Blood Orange Martini
We have a Sunday afternoon ritual that involves drinking copious amounts of summery, alcoholic beverages. This ritual usually begins around the time that spring has made a prounouced appearance and lasts well into the fall months. The overabundance of rain the past few months had me longing for “cocktail Sunday” so urgently that I was tempted to put on some flip flops and drink a beer out on the deck (52 degrees and rain be damed!). So, when I saw the post on Fresh 365 for Blood Orange Martinis, I knew this was a wonderful comprise — a chilled, fruity cocktail made with a decidedly wintery fruit. The martinis were so good that I am seriously contemplating a major blood orange purchase so that I can juice and freeze this goodness to recreate in the summer months.
Blood oranges really are only available in the winter months. I’m not sure what variety I’ve been purchasing at my farmer’s market, but they have the outward appearance of a regular orange (some varieties have a red-colored rind). The interior flesh is a deep, ruby red. I find the taste to be more intense and a bit sweeter than a regular orange. In addition to cocktails, blood orange makes an interesting addition to salads, salsas and dressings (a few weeks ago I made a very delicious mahi mahi dish topped with a fennel and blood orange salsa). If you haven’t tried blood oranges, you should before the season is over!
Blood Orange Martini
serves 2
3 ounces good quality vodka
1 ounce triple sec
1/4 cup freshly squeezed blood orange juice
Ice
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add remaining ingredients. Give it a good shake! Strain into chilled martini glasses. Add a slice of blood orange as a garnish or skip that and just start drinking like I did.
