Tomato Water Martini

Before you start

Tomato water is the pale, clear liquid that drips from salted, blended ripe tomatoes left to hang in cheesecloth. It tastes intensely of summer tomato, with sweetness, acidity and umami, but looks almost like water. This original martini stirs it with gin and a little dry vermouth to make a savory, aromatic drink that sits somewhere between a dry martini and a Bloody Mary.

The tomatoes decide everything. Use the ripest, most fragrant ones you can find, ideally in late summer. The key to clarity is patience: let the pulp drain on its own in the fridge and never squeeze the cloth, or the liquid turns cloudy and pink. A small amount of salt draws out the juice and seasons the finished drink.

Ingredients

• Tomato water500 g (about 1 lb) very ripe tomatoes — washed and cored
• 2 g (⅓ tsp) fine salt
• Martini45 ml (1½ oz) London dry gin — or vodka for a cleaner tomato flavor
• 30 ml (1 oz) tomato water
• 10 ml (2 tsp) dry vermouth
• 1 cup (about 150 g) ice cubes — for stirring
• 1 cherry tomato or small basil leaf — for garnish

Method

1. Rinse the tomatoes under cold running water, cut out the cores and chop them roughly. Pulse with the salt in a blender just until broken down; a few short pulses is enough.
2. Line a large strainer with 3 layers of damp cheesecloth and set it over a deep bowl so the strainer does not touch the liquid.
3. Pour in the tomato pulp, cover loosely and refrigerate for about 8 hours or overnight. Do not press, stir or squeeze the cloth.
4. Pour the clear liquid that collected in the bowl into a clean jar. Discard or cook with the pulp. Keep the tomato water refrigerated.
5. For the drink, chill a coupe. Combine the gin, tomato water and dry vermouth in a mixing glass with ice and stir for 20 seconds, until very cold.
6. Strain into the coupe and garnish with a cherry tomato on a pick or a small basil leaf floated on top.

Tips for success

• Taste a tomato before you start. If it is not delicious raw, the tomato water will be flat.
• Heirloom and cherry tomatoes give the most aromatic water. Out-of-season supermarket tomatoes give pale, watery results.
• Use the leftover pulp in a sauce or soup the same day; it is well seasoned and full of flavor.

Substitutions

Gin

Vodka lets the tomato speak more clearly. Blanco tequila gives a peppery, agave-edged savory drink.

Dry vermouth

Fino sherry adds a salty, nutty edge that suits tomato; use the same 10 ml.

Fresh tomatoes

There is no good shortcut. Bottled tomato juice is thick, cooked-tasting and will not give a clear drink.

Variations

Tomato water gibson

Garnish with a pickled cocktail onion in place of the tomato for a sharper, briny finish.

Troubleshooting

The tomato water is cloudy and pink

The pulp was over-blended or the cloth was squeezed. Pulse briefly and let gravity do the work.

Very little liquid came through

The tomatoes were not ripe enough, or the salt was skipped. Ripe tomatoes and salt release much more juice.

The drink tastes bland

Add a tiny pinch of salt to the mixing glass, or increase the tomato water to 40 ml.

Storage

Refrigerate tomato water in a covered jar and use it within 2 days. For longer storage, freeze it in ice-cube trays for up to a month and thaw in the fridge. Serve the martini straight after stirring.

Safety notes

Contains about 45 ml of 40% ABV gin plus vermouth, about 1.1 U.S. standard drinks (one standard drink is about 14 g of pure alcohol). Wash tomatoes under running water before cutting, as the FDA recommends for fresh produce. Serve only to adults of legal drinking age, and never drink and drive.