure to use a full oz of lemon juice to balance the sweetness of the Aperol and Elderflower. If you can’t find Grapefruit Gin then use regular gin and add 1 oz of grapefruit juice and only use 1/2 oz of the lemon juice.

Add all ingredients to a shaker full of ice. Shake well and strain into a coup or martini glass. Garnish with a lemon peel or a 1/2 of a grapefruit slice. Although my cocktail photo shows an Eva Menu I asked them to make this creation. After she delivered the drinks the bartender said,”I think I will start making this cocktail.”