Honey-Berry Vodka Smash

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by Roberts & June, special to EdibleDC

The Smash is a perfect drink for sipping on the porch on a warm late spring day. It’s also a perfect drink for celebrating local ingredients. The best thing about a smash is how easily adaptable it is to what you have on hand.

A smash requires a spirit, a sweetener, a juice, and a fruit; but the fruit and the juice can change based on the season and the spirit can change based on your mood or simply what you have on the shelf. While we’ve had excellent whiskey, brandy, and rum smashes, we particularly enjoy designing smashes that highlight the District’s excellent selection of homemade gins and vodkas. For this one, we chose One Eight’s District Made Vodka. If you pick this vodka up at your neighborhood liquor store, chances are they’ll warn you, ‘This is a bold vodka, not your normal, neutral spirit.’ To our minds, that’s what makes it great. It still has a crisp, clean taste, but you can also pick out the local rye from which it was made. We particularly think that extra little earthiness brings one more sign of the coming summer into this smash.

Honey-Berry Vodka Smash

Ingredients

  • 2 oz District Made vodka
  • 1 ½ oz lemon juice
  • ½ oz local, raw honey*
  • 2 dashes Embitterment orange bitters
  • 2 strawberries (We cheated and used non-local berries. Call it a yearning for high summer, although the strawberries will be local at the markets in May!)

* Local honey is rather abundant—available at most every Farmer’s Market in the DMV or Whole Foods. If you’re spoiled by the AmazonPrime world, you can order it online here

Instructions

  • Microwave honey 10-20 seconds
  • Muddle the berries, honey, and bitters on the bottom of a cocktail shaker.
  • Add the lemon juice, vodka, and ice; shake vigorously.
  • Pour into an ice-filled highball glass, or split it into two old-fashioned glasses to share with a friend.

RobertsJuneRoberts and June recently moved to DC from Boston. They're former pastors who are now on a mission to help people drink better on every occasion; you can find more of their recipes, reviews, and tips on building your home bar at robertsandjune.com.