Elderflower, Pear and Thyme Martini

Refreshing and damn delicious, this flavored twist on a martini that holds the vermouth, but uses a phenomenal pear and thyme syrup topped off with a elderflower liqueur to bring an incredible flavor boost.

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Ok yes, I say all my food and drink pairings are good; but this Elderflower, Pear and Thyme Martini pairing is real good! Maybe I just really love elderflower liqueur though. That could be it. But also the pear and thyme reduction, is amazing. Plus it is easy to make! Throw the thyme and pear juice in a pot and reduce to a quarter of the liquid. It will be like a syrup, perfumed with thyme and with concentrated pear flavor.

I originally thought to make a simple syrup, but then realized that if I was buying pear juice for the cocktail I should use that instead of making a special simple syrup. I’m happy I did because that stuff is so good, I could put it on gluten free toast! Even as I write this, I am thinking of all the uses for this reduction and you will be seeing it again. So if you have extra of this after making the cocktail use it in a lot of other recipes, food or drink!

I was so happy with how this cocktail turned out, I drank it fast. And then made a second one immediately after. It is such a nice drink in the winter from the pear and herbal syrup, but still has enough vodka to warm you up. The lemon helps balance everything out. Feel free to adjust the amount of lemon if you like a more or less acidic cocktail. But more acidity helps with the Gluten Free and Easy Potato and Thyme Stacks food pairing.

Recipe Notes & Substitutions

Vodka– Since it is paired with potatoes, I used potato vodka. I always buy potato vodka too because I am certain it is good for gluten free. Feel free to use gin instead of vodka it will still work incredibly well with the food bite. I actually originally thought gin to use gin in the cocktail, but decided on vodka because of the potato pairing.

Pear and Thyme Reduction– This keeps the bulk of the sugar in the drink from natural sugar of fruit juices. Also, if you are buying pear juice for the drink you might as well use more in the reduction. Why buy something to not use much of it in the recipe? If you do not want to do this, make a thyme infused simple syrup instead.

Thyme– I use fresh thyme, if you use dried thyme reduce it in half. You could also substitute Rosemary or Sage for the thyme in the recipe, both will work well.

Elderflower Liqueur– This is an optional, but highly recommended, addition. The most common one is St. Germain, but I bought a craft bottle of Elderflower liqueur and I love it! If you can, get a fancier bottle. It lasts a while and the flavor is worth it.

Lemon– Do not substitute lime and expect the same flavor. It will be good, but lemon works so much better with this flavor profile. Also, lemon is more acidic than limes, so you will likely need to add 0.25-0.3oz more lime. Lime has a more noticeable flavor too so it will change the profile of the drink. So really, just stick with lemon.

Why this Elderflower, Pear and Thyme Martini pairing works.

The Gluten Free and Easy Potato and Thyme Stacks and Elderflower, Pear and Thyme Martini really compliment each other so well. The thyme in the pear reduction weaves into the thyme in the food bite making them link seamlessly. The little bit of honey in the food bite plays off the flavor of the pear in the cocktail. The pear in the cocktail helps to liven up the potatoes and brings a sweetness that balances the richness from the oil and butter. By reducing the pear you are concentrating the pear flavors. This cooked down pear flavor works incredible well with the earthy and roasted sweetness of the garlic and thyme.

While the pear really compliments elements of the food bite, the lemon helps balance it all out. The lemon brings the acidity this drink and food bite need. Acidity livens up the palate and food, which roasted potatoes need (think ketchup with fries). The lemon also cuts through the richness of the food bite. This again livens up the pairing by freshening up the bite.

Finally the addition of the elderflower, while small, adds a lot to this drink and bite. With elderflower liqueur I taste notes of lychee and tangerine. I always say lychee tastes like pear with rose in it. So elderflower is a perfect floral accompaniment to pear. The elderflower also plays off the honey bringing out a nice floral note in the dish. These floral notes finish the bite with a pop of freshness and brings an additional layer of flavor. It interestingly works so well with thyme because it counters the hearty herbal thyme with a light and floral flavor. Almost like a yin and yang within the cocktail and food bite.

Seriously, give this Gluten Free and Easy Potato and Thyme Stacks and Elderflower, Pear and Thyme Martini a try at your next cocktail party, they will be an impressive hit!