Monari Federzoni: Boozy Strawberry & Balsamic Vinegar Shake

I know, it's still in the middle of winter and what am I doing holding a glass of very cold strawberry drink? The ones living in the negative zero zones should be shaking their heads at me and ready to switch sides with me. We have been having a not-so-cold winter (and I hope that it stays that way!) and I have been seeing strawberry punnets lately. They're locally grown, which is a great surprise because when they are off-season, they are usually imported. The strawberries did not really take off well in the sweetness factor but well, I am in a big time strawberry mode so let the strawberries reign!

I had been thinking of combining these strawberries with some champagne but the night before I was going to make this drink, my wine class teacher's first line in our wine and food pairings topic for the night caught me off guard. Champagnes don't go with strawberries, remember that! Gulp! I didn't know that! Apparently, not a single one from my class knew that too.  

Using the strawberries for a cold drink was foremost in my mind. I had actually been thinking of daiquiris the whole time, why do I have to divert from it? So off the strawberries went to the blender with a dash of rum, sugar, mint leaves and my surprise ingredient, aged balsamic vinegar. With the noisy whirring of the blades cracking the ice, I thought about how good strawberry shakes are and I was confident that this was going to come out a winner. You know what? It did and I wish I had more strawberries with me. I was only able to make one glass and I even had to divide it for my husband to try. Minutes later, a smile came out from my husband. God, that was good!  

Now it's your turn! I hope you'll enjoy it! Just stay beside the heater so you won't get cold. Just a thought! Enjoy your week!

Boozy Strawberry & Balsamic Vinegar Shake

Ingredients:
Makes 1 glass

• 1 cup strawberries, hulled
• 1 tablespoon Monari Federzoni balsamic vinegar (Aceto Balsamico di Modena IGP Invecchiato Etichetta Oro)
• 2 tablespoons rum
• 1-1/2 tablespoons sugar or honey, depending on how sweet you want it
• 4 - 6 ice cubes, depending on the size
• 3 fresh mint leaves

Directions:

1. Pulse all ingredients in a blender until very smooth.
2. Serve immediately.