Now that All Hallow’s Eve has passed, the big question remains: What to do with all those pumpkins? Thankfully, Vintner Grill has a decadent solution on its new fall cocktail menu. The Pumpkin Martini ($10) is literally a dessert-to-glass libation—the centerpiece purée recipe originated in the pastry kitchen.
The Pumpkin Martini captures autumn in a most delightful way, as nostalgia-evoking baking spices—cinnamon, sage, cloves and nutmeg—are prominent and enchanting. It’s the perfect cocktail for upcoming holiday dinners—and for saving those gourds from the post-Halloween junkyard.
Ingredients:
1 ½ oz. Stoli Vanil vodka
1 ½ oz. fresh pumpkin purée (pumpkin, butternut squash, brown sugar, orange juice, sage, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, simple syrup)
½ oz. white crème de cacao
graham cracker crumbs
Purée:
Quarter the butternut squash and pumpkin and top with brown sugar, orange juice, sage, cinnamon and cloves. Bake on a baking sheet for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Scoop out and add nutmeg, simple syrup and cinnamon to taste.
Method:
Rim martini glass with graham cracker crumbs. Add vodka, crème de cacao and pumpkin purée to a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into the martini glass.
