Pomegranate Martini

Hello, fellow food lovers! The next few blog posts will probably be spread out a bit...school has started up again, and this year I am starting my master's degree program, so I am already fairly busy. However, I did want to share a couple of treats that I made for my "Weekend Before School Starts" girls night with my sister, sisters-in-law, and cousin. The first is a first for the blog, since it is a beverage. I give you: the Pomegranate Martini.

I found the recipe here: http://www.martinirecipe.net/pomegranate-martini-recipe.html and am so glad I did! Here are the ingredients:

1 oz vodka (or citrus vodka, if you have it)
1/2 oz Cointreau orange liqueur (or triple sec)
3 oz pomegranate juice
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
lemon slice, for garnish

1/2 cup of sugar (for rim)

First, pour the 1/2 cup of sugar onto a plate. Make sure that the sugar is spread out enough that the entire rim of your martini glass will be covered. Wet the tip of your finger with water and run it around the rim of your martini glass. Set top-side down into the sugar (the sugar should stick to the rim where the water touched). Set aside.

Mix the vodka, pomegranate juice, orange liqueur, and lemon juice. I have read that martinis actually should NOT be shaken, so be sure your pomegranate juice has been chilled for a cold cocktail. Pour the mix into the martini glass.

Finally, chop up a lemon, and add a half slice to the edge of the glass as a garnish.

Drink and repeat (just be sure to keep re-sugaring your guests' martini glasses, as my sister was disappointed when her second drink was mostly sugar-free :p). Taste-wise, I had no complaints from any of my guests and was pleased with my own drink-making abilities! The pomegranate tasted sweet, and was a nice change from your standard cranberry cosmo. And of course, you can't help but feel sophisticated (if a bit tipsy) with a martini glass in hand. 

So grab some friends and some pomegranate juice, and enjoy (responsibly)!