February 24, 2012

Lime Cardamom Martini

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It’s cocktail time! Actually, it’s not really, because as I hit publish on this post, it’s probably only 6 or 7 in the morning. And although I really do like my cocktails, I am not about to start imbibing that early on in the day. Really, I would never do such a thing, no matter how badly my kids are driving me crazy. I might start as early as, say 4:55 pm, because really, that is as good as being 5 o’clock. But not a minute earlier. Okay, well, maybe a minute. Or two. But definitely never ever at 7 in the morning. I can, however, start writing about cocktails any time of night or day. And it will be cocktail time tonight, because it’s Friday and it’s been a long week for me. I am sure it’s been a long week for you too. Won’t you come join me for Happy Hour?

It would seem that my Rosemary Grapefruit Martini caught someone’s eye – and really, can you blame them? I was offered samples of a new premium vodka called Platinum 7X. It is apparently distilled 7 times and won a gold medal at The San Francisco World Spirits Competition. It was also rated as a Best Buy by The Beverage Testing Institute because of it affordable price. I didn’t even know there WAS a Beverage Testing Institute, quite frankly, but I wasn’t about to turn it down. I had to give some thought to what sort of drink I might make with it. In case you hadn’t noticed, I am rather partial to anything that comes in a martini glass, so I knew it would probably take that shape. I remembered a cocktail my sister-in-law made once that had lime and cardamom in it, and although hers was a highball and mixed with soda, I thought it would make an excellent flavour for a vodka martini as well.

The Results: I will be the first to admit that I don’t really know my vodkas. I don’t know what makes one better than another. But I can tell you that this cocktail had fantastic flavour and a wonderful smooth taste. I can only assume that a lesser vodka would have a sharper finish. The syrup added a lovely exotic sweetness without being overpowering. And lime and cardamom together is a really wonderful combination. I think cardamom pairs perfectly with any citrus, but particularly with the sourness of lime. This is a cocktail I will definitely be making again.

Lime Cardamom Martini

Cardamom Syrup
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup granulated erythritol (I used Swerve)
OR
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp cardamom seeds, crushed

Martini:
Juice of one lime
3 oz Platinum 7X Vodka
3 tbsp cardamom syrup

For the cardamom syrup, combine water, erythritol or sugar and cardamom seeds in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve erythritol or sugar. Turn heat to low and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat, strain through a fine-mesh sieve and let cool. (If using erythritol, you will find it begins to crystallize as it cools. You will need to rewarm a bit to liquify when making the cocktail, but as you shake it with ice, this won’t make much of a difference).

For the martini, fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add lime juice, vodka and cardamom syrup. Shake well. Pour into two chilled martini glasses and garnish with lime twists.

Serves 2.

Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.

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