The Story Behind The Citrus Salty Dog

Vancouver, British Columbia is an awesome city with amazing views, cocktails and cosmopolitan ambiance. It’s a city that exemplifies sand, ocean, water and views for miles, and recently, I was lucky enough to spend four days there taking in all of the city’s cultural and culinary attractions.

My first stop in Vancouver was the Granville Island Public Market, which boasts great local crafts and artisan food. It’s the perfect place in Vancouver to find inspiration for cocktails. While wandering around, I came across a booth with a bounty of flavored sea salts, which immediately caught my attention, specifically a package of orange and lime sea salt. I knew I wanted to use this new discovery as an ingredient and so my mind wandered to thoughts of the beach and the fun, classic cocktails that feature salt.

One of my favorite beachy cocktails is the Salty Dog, and the salt I had discovered would be a perfect component. While a traditional Salty Dog just includes grapefruit juice, I decided to amp up the citrus flavors by adding lime, orange and muddled kumquats as well.

The flavored sea salt was the perfect addition for this citrusy Salty Dog. The orange and lime flavors gave the cocktail a nice refreshing pucker from the moment the first sip was taken, preparing the taste buds for the delicious citrus to come. It was a great find.

But if you’re not in Vancouver and don’t have access to this flavored salt don’t fret, just head to your local gourmet market and see what might be available. Even plain salt will ultimately taste delicious, so don’t stress out if you can’t find one that’s flavored.

I think this is the perfect signature cocktail for an outdoor barbeque and a bonus is you can even make it ahead! Just mix together the grapefruit and orange juice, muddle the kumquats before the guests arrive and then combine everything together in a pitcher. When the first guest shows up, just pour the drink into a salt rimmed glass with ice. Now sit back, relax and transport yourself to a salty, sunny beach with this easy and beautiful Citrus Salty Dog.

Ingredients

1.5 Ounces Of Vodka
5 Sliced Kumquats, Muddled
4 Ounces Of Grapefruit Juice
2 Ounces Of Orange Juice
½ Lime, Juiced
½ To 1 Cup Ice
Vancouver Island Salt Co. Orange And Lime Sea Salt

Directions

In a mixing glass, add vodka, muddled kumquats, grapefruit juice, orange juice and lime juice, and stir to combine.
Rim a serving glass with salt, either flavored or plain and add ice
Strain the cocktail into the serving glass and enjoy.