So this past weekend I was up at Carmel for a family gathering. And the drink below was the weekend sip that has now become Matts current favorite. Since hes not much of a cocktail drinker, this is an easy one for him, being that vodka is almost flavorless. (Yes, thats how I feel about vodkaflavorlessit has its uses, just not many for me.)
Of course since we were on a no-work weekend, I wasnt prepared to shoot. But I couldnt help myself, the drinks were begging to be shot, so I did what any proper blogger would do and made the best of what was available.
As you can see most of the stuff is pretty basic and would be all the things you find in almost any kitchen, with the exception of that floral tray. Which by the way, I absolutely loved and really wanted to take home, but stealing is not cool, so Ive been scouring Etsy since weve been home looking for something similar.
Along with that, shooting outside my usual space or without my tool bag was a bit a challenging, but I was determined to keep it simple since that was theme for the weekend anyhow. Im pretty happy with these shots, which only leads me to question my not-so-simple set up at home.
Citrus and Herb Vodka Tonic
Ingredients:
Orange & Sage Vodka Tonic
- 1 sage large leaf (plus more to garnish)
- 3 oz. vodka
- 6 oz. Orange Pellegrino
- 2 orange slices
Lemon & Lavender Vodka Tonic
- A few lavender flowers (plus more to garnish)
- 3 oz. vodka
- 6 oz. Lemon Pellegrino
- 2 lemon slices
Directions:
To make Orange & Sage Vodka Tonic
- Place one sage leaf and vodka in a glass. Muddle sage leaf. Place ice cubes in glass. Fill with Orange Pellegrino or with tonic water (if using the later, add 2 oz of fresh orange juice) and stir. Garnish with orange slices and remaining sage leaves.
To make Lemon & Lavender Vodka Tonic
- Place lavender flowers and vodka in a glass. Muddle lavender. Place ice cubes in glass. Fill with Lemon Pellegrino or with tonic water (if using the later, add 2 oz of lemon juice) and stir. Garnish with lemon slices and lavender.
A few notes:
- Both variations can be made using plain tonic water and then flavored with at least 2 oz. (or more according to personal preference) of fresh squeezed citrus juice. I used Pellegrino for ease of preparation and because I prefer it over plain tonic for this drink.
- To use lavender flower, simply pull the flower out of the pod. A little goes along way, so sip and taste as you prepare the drink. Same thing holds true for the sage – sip and taste as you prepare it.
