THE GREEN GHOST

Clarke Anderson, a beverage director for Atlanta restaurateur Ford Fry, made this gin, absinthe, and green-tomato drink for the Attack of the Killer Tomato Festival in July. If you are having a party, you can make a batch and pour over glasses of ice when ready to serve, perhaps topping with a bit of soda water (since you aren’t diluting the drink by shaking it with ice). Blanching and shocking the celery before you make the juice will turn it a vivid green; however, you can skip this step and it won’t make much difference in flavor. Any leftover green juice is wonderful mixed with tomato juice and a squirt of lemon or lime.

For the green juice:

3 celery stalks with leaves

1 large or 2 small green tomatoes,

chopped

1/2 cucumber, chopped (leave skin

on)

3/4 cup water

For the cocktail:

1 1/4 ounce “green juice”

1 1/2 ounces gin (Anderson uses

Old Fourth Distillery)

1/4 ounce fresh lemon juice

1/4 ounce fresh lime juice

1/4 ounce salted simple syrup (see

note)

1/4 ounce absinthe (Anderson

uses Copper & Kings Blanche) soda water, optional

To make the juice: Fill a large boiler with water and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Fill a large bowl with ice water.

Chop celery into pieces so that they fit into the pot. As the water begins to boil, toss in the celery, and blanch for about 30 seconds. Remove from heat, drain, and immerse celery in the ice cold water. Once the celery is cold (about 3-5 minutes), discard the water.

Place celery, green tomatoes, and cucumber in a blender or food-processor bowl. Add 3/4 cup water, and puree until soupy. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. (If the vegetable pulp is still chunky, you may place it back in the machine, pulse it again, and strain.) You should have about 2 cups of juice, enough for about 12 cocktails.

To make the cocktail: Pour green juice, gin, lemon juice, lime juice, salted simple syrup and absinthe in a cocktail shaker. Add ice. Shake well, and strain into a Collins glass filled with ice. (If you want, add a little more salted simple syrup, or a sprinkle of salt, to taste.) Top with optional soda water. Makes: 1 drink.

To make salted simple syrup: Combine equal parts granulated sugar and water, and a pinch of salt. (I used ⅓ cup sugar, ⅓ cup water and 1/4 teaspoon salt.) Keep leftover syrup in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Per drink: 154 calories (percent of calories from fat, 4), 1 gram protein, 6 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, trace fat (no saturated fat), no cholesterol, 173 milligrams sodium.

STYLING BY CLARKE ANDERSON; CONTRIBUTED BY CHRIS HUNT