At Chef Allen's, July is Mango Madness month. We start by macerating hundreds of pounds of mangos in gallons of vodka, so we can put them up for the winter. We never want to let go of those bright, summer flavors. Use ripe mangos that have the sweet aroma of the tropics.
Serves 4
Ice cubes
1 cup Mango Vodka (recipe follows)
2 twists of lime zest
Put the ice cubes in a shaker glass. Pour the vodka over the ice cubes and shake well. Strain into 2 well-chilled Martini glasses. Garnish each drink with a lime twist. Mango Vodka: Peel 3 ripe mangos, cut the flesh from the pit, and cut into large dice. Put the mangos in a clean 1 quart mason jar. Add 2 cups vodka and seal the jar. Let sit in a cool, dark place for 2 to 3 days before using. Store leftover vodka up to 5 days.
Makes 2 cups.