Tomato water is basically the clear liquid that results when you drain fresh tomato pulp (or the liquid from rehydrated dried tomatoes). It has an intense tomato flavor, especially if you use peak-season heirloom tomatoes. While tomato water will enhance many different dishes, it really shines when used in a tomato martini. Make this your signature drink for Summer!
Jump to: RECIPE | Homemade Shrub Syrups | Tomato Water | Grow Your Own Tomatoes
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Using Shrub Syrups in Cocktails
Bartending in Portland, Oregon got me through graduate school and I do believe I’ve made more use of those bartending skills than I have of my urban planning degree (especially if you include the people skills you pick up while bartending).
Now would be an exciting time to work behind the bar, however, as bartending has evolved into mixology, and mixing a good cocktail now is far more creative than it was when I was bartending.
I used to pride myself on speed and memory, but those traits are now overshadowed by what you can do with flavor and fresh ingredients.
Some of the most creative cocktails today are made with fruit-infused simple syrups or shrub syrups. You can easily make your own tomato shrub syrup if you have the time and/or desire.
Drink syrups themselves (either shrub syrups or simple syrups are non-alcoholic so you can mix them with carbonated water also. Ever since I got a sparkling soda maker, which makes carbonated water out of tap water in an instant, I’ve been experimenting with these syrups.
Using Tomato Water in a Martini
Over the years I have worked with fresh and smoked tomatoes, testing all the ways you can use them in food, and a serendipitous product resulted….tomato water.
The flavor of tomato water from smoked tomatoes is fairly deep and intense, while using non-smoked tomatoes will lend a brighter flavor.
When working with tomatoes, whether blanching to remove peels or thawing frozen tomatoes, they often go through a process where they are drained for a bit. This drained elixir is what results in “tomato water”.
You can get the tomato water from straining overripe tomatoes through a sieve, or from rehydrating dried tomatoes and staining out the liquid.
It just so happens that tomato water makes an excellent martini!
Tomato Salt for Rimming Cocktails
I also love rimming the glass of a bloody mary or other savory cocktail with tomato salt made by grinding together dried tomatoes and sea salt.
No dried tomatoes? Save some of the end-of-season plum tomatoes and follow these tips for dehydrating your own homegrown tomatoes for the Winter pantry.
The tomato salt is 50/50 sun-dried tomatoes and Maldon sea salt. Lately, I’ve been using it on everything, from eggs to chicken to cocktails!
More Tomato Cocktail Ideas….
Grow Your Own Tomatoes in Containers or Garden
Did you know? You can easily grow cucumbers in a container (and of course in your garden). As a long-time gardener growing both ways, my post below can inspire you to try it yourself!
If you have never gardened, (or even if you have), growing vegetables in containers on your deck, balcony, or patio can be surprisingly fun, rewarding, and even meditative. You just may get hooked!
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Tomato Martini
Ingredients
- tomato salt to rim the glass optional
- 2 ounces Absolut Peppar Vodka
- 2 ounces tomato water Strained from fresh or dried rehydrated tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice
- pinch of smoked paprika
Instructions
- Mix together dried tomato powder and salt (50/50 ratio) and pour out onto a plate. Run a lime wedge around the rim of your glass and dip the rim into the tomato salt (this is optional).tomato salt to rim the glass
- Combine vodka, tomato water, lime juice and paprika in tumbler with ice.2 ounces Absolut Peppar Vodka, 2 ounces tomato water, 2 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice, pinch of smoked paprika
- Shake ingredients for 1 seconds and strain into a martini glass.
- garnish with cherry tomato or fresh mozzarella balls and/or fresh basil.
Notes
Nutrition
Cheers, Dorothy
Yum – can’t wait to try this! Given what I have on hand, I’ll try mine using Belvedere’s Bloody Mary vodka. And come summer, I’m going to try making fresh tomato water to use; I saw Jamie Oliver do this and it looked beautiful and sounded delicious. You’re so right – mixology can be lots of fun.
Fabulous recipe, Dorothy! We loved it, and it was great that I happened to have a few of your sun-dried heirloom tomatoes on hand to do it right. The sun-dried tomato salt alone is wonderful, we want to try it on grilled marlin or swordfish.
Thank you Gloria, I’m so glad you like it! The tomato salt with fish sounds wonderful too. I may have to try that.
Cyndy, Jamie Oliver’s recipe was quite a bit different, using pickle juice and hot sauce. I’m sure his is excellent, but this is not that recipe.
Like it but would rather have good bloody Mary.
Got you covered there….here’s our Bloody Mary recipe: https://farmtojar.com/smoked-tomato-shrub-syrup/ Let me know what you think.