Kootenai Kazi Recipe

Optional sugar rim

If you want a sugared rim, rub the lemon wedge around the glass lip, then dip the rim into the superfine sugar to coat. Set the glass aside.

Fill a highball or Collins glass about three-quarters full with crushed ice and set aside.

In a cocktail shaker or mixing glass, add the quartered strawberries and huckleberries. Add the simple syrup and lemon juice. Gently muddle 6–8 times until the berries release juice but still retain some texture — you want bright fruit flavor, not a puree.

Add the Stoli Razberi and raspberry liqueur to the shaker with the muddled fruit. Add a handful of ice (not crushed) and shake vigorously for 10–12 seconds to chill and slightly dilute.

Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer or Hawthorne strainer into the prepared glass over the crushed ice. This will catch seeds and larger fruit bits while allowing the bright fruit liquid through.

Top with the club soda (about 1.5 oz) to add effervescence. Gently stir once or twice with a bar spoon to combine — do not overmix, preserve the soda's fizz.

Thread a strawberry quarter and a few huckleberries onto a small pick or place them on the rim. Add a mint sprig if using. Serve immediately with a straw.