Tomato Girl Summer Just Got a Signature Cocktail Thanks to This Nashville Restaurant
Miel
BEFORE YOU SIP
The Tomato Vine Martini at Miel in Nashville is made with a shrub crafted from tomato vines, giving new life to an ingredient that would normally be thrown away.
The garden-inspired cocktail combines the tomato vine shrub with gin and vermouth, creating a unique twist on a classic martini.
Not heading to Nashville? Miel shared the recipe, so you can try making the Tomato Vine Martini at home.
Word on the street is we’re currently in the midst of yet another Tomato Girl Summer. Me personally? I wouldn’t know too much about that since I’m not a big fan of tomatoes. But I still very much enjoy tomato sauces, salsa, etc. With that being said, there’s a Tomato Vine Martini that has absolutely piqued my interest.
That particular Tomato Vine Martini is served at Miel restaurant in Nashville, Tennessee, and it’s a “garden-forward cocktail” that’s cleverly made using tomato vines.
The decision to utilize that unexpected ingredient is actually pretty commendable—it’s to tap into low-waste bartending to make use of an ingredient that would typically be discarded.
You’re probably wondering how exactly a tomato vine is used to make a cocktail. Well, along with a few other ingredients, it’s used to make a shrub. That shrub is then combined with gin and vermouth to make the Tomato Vine Martini.
In addition to the Tomato Vine Martini, you’ll find several other specialty cocktails on the menu at Miel, including the Run Rabbit Run, Off The Beaten Path, and Mr. McGregor. Oh! And there’s a Happy Hour where you can score a selection of wines and rocks cocktails for between $5 to $7.
If you don’t plan on visiting Nashville anytime soon, you can whip up a Tomato Vine Martini of your own thanks to a recipe shared by its creator, Miel’ s Restaurant & Bar Manager Evan Steen.
You can find the recipe below, and if you make it please chime in in the comments with your thoughts!
Miel’s Tomato Vine Martini
Ingredients
2 oz The Botanist gin
¾ oz tomato vine shrub
¼ oz dry vermouth
1 dash of sea salt (optional)
Directions
Combine all ingredients into a martini glass, fill with ice, and stir quickly to chill. Take care to move the ice around the glass without agitating so as not to dilute the mixture. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a basil leaf.
Tomato Vine Shrub
Ingredients
2 lbs Campari tomatoes (cherry or sungold work well too)
1 cup sugar
½ to ¾ cup champagne vinegar (to taste)
½ tsp sea salt
2 basil stems
1 fresh tomato vine (optional, but deepens flavor and reduces waste) I also like adding one tablespoon of whole black peppercorns!
Directions
Rough chop tomatoes. Do not crush!
Combine with sugar, salt, basil stems, and tomato vine.
Cover and refrigerate for 12–24 hours, allowing the mixture to macerate. Do not leave longer than 24 hours.
Strain gently through a fine mesh strainer without over-pressing the tomatoes. They will be very soft.
Stir in the champagne vinegar and refrigerate overnight.
It is now ready to be enjoyed as the base for your martini!