Bitter Melon and Gin

• 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup diced bitter melon, seeds reserved
• Kosher salt
• 1 Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced
• 1/3 lemon, zested
• 5 blackberries
• 5 blueberries
• 2 cherries, pitted
• 4 ounces gin, chilled
• 2 fresh mint sprigs, for garnish

1. Heat up the rice wine vinegar, 1/4 cup water, the sugar and diced bitter melon in a saucepan.
2. Cook until the sugar dissolves and the flavors combine.
3. Then remove from the heat and cool.
4. Add a pinch of salt to the bitter melon seeds and toast in a pan.
5. In a medium bowl, combine the apples, lemon zest, berries, cherries and toasted seeds.
6. Divide the fruit between two cocktail glasses.
7. Add the gin to both glasses, a couple tablespoons of bitter melon simple syrup and garnish with a sprig of mint.
8. Eat the salad and enjoy your gin at the same time.

rice wine vinegar, sugar, bitter, kosher salt, apple, lemon, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, mint sprigs

Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rodney-henry/bitter-melon-and-gin-recipe.html (may not work)