Florida Cane Vodka: The Ultimate Dinner Party Guide
Here at St. Augustine Distillery, we’re passionate about showcasing our spirits’ flavors in both food and drinks. This edition of our dinner party series features four recipes, including an appetizer, entree, side dish, and dessert, all made with our Florida Cane Vodka. Call up your friends and family, and fire up the stove for our Ultimate Vodka Dinner Party!
Something to Sip: Florida Mule
A Russian icon gets a Florida twist.
Make this as a single serving or in a pitcher!
PREPARATION
Prepare a highball glass or Moscow mule mug with ice.
Add vodka and mixer, stirring gently to combine.
Top with seltzer water and garnish with lime. Serve.
INGREDIENTS
Seltzer to taste
Lime (for garnish)
Something to Nibble: Distilled Bruschetta
A twist on this Italian classic includes the option of a basil-infused vodka for extra flavor
PREPARATION
Heat 3 tbsp of olive oil in a pan. Lightly fry pieces of baguette and set aside on a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
Combine remaining olive oil, tomato, onion, basil, vodka, and vermouth in a bowl. Set aside until ready to serve.
When ready to serve, peel and halve the garlic cloves. Rub on each piece of bread, then top with tomato mixture. Sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper, and serve.
INGREDIENTS
5 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (this will be divided between steps)
1 French baguette, cut into approx. ¾ inch thick pieces
6 plum tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
½ red onion, finely chopped
½ cup basil, chopped
3 tablespoons plain or basil-infused St. Augustine Distillery Florida Cane Vodka
NOTE: To infuse vodka, place 1 cup of whole basil leaves in a 32 oz mason jar and fill with vodka. Store for up to 3 days in a cool, dark place, then strain into a separate container.
1 tbsp vermouth or cooking sherry
Freshly ground sea salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2-3 garlic cloves
Something Savory: Lemon Vodka Chicken with Penne alla Vodka
Bright lemon and savory, creamy tomato come together for an excellent combination.
INGREDIENTS
Pasta
1 lb penne pasta
½ cup (1 stick) butter
1 onion, diced
2 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes
1 pint heavy cream
Seasoning to taste
Parmesan cheese (for serving, optional)
Chicken
4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, rinsed and patted dry
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 eggs
2 tbsp milk
½ cup flour
½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
5 tbsp unsalted butter
4 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
4 tbsp capers
Salt and pepper to taste
PREPARATION
Chicken
Place the flour and breadcrumbs in individual plates or shallow bowls. In another shallow bowl, beat the eggs and milk together.
Place a sheet of saran wrap on your counter and place one chicken breast on top of it. Cover the other in saran wrap. Use a rolling pin or mallet to pound the chicken until it is one uniform, thin layer. Repeat for each chicken breast.
Dredge the pounded chicken breast in flour, then the egg mixture, then the breadcrumbs. Place the prepared breast in the pan and cook until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. Place on a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
Add the vodka to the pan, using a wooden spoon to deglaze the bottom. Add the remaining ingredients to the pan and reduce until they form a thick sauce. Remove from heat, add the chicken breasts and coat. Serve warm.
Pasta
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, drizzle with olive oil, and set aside.
In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and saute until soft and slightly browned, about 10 minutes.
Add vodka and cook for 10 minutes.
Add tomatoes, stirring to combine. Cook for 30 minutes, then add heavy cream and cook for an additional 30 minutes. Add seasoning and stir.
NOTE: For a smoother sauce, use an immersion or standard blender to puree after cooking.
Spoon sauce over pasta and top with parmesan cheese. Serve.
Something Sweet: Lemon Vodka Cake
This classic cake gets turned up a notch with the addition of vodka and lemon syrup.
INGREDIENTS
Lemon Vodka Syrup
¼ cup plain or lemon-infused St. Augustine Distillery Florida Cane Vodka
To infuse vodka, add 2 cups of vodka and 3 quartered lemons to a mason jar. Store in a cool, dark place for up to one week.
½ cup lemon juice
½ cup sugar
Cake
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
2¼ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp lemon zest
1 ¼ cups milk
10 tbsp (1¼ stick) unsalted butter, cubed
PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a large bundt cake pan and set aside.
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
Using an electric mixer, beat eggs on high speed for 5 minutes or until thickened and lemon colored. Gradually add sugar, beating until mixture is light and fluffy.
Add vanilla and lemon zest and beat in.
Gradually add dry ingredients mixer and beat until smooth
In a saucepan, heat milk and butter until butter is melted.
NOTE: Do not let this mixture boil!
With the mixer running, add the milk and butter mixture to batter until combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 28-35 minutes or until top springs back when pressed or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and place on an iron rack to cool for 5 minutes
While the cake is cooling, prepare the vodka glaze. Heat sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium high heat until it reaches a gentle boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until sugar is dissolved. Cool for two minutes, then stir in vodka.
Turn warm cake onto a plate, and allow it to fully cool. Pour ¼ of the vodka sauce over the cake, allowing it to absorb. Continue to spread sauce evenly over the cake, giving it time to soak in, until all glaze has been used. Serve warm or room temperature.
There you have it! Get ready to dazzle your guests with this incredible array of food, all made with our own hand-crafted vodka.
Planning to test out these recipes? We would love to see them! Please tag us on social media and let us know how your guests enjoyed their meal!
