Osaka Dry

Osaka is Japan's third largest city behind Tokyo and Yokohama. This sake and vodka cocktail requires a very Japanese ingredient: Japanese pickled plums.

Now I was tempted, after shopping around at several stores, to just give in and buy pickled plums from Amazon. Japanese pickled plums are a type of apricot that is sour. They are steeped in their own vinegar and spices and have a very distinctive taste.

I gave up on finding authentic Japanese plums and bought a few pitted and wilted French plums. I soaked them in vodka and apple vinegar spiced with cloves, anise and coriander for 3 days. They turned out very fragrant, sour and spicy with a sweeter center. I'm guessing they are not quite right, but that's a little beside the point. The drink they made looks and tastes great.

• 3 oz. vodka (Aylesbury Duck used)
• 1 oz. sake
• pickled plum

Combine vodka and sake in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with pickled plum.