Happy Solstice 2011!!! Can you believe it?? The longest day of the year is upon us, and OH…did we earn it this year. This is a special day that marks the true beginning of summer. For all of us in Seattle…to have the sun be shining so brightly ON solstice….a gift and an absolute treat!!

As a Mixologist, there are only a few rules I follow:

• All Drink Ingredients Must Be SUPER Cold
• All Glassware Must Be Chilled in either the fridge or freezer to ensure the drink stays icy cold.
• Play with the freshest ingredients to come up with winning combinations every time.
• Always garnish…with SOMETHING. No naked drinks…they look so lonely.

I love the tart crisp flavor of Pomegranate juice in cocktails. It really brightens a drink. I like to mix it with other ingredients to create a palette of flavors that jump around the tongue and excite the senses…especially before a meal. This delightful creation is spicy, sweet, tart and opens up the taste buds. On a warm summer day like today, it will start off my dinner on a fresh icy cold fruity note.

Fruity Ginger Granita

• In a flat glass casserole dish or other vessel that is shallow to fit in your freezer:
• 1 Cup Skyy Ginger Infused Vodka
• 1 Cup Pomegranate Kiwi Juice
• 1 Cup Lemonade (I used Simply Lemonade Brand)
• Juice of one lime
• Zest of lime – about half the lime
• Fresh Grated Ginger – just a bit – a few scrapes on your grater or rasp
• 5 or 6 Fresh Mint Leaves (crush them up a bit)

Stir the mixture well with a wisk and place carefully on a flat spot in your freezer. Let this mixture chill for about half an hour in the freezer. Remove the mint leaves at this point, they will have done their job of infusion. Stir the mixture with a fork about every half hour or so. The key here, is to make sure that when the ice crystals form, they are soft…like a snow cone. This is a process, but worth the time.

The finished mixture will be light and fluffy and will pile up nicely in a martini glass.

This recipe is one of many flavor combinations…dream up your favorite flavors….a few ideas – Chilled Coffee with Kahlua and Chocolate Vodka, Orange Juice with Vanilla Vodka (scrape a vanilla bean in the mixture)…You get the idea. Make a few batches ahead and just “flake” them before serving to lighten up the crystals of ice. Although I’m serving my Granita as a Cocktail…they make an equally delightful dessert or palette cleanser between courses.

I hope you enjoy this recipe idea as much as I enjoyed creating it. Have fun this summer. Dream up your own special flavors and entertain!!

Cheers!!!

To Make It Virgin: Make a Ginger Simple Syrup (equal parts sugar, water and fresh ginger – use instead of the Ginger Vodka) Yummy, Clean and Fresh!

To Make It Special: All Summer Days are Special…Garnish with Fresh Mint and Soak in the Sun!!