Wholesome Cook
Birthday + Entertaining

Mandarin ‘Sherbet’ Martini

They say food can help create and invoke memories. I think the same may be true of drink.

I first fell in love with mandarin juice when on leisurely walks through Sydney’s Paddington with my best friend. There on Oxfod Street, just before Paddington primary, is a small grocer who sells cups of freshly squeezed juice from this small but tasty citrus. It is so tangy and refreshing: a perfect pick me up after a long walk from the city. Whenever I have mandarin juice nowadays, I think of my friend and our walks.

The idea of the mandarin ‘sherbet’ martini (thanks for suggesting the name Ads), came from neccessity. You see, without realising I didn’t have any ice, I aksed my dinner party guests if they would like a cocktail. Following a unanimous yes, I scrambled for ingredients. I had limes, and sugar and mint, but that would obviously be too sour, strong and warm a mix without ice to cool it down and dilute it. I needed more juice, the non-alcoholic type, and that’s where the mandarins (and lemonade) came in.

Squeeze. Juice. Shake, shake. Top up with fizz. Pour. Sip. Sip some more. Taste the sherbet. Ah, the childhood memories…

Although my best friend has now moved overseas, I know that every time I have a sip of this little beauty, I’ll find mysef right beside her, laughing and strolling through Paddington toward the $2 mandarin juice stall. Ah, the memories indeed…

Makes 2

Mandarin ‘sherbet’ martini

For best effect use clear fizzy lemonade such as Sprite.

 

  • 25ml vodka
  • 50ml Cointreau
  • 2 tsp white sugar
  • 1/4 large lime, halved
  • juice of 1 mandarin
  • 1 cup lemonade

 

To decorate the glass, run the left-over lime around the top rim of the glass. place icing sugar on a dessert plate and dip each glass in the sugar. Place in the fridge to chill.

Squeeze lime and place the wedges into a cocktail shaker (jar). Sprinkle with sugar. Pour in vodka, Cointreau and mandarin juice. Cover with lid and shake vigorously for the flavours to blend.

Top up with lemonade and strain into a chilled martini glass (use a small sieve if you don’t have a shaker).

Serve with a madarin rind garnish if you wish.

7 comments

[email protected] September 15, 2010 at 9:01 pm

Wow that looks nice! Hmm… nicer if I adjust the ratio of the vodka to the rest of the ingredients. :)

Reply
Wholesome Cook September 15, 2010 at 9:28 pm

Thanks Marvs – the basics are there, each to their own with the ratios I guess :-) Enjoy!

Reply
MissA September 20, 2010 at 12:23 pm

Looks divine! I had gorgeous fresh mandarin juice many, many times in Argentina earlier this year so I was instantly attracted to this ;)

(this is *anya* from vogue forum btw – hope you enjoyed the baileys pudding!)

Reply
Wholesome Cook September 20, 2010 at 2:01 pm

Thanks *anya* – the Baileys pudding was delicious too!

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[…] the drink of choice, I have decided to give my mandarin sherbet martini a new, slighty savoury lease on life with some muddled rosemary. The original has always been a […]

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