Melkon’s Friday Cocktail – Street Fruit Edition
By Melkon Khosrovian
One of LA’s many food joys is street fruit stands. Cut up mango, cucumber, watermelon, pineapple, coconut and anything else in season, topped with salt, chili and freshly squeezed lime wakes up the palate like nothing else.
Will it cocktail, though?
Today I bought a couple of nickel bags ($5 portions) and tried. First step, blend the stuff to make it cocktail friendly — muddling would take too long. Next…what to pair with them?
TRU Lemon vodka, which tastes like liquid sunshine, as we zest 2,000 lemons per batch to make it, seems like a good fit. Also worked in our new CITY Bright gin, which we based on ingredients from LA’s rich immigrant food scene.
Here are the recipes:
Green Street Craft Cocktail Recipe
- 2 oz TRU Lemon vodka
- 2 oz blended street fruit
Shake with ice. Strain into rocks glass.
Little Alley Craft Cocktail Recipe
- 2 oz CITY Bright gin
- 2 oz blended street fruit
- 2 oz tonic water
Shake with ice. Strain into rocks glass. Top with tonic.
Green Street Craft Cocktail won the contest. It was cleaner, brighter and more cohesive. The tonic in the Little Alley Cocktail seemed to water down the fruit notes too much. Might have been better off with club soda here or just gin. Next time…
