Lemon Thyme Martini Food

APPLE AND THYME MARTINI

Steps:

• Special equipment: melon baller
• Chill the martini glasses.
• Fill the shaker with ice. Combine the vodka, apple juice, and thyme syrup in a martini shaker. Shake for about 10 seconds. Divide between the 4 chilled martini glasses.
• Use the melon baller to scoop out small balls of apple. Place 3 balls of apple and 1 sprig of thyme in each glass for garnish. Serve immediately.
• In a saucepan combine sugar, water, and thyme over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and cool the syrup. Any extra cooled syrup can be saved in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
• Yield: 1 cup
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes

LEMON THYME PUDDING

Steps:

• For the crumb base: Add the cookies and melted butter to a food processor and pulverize. Divide among 6 martini glasses.
• For the pudding: Stir together the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan. Add the milk and egg yolks and whisk to combine. Add the thyme and lemon zest and heat over medium heat, stirring, until the mixture barely comes to a boil. Simmer gently until it's thickened like custard, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter. Divide the pudding among the glasses over the base and chill for at least 2 hours.
• For serving: Top each pudding with mounds of whipped cream, then add a handful of blueberries and some mint to each one.

LEMON MERINGUE MARTINI

Steps:

• In a plastic food storage bag, crush the meringues with a rolling pin or your hands. Put the crumbs onto a plate and pour some water onto another plate. Put a shot of the limoncello in a small plate. Dip the rim of a martini glass into the limoncello, shaking off any excess, then into the meringue crumbs. Repeat with 3 more glasses and set aside while you make the drink.
• In a pitcher filled with ice, pour in the 4 shots of limoncello, the vodka and the lemonade and stir. Strain the drink evenly into the 4 prepared glasses and serve.

MARTINI THYME

Steps:

• Add gin and Chartreuse to cocktail shaker, stir, strain into martini glass. Garnish with thyme sprig.;

LEMON-TEA-THYME MARTINIS

Steps:

• In airtight jar or container, place vodka and tea bag; let stand to steep 2 hours.
• Moisten rim of each of 4 martini glasses with water. Dip each rim in sugar; set aside.
• In blender, place lemon juice, honey and ice. Cover; blend until ice is finely chopped. Pour evenly into glasses.
• Remove tea bag from vodka. Add 3 tablespoons (1 1/2 oz) vodka to each drink. Garnish each with fresh thyme and 1 lemon slice. Serve immediately.

PERFECT LEMON MARTINI

Steps:

• Using lemon slice, moisten the rim of a chilled cocktail glass; set lemon aside. Sprinkle sugar on a plate; hold glass upside down and dip rim into sugar. Discard remaining sugar on plate. Fill a shaker three-fourths full with ice. Add vodka, limoncello and lemon juice; cover and shake until condensation forms on outside of shaker, 10-15 seconds. Strain into prepared glass. Garnish with lemon slice.

OPRAH'S LEMON DROP MARTINI

Steps:

• Shake the martini.
• Rub the lemon over the rim of the glass.
• Pour the martini into the glass, add another mint leaf if desired.