SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — Today we celebrate the “Russian water” staple with unique cocktails to try at home and tasty vodka food pairings.
While commonly made with wheat, rice, rye, corn or potatoes, distilleries have been experimenting with making vodka from grapes and apples.
Some of the most popular vodka mixers include ginger beer, lemonade, tonic water, cranberry juice and grapefruit juice.
Grab a shaker and try making these cocktails
- Witches Brew – 2 Oz of Your favorite vodka (fruity), half Oz Rasberry Liqueur (Di Amore), lime juice, half Oz Blue Curacao (Optional) and Black sanding sugar on the rim. If you want to get fancy, add some frozen berries.
- Vodka Gimlet – Shake 2 Oz of vodka with 3/4 Oz lime juice and 3/4 Oz simple syrup, finally garnish with a lime.
- Dreamy Dorini Smoking Martini – 2 Oz vodka, 1/2 Oz of malt scotch, dash of Pernod, garnish with a lemon twist.
- Miss Elena – 11/4 Oz Belvedere Vodka, 3/4 coffee liqueur, 1/2 Oz favorite sweet bitter (Nonino Amaro), 1/4 Oz favorite grape wine (Pedro Ximénez sherry), 1/4 simple syrup
Foods to pair with vodka
Foods that are savory, smokey and/or pickled in nature are the best with vodka. You can also use vodka in pasta sauce because it alters the flavor of the sauce.
- Smoked fish like salmon, eel, mackerel
- German style Sausage
- Cucumber
- Pickles
- Dried or Smoked beef
- Capers
- Radishes
- Dark Breads
- Caviar
- Smoked ham
- Pork tenderloin
- Salty cheeses
- Steak
When consumed in moderation: Vodka health benefits
Vodka can stimulate blood flow decreasing the risk of heart disease and reducing blood clots. It can also increase good levels of cholesterol and improve blood sugar regulation.
Vodka facts
- Any vodka can be gluten-free thanks to the distillation process. Gluten in vodka occurs if the distillery adds it after distillation.
- Vodka that is more distilled doesn’t always mean that it is better. Vodka that has been distilled too much can lose its aroma and character as it can become pure alcohol.
- A higher price does not always mean better quality; choose a vodka that fits your personal taste.
- Using a filter on vodka with a bad taste does not improve the taste.
Remember to drink responsibly. Consuming too much alcohol can lead to alcohol poisoning and, in some cases, death.
