While visiting Wisconsin recently, I visited Total Wine & More, the retail liquor store, and found something unique! Cheddka is a cheddar flavored vodka and once I found it, I had to bring some home with me. It inspired me to get creative with some fun cocktails. The vodka was originally created for Bloody Marys, but I wanted to think outside of the box with my cocktail creations. When brainstorming what flavors go well with cheddar, I remembered a cocktail that was popular this summer, the Tomatotini! To make the cocktail, I started with muddling a handful of cherry tomatoes in a glass jar with lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Once muddled, I poured the mixture into a cocktail shaker, added 2.5 ounces of Cheddka, a handful of ice, and shook until the cocktail shaker became frothy. I poured the cocktail through a strainer into my cocktail glass. Before I poured the cocktail, I decided to lean into the savory flavors and rimmed the glass with homemade basil pesto and grated parmesan cheese. The only way I could properly taste test this creation is accompanied with a Pesto Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup. The Cheddar Vodka has a subtle cheddar scent and flavor. The tomato in the cocktail creates a light, savory, acidic cocktail. It was fun taking a sip of the cocktail and then enjoying a bite of grilled cheese dunked in tomato soup. I have some other fun ideas for cocktails using Cheddka, so stay tuned!
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