It’s the start of the best time of year for craft cocktails! Access to fresh ingredients, including herbs from my garden, makes it much more fun to make cocktail creations.
Ed and I recently had the good fortune of enjoying a tasting of Stateside Vodka which is distilled locally in the Kensington area of Philadelphia. We learned that it’s made from corn (so it’s both gluten-free and wheat-free), it contains zero carbs and zero sugars (as do other vodkas), it’s certified kosher and it contains some electrolytes (which help to keep you hydrated). All of that is great, but many other vodkas can make this claim. The best part is that this vodka is smoother than other vodkas we’ve tried – making it easy to sip on its own or a lovely addition to a mixed drink. Ed liked it so much he went out the next day and procured a bottle. Brothers Matthew and Bryan Quigley began distilling vodka in their parents’ basement in 2013 and opened their first tasting room (an extension of their distillery) in 2016. Stateside Vodka is local to Pennsylvania but growing its footprint. Of course any other vodka will work for this drink, if you’re not in the area.
What makes a drink a smash? I enjoyed reading Imbibe’s History of a Smash. I learned that a smash is always a julep but a julep isn’t always a smash. A smash is defined as a cocktail with a base spirit, seasonal fruit, mint, sweetener, water (or seltzer) and ice. The seasonal fruit, which could be muddled or served as a garnish, is what makes a drink a smash (and not just a julep).
No matter what you call it, it’s a tasty drink made from fresh raspberries muddled with mint, simple syrup and lemon juice and topped off with vodka and a bit of seltzer water.
| Raspberry-Mint Vodka Smash | Print |
- 1-1/2 ounces vodka
- ½ ounce lemon juice
- ½ ounce simple syrup (see Notes)
- 6 fresh raspberries
- 6 fresh mint leaves
- Seltzer water
- Garnish with a few raspberries, a sprig of mint and a lemon wheel
- In a double old fashioned glass, muddle lemon juice, simple syrup, raspberries and mint leaves.
- Fill glass with ice (cubed or crushed) and add vodka.
- Top with seltzer water and stir.
- Garnish with a few raspberries, a sprig of mint and a lemon wheel.
1 cup (8 ounces) water
1 cup granulated sugar
Bring the water to a simmer in a saucepan set over medium-high heat. Add the sugar and stir until it completely dissolves. Remove the pan from the heat. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Pour the syrup into a clean 1-pint bottle, cap it and refrigerate it until needed. Makes 1½ cups and keeps two months or longer in the refrigerator.
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