Exclusive Cocktail Recipe: Maker's Mark Bourbon And Vanilla Tomato Water Cooler
If, amid peak tomato season, you've already overloaded on caprese salads and tomato sandwiches, we've got another way to use up those sweet, juicy, fruits: a tomato cocktail. And no, we're not talking bloody marys. Admittedly, tomatoes may not be your go-to fruit when behind the bar. But when they're at the peak of ripeness, tomatoes pack a sweet and savory punch, making them worthy of the spotlight at your next cocktail hour.
Leslie Krockenberger, senior cocktail curator at Maker's Mark Distillery, crafted this bourbon and vanilla tomato water cooler exclusively for Chowhound. The refined summer sipper highlights the caramel and vanilla flavors of Maker's Mark 46 by washing it with a homemade tomato caramel, adding a saline note with fino sherry, and finishing with a vanilla-kissed tomato cordial. The result? A refreshing drink that's delicate and luxurious — the perfect way to highlight Maker's 46's smooth subtleties.
Just like a fine bourbon, making this drink takes a bit of time to achieve perfection. First, tomatoes are pureed to make the tomato water cordial, then the remaining pulp goes into the tomato caramel that washes the bourbon. (As a nod to the distillery's focus on sustainability, no part goes to waste.) It all comes together in a globally inspired cocktail that is sweet and savory, rich and light, and a serious celebration of summer's bounty.
Maker's Mark Bourbon and Vanilla Tomato Water Cooler Recipe
Fresh summer tomatoes are the star of the show in this sweet and savory bourbon cocktail, shared exclusively with Chowhound by Maker's Mark Distillery.
Ingredients
- For the vanilla tomato water cordial
- 1 pound vine-ripe tomatoes, heirloom preferred
- Approximately ¾ cup light brown sugar (or more, depending on yield of tomato water)
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 2 ounces Licor 43
- ⅓ split vanilla bean pod
- For the tomato caramel-washed Maker's 46 bourbon
- 1 cup reserved tomato puree from tomato water cordial
- 1 cup coconut cream (not coconut milk or sweetened cream of coconut)
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- Juice from 1 lemon
- ⅔ split vanilla bean pod
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 (750-ml) bottle Maker's Mark 46 bourbon
- For the cocktail
- 1 ½ ounces tomato water cordial
- 1 ½ ounces tomato caramel-washed Maker's 46 bourbon
- 2 ounces fine quality fino sherry
Optional Ingredients
- Fresh heirloom cherry tomatoes, pickled cherry tomatoes, or spoonful of green tomato chow chow and a lemon slice
Directions
- Start the tomato water cordial by coarsely chopping the tomatoes.
- Pulse tomatoes in a blender to a finer consistency, then pour into a fine sieve lined with paper towels that is resting over a bowl.
- After about an hour, the bowl will have collected about 10 to 12 ounces of tomato water. Reserve the pulp for later use in the caramel.
- Weigh out the tomato water and add 50% of the weight in light brown sugar (approximately ¾ cup) and a pinch of kosher salt.
- Stir until sugar is dissolved.
- Add Licor 43 to the cordial to add a dry herbal vanilla note and to preserve. You should have approximately 14 ounces of cordial in total.
- Place cordial in a clean glass container with ⅓ split vanilla bean pod. Keep refrigerated up to 1 week.
- To make the tomato caramel-washed Maker's 46 bourbon, combine 1 cup of the reserved tomato puree from the tomato water cordial, coconut cream, light brown sugar, lemon juice, ⅔ split vanilla bean pod, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a wide, heavy bottomed saucepan.
- Over medium heat, gently stir all ingredients, being careful not to allow scorching.
- Once the mixture comes to a boil and begins to thicken, stir frequently until liquid evaporates and the coconut cream and sugar caramelize.
- Allow caramel to cool. To check for doneness, drop a teaspoon full into a bowl of cold water . If the mixture forms a soft ball in the cold water but flattens when removed, it is ready.
- Remove the vanilla bean and discard.
- To wash the bourbon, start with ½ cup of tomato caramel and add to 750 milliliters of Maker's 46 in a glass container. Whisk until the caramel dissolves.
- Taste, and whisk in additional tomato caramel if desired.
- Fine strain the bourbon back into the bottle until ready to use.
- To assemble the cocktail, combine 1 ½ ounces tomato water cordial, 1 ½ ounces tomato caramel-washed Maker's 46, and 2 ounces fino sherry in a shaker over ice.
- Short shake, 3 to 5 times, in order to just combine and gently chill the ingredients.
- Strain into a wine glass and fill with crushed ice.
- Garnish with optional ingredients as desired.