Don’t Judge Me Mondays: Pomegranate Spritzer

My husband made a glazed salmon recipe the other day that called for Pomegranate juice. He is a member of the Samish nation and is trying to up his salmon game since that is one food the tribe is known for making. Before he was even done cooking the salmon, I was already plotting ways to use that juice…Of course a cocktail was at the top of my list! Pomegranates have a lovely flavor, it’s less tart than a cranberry with a luscious berry taste. I wanted a drink that would highlight that pomegranate flavor and I thought that something with citrus would do that. I wanted a spirit that was fairly neutral tasting, so vodka seemed like the best choice. I like this drink because it’s light and refreshing, but the pomegranate still grounds it to winter.

Let’s get our pom on!

Start by filling a highball or other cocktail glass with ice.

Squeeze the juice from half of a large lemon into it. The tartness of the lemon really brightens up the drink and helps to enhance the pomegranate. Now pour in the pomegranate juice and vodka and stir.

You should be able to find pomegranate juice in the juice aisle or produce section of your local grocery store. I had forgotten until recently how much I love the taste of pomegranate! Unfortunately eating the actual fruit is a lot of work. Maybe I’m just lazy but I feel like using the juice is a nice shortcut to still getting that pomegranate fix. Getting the little seeds that contain all of the flavor out of the pomegranate can be a hassle and I usually just don’t have the patience for it.

Top off the drink with sparkling water and give it a final stir.