At Miel, a French-inspired, farm-to-table bistro in Nashville’s Sylvan Park, there’s a two-lane highway of produce flowing between beverage director Evan Steen and head chef Jason La Iacona. After macerating berries for cocktails, Steen will send the leftover mash to La Iacona, who might repurpose it into a jam or gastrique. La Iacona passes unused fruit from the kitchen to Steen, who works them into housemade shrubs. Rinds and stems get traded, too; minimizing kitchen waste is one of Miel’s core values.
Such cross-pollination gave rise to the restaurant’s tomato vine martini, a cocktail that leans into the summer garden star of the moment. The menu officially calls it the Blushing Mary, a nod to the drink’s lovely pink hue and another classic cocktail. But it is much closer to a dirty martini than a Bloody; simply swap the olive brine for a splash of eau de ’mater.
Steen, who is also Miel’s general manager, says her favorite part of the recipe is the snippet of tomato vine, the oils of which infuse the cocktail with garden-fresh goodness. “It’s earthy and herbaceous,” she says. “It can be slightly bitter in a good way. It also plays on the nose, inspiring the feeling you get when you smell the garden after a good rain, or fresh-cut grass.”
As for the tomatoes themselves, she selected Campari for its relatively low acidity and higher sugar content, but any variety will do; simply adjust the amount of vinegar and sugar in the shrub to taste. (Martini lovers take note: This drink will be sweeter than a traditional dirty martini, though the optional addition of salt and peppercorns can enhance the savoriness. Just add the peppercorns to the shrub when you add the vinegar.)
After you’ve enjoyed this garden in a glass, don’t toss your leftover shrub. Borrow a page from La Iacona’s playbook and upcycle it into a vinaigrette or tomato aioli.