Beecher's, a Seattle cheese (and cheese-stuff) shop that's opened a branch in NYC, makes a Grilled Cheese Martini that sounds improbably delicious:
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Now, this is no cop out "grilled cheese martini" that just shoves a wedge of sandwich on the rim of a martini glass and calls it a day. We're talking about vodka that has literally been infused with a grilled cheese sandwich (using Beecher's signature cheese, of course). If you're feeling a little apprehensive about the idea, you're not alone — general manager Sarah Jennerjahn had a similar reaction when chef-owner Kurt Dammeier first presented her with the idea. But for Dammeier the concept was seemingly pretty straightforward. "Well, just grill up a couple of our Flagship sandwiches until they are perfectly ready to eat and then put them in a container and pour vodka over them," he explained to her.
Fast-forward to discovering the perfect recipe for a 24-hour infusion, double-filtering the mixture through cheese cloth (how appropriate), and that, says Jennerjahn, is when the fun began. From there crafting the drink was a collaborative effort. Someone mentions tomatoes and bartender Ksenia Stillwell chimes in with the suggestion to make a tomato juice ice cube. How about adding something herbal to the flavor profile? Stillwell has the solution again, recommending muddled basil. And for the finishing touch, balsamic reduction on the rim, Jennerjahn's idea. Wait — make that almost finishing touch. Coming full circle, the last piece of the puzzle was provided by Dammeier, who thought to add bits of baked, crispy prosciutto to the balsamic garnish.
