I love beets. Their barely sweet earthiness hints at something mysterious and evocative of dark rich soil. My son, 16 years old and possessed of a generally adventurous palate, says beets taste like dirt, and refuses to partake in the gustatory delights of this little root vegetable.
Since nothing will induce the boy to eat beets, I thought perhaps an entirely adult treatment was in order for the 3 bulbous orbs languishing in the produce drawer. What’s more adult than a cocktail made with beets? How best to impart the flavor of beets to a cocktail? I might’ve juiced the beets, but I liked the idea of infusing a spirit and decided on vodka. Gin also seemed a good choice, but vodka won out since it’s lack of flavor would let the beets reign supreme.
Infusing liquor is incredibly easy. I simply cut two medium-sized beets into 1/2-inch cubes, skin still on, tossed them into a one quart jar and covered with vodka. I went with a mid-range brand as something pricy would be wasted here. I slapped a lid on, put the jar in a dark cabinet and let the beets do their thing for the next three days, swirling the brilliant red concoction around once or twice a day. The longer the beets stay in the vodka, the more intense the resulting flavor will be. Taste the vodka each day to determine how beety you want it, then strain the vodka into a clean jar. That’s it – beet infused vodka, ready for whatever your imagination can dish up.
If you aren’t a lover of beets, you may be doubtful that a beet-flavored cocktail would be anything less than disgusting. Last week I infused vodka with beets, and think I’ve come up with a cocktail that might change your mind. After three days of infusing, the beet vodka was brilliant ruby red, subtly sweet and just a touch earthy; all the things I love about beets.
Pairing the beet vodka was a bit challenging. Beets are usually paired with walnuts, goat cheese, balsamic vinegar and other strong flavors that can stand up to the beet’s earthiness. I decided ginger would be a nice pairing and here’s what I came up with.
Ruby Slipper
Makes one cocktail
1 1/2 oz beet infused vodka
3 oz ginger beer (I like the really spicy ones)
Squeeze of lemon juice
Ice
Put it all into a cocktail shaker, give it a shake or two and strain into a martini glass. You could also add more ginger beer and serve it on the rocks in a tall glass if you like a more gingery taste. You could also add a bit of homemade ginger syrup if you like a sweeter tipple.