I’m back with the second installment of my savory cocktail series! If you missed the first one, check out the “Bullshy” here. This series is all about inventing and highlighting savory, umami drinks, which are majorly underrated and underutilized in my opinion.
Today’s drink is named Roman Holiday because of the Italian flavors that make it up, but the foreign (English) spirit—gin—involved, evoking an Englander on holiday in Rome. The ingredients are simple. All that’s in it is included in the next picture below, except the ice, salt for the rim, and club soda.
And making it is pretty simple too. All I did for mine was muddle some basil and cherry tomatoes with some lemon juice in a cocktail shaker, then add 1.5 oz of gin and a couple of generous dashes of balsalmic vinegar. The vinegar is really what gives the drink its signature flavor. After shaking everything up, I strained it into a coup glass, added some cubed ice, and topped with club soda. I used a salted rim on my glass and I think it was the perfect finishing touch.
And that’s it! This kind of tasted like a caprese salad was born in a gin distillery, and I loved it. I think it’s simple and pretty in a coup glass, but it could work in a low ball glass too.
Enjoy!