HEIRLOOM MARTINI Recipe

Select and blend

Choose 1 medium ripe heirloom tomato (or 2 small). Quarter and place in a blender. Pulse briefly until broken down but not fully liquefied — you want fresh juice with some body (about 10–15 seconds).

Strain

Pour the blended tomato through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a bowl, pressing gently with a spatula to extract juice while leaving seeds and most pulp behind. You should end up with about 2 ounces of bright tomato juice. Chill briefly if warm.

Chill glass

Place a coupe or martini glass in the freezer or fill it with ice and cold water to chill while you mix the drink.

Combine ingredients

In a mixing glass or shaker, add 4 large ice cubes, 2.5 oz Tito's Vodka, 2 oz strained heirloom tomato juice, and 0.5 oz dry vermouth. Add a pinch of fine sea salt and, if using, a pinch of freshly ground black pepper.

Stir and integrate

Stir the mixture gently with a bar spoon for 20–30 seconds (or shake lightly if you prefer a slightly aerated texture). Stirring will chill and dilute slightly while preserving silky texture.

Prepare glass

If you chilled the glass with ice and water, dump the ice/water now and briefly wipe the inside with a paper towel if needed.

Strain

Double-strain the cocktail into the chilled coupe or martini glass using a Hawthorne strainer and a fine-mesh strainer to catch any remaining tomato solids and small ice shards.

Finish with a final pinch of fine sea salt or a couple of light flakes of Maldon on the surface of the cocktail to lift the tomato flavor. Float a single thin slice of heirloom tomato or a cherry tomato on the surface and add a micro basil leaf for aroma, if using.

Serve immediately. Optionally provide a small straw or tasting spoon so the drinker can stir the salt in if desired.