Ingredients

• 3 ripe strawberries
• 1 lime, cut into 4 wedges
• 12 to 15 dashes of Beyond the Olive Traditional Aged balsamic vinegar
• 3/4 oz simple syrup (recipe follows)
• 1/2 oz strawberry puree (made by blending a few strawberries with some simple syrup until slushy)
• 1 1/2 oz vanilla rum

Garnish with Balsamic glaze (recipe follows)

Directions

Trim the stems from the strawberries and cut them in half, allowing them to fall into your mixing glass. Add lime wedges, simple syrup, balsamic vinegar and the strawberry puree. Use a muddler to mash, the ingredients together. Add the vanilla rum to the mixture, then pour into an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake, then strain into a chilled martini glass and serve.

Just before you make your drink, drizzle a chilled martini glass with the balsamic glaze. Strain the cocktail into the glass, balance the spaghetti-squash garnish on the rim and serve.

Balsamic glaze

Simmer 2 cups of balsamic vinegar in a pot until it reduces by half. Add 1 cup of dark corn syrup and stir until it starts to bubble. Remove from the heat, allow to cool slightly and pour into a squeeze bottle. Drizzle over martini.

Simple syrup

Combine equal parts water and sugar in a pan over medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Increase the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Use to sweeten everything from cocktails and iced tea to gelato. Syrup can be made 2 weeks ahead.

 Adapted from Cafe Firenze in Moorpark