Excuse Me, But Are You Going to Drink That?

Ingredients:

•    3 ounces mango nectar
•    1 1/2 ounces vodka
•     1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
•      fresh tomato
•      fresh green chili (Serrano is what I use)
•      salt (you can also add a little masala spice if you like which is found at most groceries and Indian markets)
•      1/2 teaspoon rose water (Some people add this and thus the name makes sense. I do not add this in my recipe, but feel free to experiment with it if you like rose water.)

Peel the tomato (try ½ or ¼ Roma to start). Remove seeds from the chili (try ½ to 1 to start). Muddle the tomato and chili in a martini shaker. Add lime juice, vodka and mango nectar and ice. Shake vigorously. Strain and serve straight up. Garnish the rim of the glass with salt or salt/masala mixture, and if you like, a hot sliced chili… or lime wedge for the wimps!

2) Blackberry Mojito

Ingredients:http://forkvsspoon.com/archives/2276

•      6-8 blackberries
•      8 mint leaves
•      1 ounce of Rum
•      1 tablespoon of sugar
•      Juice of half a lime
•      A few ice cubes
•      2-3 ounces of club soda

In a glass, combine the sugar and mint leaves.  Using a muddler or a pestle, break down the mint into the sugar, releasing its oils and aroma.  Add blackberries, rum, and lime juice and continue to muddle the ingredients together.  ( I used the back of a spoon to smash the blackberries).  Add a few ice cubes and top off with club soda.  Garnish with extra blackberries and mint sprigs.

Have a great weekend everyone! -  D'Andra Simmons