Summer of Unexpected Pairings – Berry Berry Tea Surprise

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Samples were provided free of cost to me in order to facilitate this post. Please note that any personal opinions reflected in this post are my own and have not been influenced by the sponsor in any way.

Sometimes I really have to think about what pairs well with what. I’m not talking about cheeseburgers and fries, or bagels and cream cheese, I’m talking about what drinks go well with what foods. Fortunately for folks like me, Pinnacle Vodka has teamed up with fan-favorite chef Claire Robinson to create a series of fun and surprising food and cocktail pairings that are certain to bring a smile to the faces of all of your guests.

Pinnacle® Vodka mixologist Claire developed a series of simple, seasonal dishes designed to pair perfectly with a unique Pinnacle® Vodka cocktail. The pairings kicked off with a special 4th of July menu on Pinterest and continue with a new pairing post every week throughout the remainder of July. Recipes will include sides, main dishes and even a few scrumptious desserts. Drink recipes throughout the program will highlight some of Pinnacle® Vodka’s most popular summer flavors, including Coconut, Cinnabon®, Tropical Punch, Citrus and others. All recipe pairings will be featured on a dedicated Pinnacle® Vodka Pinterest pinboard.

“I am excited to remind people that fresh and delicious seasonal cooking is just as easy as and so much more fun than some of the typical summer standbys. And when you pair a delicious dish with a really tasty cocktail, everyone gets excited,” said Chef Claire Robinson. “I was really inspired by all of the different pairings I could create with the amazing Pinnacle Vodka flavors – with so many to choose from, there really aren’t any limits to what you can create.”

“There are few things a Pinnacle Vodka fan loves more than food and entertaining, so it made a lot of sense for us to work with a chef of Claire’s caliber on this project,” said Jason Dolegna, Senior Brand Director of Vodkas at Beam Suntory. “With more than 40 fun flavors, Pinnacle Vodka fans can get really creative with their menus this summer. We hope these recipe pairings will help get everyone off to a good start.”

With permission from Pinnacle Vodka I have two recipes to share with you. The first is a pairing called “It’s a Berry Berry Tea Surprise”.

“It’s a Berry Berry Tea Surprise”

Wild Blueberry Slump

Ingredients

• 6 cups fresh wild blueberries
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
• 1 cup self-rising flour
• pinch of table salt
• 2/3 cup whole milk
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place blueberries in a 9-inch pie plate and sprinkle 1/2 cup sugar on top.

In medium bowl combine flour, salt, milk, butter and remaining sugar. Whisk until well combined and pour on top of blueberries. Bake on middle rack in oven until golden brown, about 45 minutes.

Lemonberry Tea

Ingredients

• 1 part Pinnacle® Citrus Vodka
• 1 part Sweet Iced Tea
• 5 Blueberries
• 1 quarter part Lemon juice

Add all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and shake. Shake and pour (do not strain) into a highball glass. Garnish with a few more berries.

For those unfamiliar with Pinnacle Vodka, it is one of the leading imported premium vodka brands. Pinnacle Unflavored Vodka was recently recognized with the top honor for the Vodka category in the 2013 International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC), beating out more than 100 vodkas from all over the world in a prestigious blind taste-testing. In addition to the Unflavored base product, the Pinnacle Vodka line spans an array of more than 40 fun and indulgent flavors.

Be sure to check back tomorrow for the second recipe!

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What’s your favorite blueberry dish or beverage?