The Tavern's Cranberry Zinger

In this season of coughs and colds, there's nothing like an infusion of vitamins to give a boost to your system. And what better form for that to take than a cocktail? The Cranberry Zinger, one of the signature drinks at The Tavern, which has made a name for itself and its crave-worthy variety of burgers. The Cranberry Zinger combines ginger-infused vodka, orange, lime and cranberry juice for a perfectly balanced glass of sweetness and tartness. The Tavern infuses its own vodka, as well, which gives this drink even more character, and adds a special grapefruit-mandarin reduction that can be substituted by using orange or citrus marmalade.

- This recipe is by Lori Wyant Selby, the co-owner of The Tavern, Chopinova 26, Prague 2-Vinohrady. No telephone. Thetavern.cz

Cranberry Zinger

For the ginger-infused vodka:

Ingredients:

175g fresh ginger, chopped

1 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

3 to 4 cups of Absolut or Stoli vodka

Preparation:

Combine the ingredients, and boil for about an hour.

Strain out the ginger mixture, leaving the syrup. Add this to the vodka and pour into a sealable glass jar.

Let sit for a week, shaking occasionally. Strain out the vodka

For the Cranberry Zinger:

Ingredients

1 (40ml) shot ginger vodka

1 (40ml) shot cranberry juice

1/2 (20ml) shot Bols Triple Sec

1/2 (20ml) shot fresh lime juice

1 heaping tablespoon of grapefruit-mandarin reduction (or orange or citrus marmelade)

1 dash Grenadine

1 slice lime

1 slice orange

Ice

Preparation

Fill a shaker a little more than half with ice.

Pour in ginger vodka, cranberry juice, lime juice, triple sec, Grenadine and grapefruit-mandarin mix (or marmalade if using). Shake well.

Pour quickly into a cocktail glass, squeeze in a slice of fresh-cut orange and serve with lime on the rim.

Fiona Gaze can be reached at
fgaze@praguepost.com