Happy Summer to you! We have had a massive heat wave here in California and this entire time I am thinking of one thing, the thalassa. 🙂 I want to just dive into the Greek sea and sip on this new exciting drink I made last night.

What is the Thalassaki Blue Cocktail? 

It is a Greek style cocktail with hints of lemon, vodka, and Blue Curacao.  A light cocktail that is perfect to enjoy especially on those hot summer days.

Kastra Elion, a Greek company based in Los Angeles, California, reached out to me a few months ago asking if I would try out their vodka.  The vodka itself is actually infused with olives leaves from Nafpaktos. The name comes from “Kastra” meaning castle and “Elion” meaning olives. Although I am not much of a martini fan, I would enjoy this anytime of the day. They sent me an entire kit that included; Kastra Elion vodka bottle, Katsra Elion stuffed feta olives, orange bitters, Kastra brine, Kastra bianco vermouth, a recipe card, a special martini stirrer, and a unique handcrafted Kastra Elion bag. The ceramic Greek style bottles are really beautiful, and very eye-catching. If you enjoy a peppery yet smooth vodka then this is the brand for you!

Interesting enough I had this idea to infuse olive leaves into alcohol when I did the Oleosophia cocktail about a month ago! So I am intrigued that others started getting the same idea. The olive leaf is very beneficial to our daily diet! The ancient Egyptians would make olive leaf tea, or even powder. It was known as a symbol of heavenly power.

Many scientists did research on the olive leaf and found that it produces “oleuropein” the substance that provides the bitterness to the leaf in the oil extraction. The oleuropein can help fight against diseases, and it packed with antioxidants. Interesting right?

Let’s get to the cocktail recipe!

Thalassaki Blue Cocktail Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 oz vodka
• 1 oz Blue Curacao
• .5 oz of simple syrup
• .5 oz of lemon juice
• To serve: Sprig of mint
• Optional: 1 or 2 feta stuffed olives

Method:

1. Place a handful of ice cubes inside a martini shaker, and then add all the ingredients except the mint.
2. Serve in a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

Στην υγειά μας!

All photos : Rights to Kouzounas Kitchen 2021.