I LOVE LOVE LOVE going to Assyrian, Arminian, and Persian food markets! My go to one is an Assyrian market near me, but if I see any of these, I have to go in and look around! A few reasons for going: hummus, giant bags of basmati rice, saffron for an amazing price, the best pickled veggies ever, and sometimes ice cream! I passed by a Persian market while I was driving around for work, and there was a sign advertising ice cream. Naturally I had to stop for some ice cream. If you are a pistachio ice cream fan you can’t go wrong here, but I personally went with the Rose Water Cardamom ice cream. Hopefully, I’m not alone here when I say that I love floral flavors like lavender and rose. With five million Titos Vodka boxes in my car I thought how great would these flavors be in a martini! I’m telling you, sipping on one of these, and I was longing for some kebabs or tahdig (it’s like a crispy Persian saffron rice). Spoiler Alert! I made some! So, what are you waiting for? Go order yourself some kebabs and saffron rice, and make yourself a Desert Rose Martini! Enjoy!

1oz Hendricks Gin

1oz Titos Vodka

0.25oz Carpano Bianco Vermouth

0.5oz Rose Water

2-3 Dashes Cardamom Bitters

Before starting your cocktail, fill a martini glass with ice, and set aside. Grab a cocktail shaker (as James Bond says, “shaken not stirred”) and add all of your ingredients. Add ice and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Dump the ice from your martini glass, now chilled, and strain the martini into the glass. Drink and enjoy!

Notes: If you can’t find Carpano Bianco, I found that Lillet Blanc is also delicious, or you can use the classic martini standard dry vermouth.