Jasmine Martini

Garnish this vodka martini with a jasmine bloom.

Filed under: Recipes, How To, Parties

Courtesy of Tyler Florence of the Food Network.

Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 2 minutes
Yield: 4 martinis

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 strips orange zest
1 handful pesticide-free jasmine flowers, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup vodka
1/4 cup Grand Marnier
1 lemon, juiced

Directions:

Combine the sugar, water and lemon zest in a pot over medium heat. Gently simmer for 2 minutes until the sugar is dissolved, swirling the pot over the heat now and then – do not allow to boil or get dark. Put the jasmine in a mason jar or glass container and pour the sugar syrup on top; steep for 1 to 2 hours to infuse the jasmine flavor into the syrup.

In a martini shaker filled with ice, combine the vodka, Grand Marnier, lemon juice and 4 tablespoons of the jasmine syrup. Shake until frothy and pour into chilled martini glasses. Float a jasmine flower in each glass for great presentation.