Surubaotini: the best raspberry martini in the universe

My husband, Jerome Paradis, created this recipe after I told him about the Surubao drink that I saw on David Rocco’s Dolce Vitae. The way to go when you want to create a martini from another cocktail recipe is to adjust the alcohol and juice proportions. This is a trial and error situation to find the right balance.

We made these raspberry martinis for many events over the last year. Our recipe is perfect as it is. So much that our friends do not wish that Jerome’s invents a new martini; they want our Surubaotini.

Freshness is key

Since raspberries are in season, it is the best time and cheaper to try it now. The better the raspberry, the better the drink will be. People often think that the quality of alcohol is not important when you are making a cocktail. Wrong! Premium liquors always make better cocktails.

There is no shortcut for excellence. You squeeze the lime juice as you go and you crush the raspberries one batch at a time. That is where having two 3-piece shakers come handy because you can prepare 4 martinis at a time.

What brand of vodka goes in a Surubaotini?

If you are a true vodka fan, you know every brand of vodka tastes different. I will tell you another time all about how to host a vodka testing event. It is fun and easy to do.

We tested a few vodkas to find the perfect match. We prefer Wyborowa vodka for the lively dry taste it brings to this raspberry martini. In a New York Times article about a vodka taste test, you can read about this vodka from Poland:

The Wyborowa, which comes in a striking bottle designed by the architect Frank Gehry, was elegant and mysterious and seemed to keep drawing us in.

Ingredients for 2 large Surubaotini:

• 13 x fresh organic raspberries
• 1 tbsp of raspberry syrup – we use Teisseire
• 1 tbsp fruit sugar (superfine) or regular refined sugar
• 1 lime
• 2 ounces of light cranberry juice – we use Ocean’s Spray
• 4 to 5 ounces of Wyborowa vodka – adjust to your taste
• 2 slices of lime to garnish
• about 4-6 ice cubes

Instructions:

• Combine 7 raspberries, the raspberry syrup, the sugar and the freshly squeezed juice of a lime on the previous ingredients. This is where the lemon reamer comes handy on your bar kit.
• Use a pestle (muddler) to crush and mix the ingredients
• Add vodka and cranberry juice
• Add ice and shake vigorously in a metal shaker until the mixture is quite cold
• Put 3 raspberries in the bottom of each martini glass (use large glasses if available, otherwise you might have a bit of mixture left)
• Pour the mixture in two martini glasses with a tea strainer on top to filter out the raspberries remains and the ice cubes
• Garnish each glass with a slice of lime
• Serve and look at your friends while they take their first sip

Virgin Surubaotini

Jerome created a virgin version of his martini. You prepare the virgin cocktail exactly the same way except for two things:

• you replace the vodka by soda water
• you stir instead of shake to avoid the soda water splashing on you.

Enjoy both versions in good company.

Sourcing:
Via: Surubao recipe from David Rocco’s Dolce Vitae
Link: A Humble Old Label Ices Its Rivals published on the New York Times – Dining and Wine section