Creekside Drinks: Asian Pear-suasian

The last time I was on vacation in New York, I found a fruit at an Asian market in China Town that made a huge impression on my taste buds: lychees, which are sweet, fleshy native Chinese fruits, similar in appearance to raspberries.

My first taste of these juicy treats spiked my creativity, and I knew then I needed to use them to create something extraordinary. As luck would have it, there are lychee-infused liquors out there that make this venture an easy one.

To create this drink, a few extra steps must be taken. I use pear-and-vanilla-bean-infused vodka to really ramp up the flavor. To make this, let a pear soak in vodka for five days. On the fifth day, add fresh vanilla beans and let it sit for an additional day. Filter the vodka so that no chunks of pear or vanilla are left, creating a pear-and-vanilla-bean-infused vodka.

Asian Pear:

• 2 oz. pear-vanilla-bean vodka
• 1 oz. lychee liquor
• 2 oz. pear nectar
• 1 lemon wedge

Shake and strain all ingredients into a martini glass and garnish with lemon wedge.

This drink goes well with sophisticated Asian dishes and good company.