While at first we considered juicing the pears themselves, I feared I wouldn't get enough juice to make a proper round of drinks. So off I went to the store where I found some pear nectar. If you have a bunch of ripe pears and a juicer, I'd love to hear how the drink turns out.
All those little black specks you see are vanilla beans that we scraped straight from the pod. We also opted to use vanilla sugar for the drink's rim, which gives the drink an extra aromatic lift.
Vanilla, Pear, and Vodka Cocktail
Mix pear juice and vodka in a pitcher or shaker. Split open the vanilla bean, and scrape the seeds into the juice and vodka. Add 1 cup ice, then give it a good shake. Pour into cocktail glasses over more ice and serve with sugared rim. Makes 4 drinks.
- 12 oz (1.5 cups) pear juice
- 6 oz vodka
- 1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
- vanilla sugar, for rim
- 1 cup ice, plus more to serve over
This looks fantastic- and easy! Found it on TasteSpotting, and definitely going to give it a try. Wonder if you could make some kind of pulpy version using a whole pair. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteCorianda, a slushy version made with whole pear & ice - blended together with the vodka & vanilla - sounds delicious. Make it! Report back! We still have some pear nectar left over... :)
ReplyDeleteThis looks wonderful. I wonder how it would work with a ripe asian pear? I get lots of juice from them in a juicer, but it might be too mild.
ReplyDeleteDahlia - I wonder if adding a tiny squirt of lemon juice would help, if it seems too mild?
ReplyDeleteThis is gorgeous. Funny we just met and will see each other at Ototo in a couple of weeks and I happen to see this on Tastespotting...small world huh?
ReplyDeleteI've recently started something new on my blog called Happy Hour Friday. Each Friday I'll publish either a cocktail or an appetizer and invite readers to list theirs as well using a link tool at the bottom of the post. Please include this tomorrow (tomorrow also happens to be a giveaway from California Walnuts).
I hope to see this there!
yum.
ReplyDeleteFound this on pinterest, I made this with whole pears instead of the pear nectar (just because that is what I had on hand). I used an immersion blender to blend the whole thing, and it was fantastic! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHa! Just read your comment about this exact thing!
This cocktail sounds absolutely positively lovely. So simple, elegant, and I'm quite sure it tastes perfect. I will definitely make (and drink) this!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds fantastic. Pinning it right now! Now off to find pear nectar, wish me luck, it's an unlikely find in my neck of the woods.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds amazing. THanks for the idea. I blogged about it here. http://afewextraminutes.blogspot.com/2011/11/drink-of-week-vanilla-pear-vodka.html
ReplyDeleteLooks beautiful!!
ReplyDeleteSaw this recipe on Pinterest. This looks so good - and easy! Nice call on adding the vanilla sugar in the rim.
ReplyDeleteI saw this on Pinterest. I love pears and have been making something similar to this drink ever since I found pear vodka made by Smirnoff. Can't wait to add the real vanilla to it!
ReplyDeleteLemon helped tremendously when we made ours. I think possibly some blood orange zest too. Be careful of the pear juice you get, the one we bought from whole foods needed to be really doctored. Thanks so much for the post!
ReplyDeleteSuch an unusual combo of ingredients. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThe drink looks and sounds amazing! But I also think a splash of lemon juice will make it even better. Can you use pure vanilla extract in this if you don't have vanilla bean?
ReplyDeleteI just found this via Pinterest. Sounds AMAZING! I have some vanilla vodka at home and think that might be an excellent addition too. Plus then a person COULD pare it down (pun intended) to just pear nectar and vanilla vodka. I'm all about two ingredients if it's just for me. If I'm "serving," then I'd do it all out with the rimmed glasses, etc.
ReplyDeleteWhat an excellent pun Katie. I cringed! ;) Let us know how you like it with the vanilla vodka - we actually haven't tried it that way yet.
DeleteWe made it for our ongoing happy hour that we have every friday. I think I'd juice fresh pears next time. It was good with the peach nectar, but I probably would never make them again. They didn't knock my socks off by any means.
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DeleteJust found you on Pinterest. This looks delicious and I can't wait to try it!
ReplyDeleteHow do you make vanilla sugar?
ReplyDeleteMary, to make vanilla sugar, you just throw a vanilla bean pod into a container full of sugar. Give it a shake every week or so. I actually just use the leftover pods I have after I've scraped all the 'caviar' out of them. Vanilla sugar is great for baking, coffee, whatever sweet things you usually use sugar with. Really adds something extra to the mix, and smells fabulous.
ReplyDeleteI will make this from Grey Goose vodka http://bestvodka.net/grey-goose-vodka/
ReplyDeleteit is recomended by BestVodka.net
I found it a little thick (possibly my pear nectar) and added some dry ginger ale = lovely.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
This looks great--I've had pear from a juicer and it's unattractive--happy to have an excuse to skip a step. This looks delicious! I love the idea of vanilla sugar on the rim, too.
ReplyDeleteI made this last night and it was delicious! The only thing is that the measurements outlined above were not enough for 4 drinks, barely enough for 3. Luckily I just made another batch :)
ReplyDeletePlease contact our publishing house.
ReplyDeleteemily@welcomebooks.com
So good. Nice lazy evening at home and we had pears, vanilla pods and vodka in the house. I put 3 pears in the blender, put that through a sieve and added a bit of water and sugar and heated it just up to boiling point. Cut 1/3 of a vanilla pod open, scraped out the seeds and added those and the open pod to the pear mixture. Let that sit and cool. Put that in a coffee filter and out came some delicious vanilla pear nectar. Took the above recipe from there and now we can't wait to get more pears and do that again, only I'll make more pear nectar so we can have some in the fridge. Should keep for up to a week. Bit of work, but it was quite pleasant to experiment and enjoy the fruit of my labours while watching another episode of Madmen! By the way, the pear 'sludge' left in the coffee filter is delicious and is going on our oatmeal tomorrow morning!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds exactly like my kind of cocktail, I love the pear, vanilla and vodka combination! Any vodka brand suggestions? Also if you get the chance, do try to Feijoa flavoured vodka we make here in New Zealand. It is soooo good :D
ReplyDeleteI used Grey Goose La Poire. the drink was delicious!
Delete1st try today..no vanilla bean on hand so used 1/4 tsp vanilla extract. Also used another few drops of vanilla mixed into super fine sugar for the glass rims. Tasty...but don't know how this compares to the original recipe.
ReplyDeleteThis was a perfect fall cocktail. Served it last night and it was a hit. Loved that it wasn't too strong. I actually used Pear flavored vodka, too. easily enjoyable for all.
ReplyDeleteFound this on pinterest, I made this with whole pears instead of the pear nectar (just because that is what I had on hand). I used an immersion blender to blend the whole thing, and it was fantastic! Thanks!
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