Co-owner Stephanie Fesko can’t say exactly when the Rustic Café started pouring Pickletinis. She certainly didn’t set out to brand the bar into the “pickle place”—it just kind of happened. All these years later, Rustic sells its proprietary pickle juice by the bottle, and the bartenders “don’t have the specific recipe written down,” Fesko says, offering her best approximation. To make it spicy, just add Tabasco to your brine and soak your pickle in it for a bit before assembling.
Pickletini
Stephanie Fesko | East Lyme, Connecticut
Ingredients
Serving: 1
- 4 1/2 ounces vodka, preferably Tito’s or Ketel One
- 1/2 ounce pickle juice
- a “blip” (more than 2 drops, less than a splash) of dry vermouth
Garnish: pickle spear
Directions
- Combine ingredients with ice in a shaker and shake.
- Strain into a chilled Martini glass.
- Garnish with a pickle spear.