Manuka Amber with Blood Orange Inclusion - March 10, 2010

The Manuka Amber with Blood Orange Inclusion, a.k.a. The RimZim

Today is another Dinner Club birthday and reason to celebrate. Happy Birthday Rima! In honor of this special occasion, last night, Nick and I concocted what we consider to be a suitable birthday cocktail. While I would love nothing more than to drink this with Rima in person, a virtual cocktail will have to suffice...for now.

Recipe

1 dash of Angostura bitters
1/4 cup 42 Below Manuka Honey Infused Vodka*
1/4 cup ginger infused simple syrup

Put first three ingredients in a high ball glass. Place a blood orange slice in glass. Fill with crushed ice and top with soda water and stir.

For the syrup, simply dissolve 2 cups sugar in 2 cups water. Add a 2 inch piece of peeled and chopped fresh ginger. Boil for 5 minutes and take off heat. Let steep, covered for one hour. Strain out ginger and set aside to use as candied ginger.

*42 Below Manuka Honey Vodka is difficult to come by in the U.S. We brought ours home from New Zealand when we went to visit Rima. I've seen the unflavored version in liquor stores here in Minneapolis, but I've yet to see all the fun infusions, including kiwi, feijoa, passionfruit and, of course, the honey. In the very likely case you don't have any, try substituting ginger infused vodka and sweeten with a honey (preferably manuka, if you can find it) simple syrup, omitting the ginger syrup, to get the same flavor profile.

With a cheeky nod to Lithuania and a clear reference to happy times together in NZ, we thought this to be a nice signature drink for you, Rima. Also, in addition to having a lovely sweetness about it, it's a little spicy and quite strong, especially as you get down towards the bottom. Cheers to a the start of a great year!