Spicy Caprese Cocktail - say cheers to the classic summertime salad, in cocktail form! Mini Heirloom tomatoes, cubes of jalapeno havarti, and fresh basil - cheers!
Portland is experiencing a heat wave this week. Like, three digit heat. I have been wearing my favorite straw cowboy hat everywhere I go. I just need an old Jeep CJ5 to drive around in, all doors and windows off.
Despite the heat, evenings have been perfect.
In the summer, our family room extends to the back yard. Rosemary loves to sniff around - and terrorize the frogs in our pond - and we love to hang in the cool evenings, often with our laptops and a cocktail.
This week is far too hot for anything but an ice cold beer or a chilly vodka soda lime. After the heat wave breaks, we shall return to our latest libation of summer - the Spicy Caprese.
My favorite heirloom tomatoes are here! Big and small, I cannot get enough. For the spicy caprese, we use the small - aren't they something? Another recent arrival to our liquor cabinet - a few bottles from Portland's Eastside Distilling!
Jason and I make frequent visits to their tasting room - we picked up all kinds of cheer for gifts during the holidays.
That Oregon Oaked Burnside Bourbon is fantastic. I have a recipe coming later with that one.
Our Spicy Caprese uses Portland Potato Vodka - crisp and clear for sipping over ice, and great as a mixer!
Spicy Caprese Cocktail
YIELD: serves two
dairy, egg, soy and gluten free, vegan
INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces organic vegetable juice, chilled
4 ounces Portland Potato Vodka (Eastside Distilling)
juice of ½ lemon
1 tablespoon hot sauce
½ teaspoon onion salt
garnish: mini heirloom tomatoes, fresh basil, cubes of Jalapeño Havarti cheese
INSTRUCTIONS:
Combine chilled vegetable juice, vodka, lemon juice, hot sauce and onion salt; pour into glasses.
Garnish with tomato, cheese cubes, and fresh basil leaves.
Caprese Cheers!
spabettie is a longtime fan of Eastside Distilling. They graciously sent us bottles to enjoy, and creating recipes was our choice.
printable recipe:
dairy, egg, soy and gluten free, vegan
[b]Spicy Caprese Cocktail[/b]
Ingredients
Instructions
Heather @ FITaspire says
Oh my goodness - this sounds so delicious. And just as I'm watching my drink intake again. Dang. Want one!!
Julie | Small Green Kitchen says
Oh this spicy caprese cocktail is full of a few of my favorite things! I love a juicy heirloom, basil makes me jump with joy and any type of havarti cheese makes me shout from the rooftops in happiness! Great recipe, Kristina!
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table says
This is so brilliant. I don't even like tomato juice and I'm drooling over this. So pretty and perfect for the summer!
Healing Tomato says
I am officially a fan of caprese cocktails. What a clever clever idea! Did I mention INGENIOUS?
Nibbles By Nic says
Talk about interesting…love the cheese nibble included!