Holiday Tips and Tricks from Pristine Vodka

Nov 21, 2018

Hosting guests for Thanksgiving or Christmas this year? Feeling like it will take a year just to get all the details down? We can help! At Pristine Vodka, we like everything the way we like our vodka– innovative and classic! And that’s why we’ve come up with these great ideas to help make your holiday a hit! Keeping it simple and classy is sure to be a winning combination for you and your guests.

The Perfect Décor

Late Autumn is a wonderful time of year for natural elegance in your décor. In fact, if you have a little time on your hands, and happen to be lucky enough to live in the Northeast USA, you can score some amazing items for your Holiday décor for much less.

Look for a farm stand or stop by a local farmers market for last minute inspiration. Gourds, apples, seasonal veggies, fallen leaves, hardy chrysanthemums. All are usually available in abundance and free or selling for a fraction of the cost when compared with October prices. Combine some of nature’s bounty with tea lights, linens, and your own glassware to create a quick and easy spread that is pleasing to the eye.

The Perfect Aperitif

Relax, unwind, and get ready for dinner with the perfect aperitif. The word aperitif is French, and means “to open up.” These alcoholic drinks are meant to stimulate the appetite. They can also warm you up and get conversation flowing.

Many people enjoy champagne, liqueurs, or dry wine as an aperitif, but we suggest a dry martini as the opening act:

The Classic Martini

A simple combination of premium vodka and dry vermouth, here’s the one that started it all.

Ingredients:

•  4 ounces of Pristine premium Vodka
• Dry Vermouth

Pour some Dry Vermouth (just enough to coat the inside of the glass) into a chilled martini glass and swirl. Dispose of the excess Dry Vermouth. In a shaker with ice, gently shake the vodka before straining into a glass.

Garnish with an olive or lemon twist and add ice to your liking.

The Dirty Martini

A tantalizing addition of olives and brine, for a mouth you wouldn’t kiss your mother with.

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces of Pristine premium vodka
• 1 ounce olive brine
• 3 green olives (stuffed or unstuffed)
• 1 dash dry vermouth

Combine Pristine, brine, and dry vermouth into a shaker with ice. Shake until cool. Next, place the olives at the bottom of a martini glass. Strain vodka, brine, and vermouth mixture into the martini glass. 

Enjoy!

 

The Perfect Turkey

If you like a perfectly moist and juicy turkey, you might be surprised to learn that vodka can help! Adding a little bit of vodka to your brine makes all the difference. And of course, the vodka you choose does too. Clean, refreshing Pristine premium Vodka won’t compromise the flavors you are painstakingly imparting with your brine and seasoning. Try this simple technique. You won’t be disappointed!

Pristine Turkey

• 1 cup salt
• ¼ cup Pristine Vodka
• 1 tbsp each of savory, sage, rosemary, thyme
• Enough vegetable broth to cover 2/3 of your turkey, likely about a gallon
• ½ Gallon Ice Water

Combine all ingredients except water in a stock pot and bring to a boil. Place turkey in cooking vessel. Allow brine mixture to cool completely before pouring over turkey. Add ice water. Allow the turkey to brine for at least 12 hours.

The Perfect Side

Not everyone is a mashed potatoes and gravy sort of person, and so for that reason, we’ve got a super easy and ready to please dish that tastes even better if you make it ahead of time. Throw this together a day or two before your big meal, and just reheat in the oven or crock pot before go-time. Different, flavorful, and oh so easy!

Pristine Penne Ala Vodka

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic, either minced or whole according to taste
• 2 cans crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons double cream
• 1pound penne rigate or other short, ridged pasta
• 4 ounces Pristine Premium Vodka
• 4 tablespoons salted butter
• If you like spice, add dash or two of red pepper flakes

Directions:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.  Start to cook the penne 10 min before the sauce will be finished if at all possible. 

Finely chop the onion. Heat oil in a large pan, add onion and garlic. Fry gently for about 15 minutes until the onion starts to caramelize. Add the tomatoes into the pan. Bring to a boil, season lightly with salt and boil 2 more minutes. Pour in the Pristine Premium Vodka, lower the heat so the sauce is at a bubbling simmer, and simmer until the pasta is ready.

Just before the pasta is done, fish the garlic cloves out of the sauce and pour in the cream. Add the 2 tablespoons of butter or oil, and swirl the mix in the skillet to incorporate the butter or oil into the sauce. If the skillet is large enough to accommodate the sauce and pasta, drain the pasta out of the boiling water with a large wire skimmer and drop it directly into the sauce in the skillet. If not, drain the pasta, return it to the pot, and pour the sauce into the pasta pot instead. Bring the sauce and pasta to a boil, stirring to coat the pasta with the sauce. Check the seasoning, and add salt and red pepper if necessary. Sprinkle the parsley over the pasta and boil until the sauce is reduced enough to stick to the pasta. Remove the pot from the heat, sprinkle 3/4 cup of cheese over the pasta, and toss to mix.

Have some shaved parmesan on hand when you’re ready to serve.

The Perfect Cocktail

For those who enjoy a drink with dinner and don’t prefer wine, this classic cocktail is a light and refreshing go-to for livening up a holiday meal:

Pristine Premium Vodka Mule

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces of Pristine all-natural vodka
• ½ ounce of fresh lime juice
• 3 ounces of the best quality possible ginger beer
• Lime wedge, for garnish

Directions:

Fill a cocktail shaker three-quarters full of ice, combine Pristine Premium Vodka and lime juice and shake about 15 seconds until chilled. Strain into a copper mug, filled with crushed ice. Top it off with ginger beer and garnish with a wedge of lime.

 

After Hours

Dinner has been served and consumed, and you and your guests are enjoying the lull after a big meal with full bellies and good company. If your home is anything like ours, all of those people and all of that cooking make for a warm environment. Cool down with the perfect digestif, a Perfect White Russian:

Ingredients:

Depending on the size of the drink, use equal parts of the following:

Pristine Vodka

Kahlua or any other coffee liquor

Heavy cream

This is the original recipe. If you prefer something stronger, then the amount of Pristine Premium Vodka can be changed to 2 parts. For something lighter, swap milk for the heavy cream.

Directions:

First, pour coffee liquor and Pristine Premium Vodka into a chilled old-fashioned glass filled with ice. Then float fresh cream on the top and stir slowly.

For a twist, shake the cream before pouring it into your Pristine White Russian it will produce more bubbles and more texture.  Then the cream will lay thicker and the drink will be smoother filling your body with proteins and the alcohol.

From all of us to all of you, have a safe and happy holiday season!

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