Recipe by Nadia Tamby

This is a uniquely spiced version of a classic "gin and jam." This cocktail gets a double hit of ginger - the fresh bite from the infused spirit and a more mellow, sweet ginger from the jam. It's a fun drink to make because you can customize it for your friends and family by adjusting the ratios and stirring the jam completely in their drink or not. After you've made the jam, it's a surprisingly simple drink to assemble. Since the simple syrup and jam will keep for a while and you'll already have infused gin on hand, you can recreate this drink pretty easily for a couple weeks afterward, too.

Photo by Rick Cortez.

Ingredients:

• 3 oz ginger and lemongrass-infused gin (slice about 1/4 cup each of ginger root - scrubbed with skin on is fine - and white part of lemongrass stalks and place into gin bottle (1.75L), shake daily until infused to your liking)
• 1 oz fresh lemon juice
• 0.5 -1 oz agave syrup
• 1 teaspoon yellow tomato jam*
• Tiny spoons to serve in drinks

Yellow tomato - ginger jam:

• 1 lb yellow tomatoes, cut into 8 pieces or small chunks
• 1 inch ginger root, peeled and cut into very thin strips
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped in. (Save vanilla bean for another use or throw it in the pot too!)
• 10 whole black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Jam Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil

Reduce heat and simmer until reduced and thick - it will continue to thicken a bit as it cools

Photo by Rick Cortez.

Instructions:

Stir together gin, lemon juice, and agave syrup.

Fill glasses with ice and pour vodka mixture over ice.

Spoon jam into glasses and place on top of ice so you can stir in as much jam as you like. Enjoy!

Photo by Rick Cortez.