Sungold Zinger Cocktail

Let's just keep the tomato theme going this week, shall we?

Oma Blaise Ford is a self-confessed word and image freak who has spent her time over the past 18 years or so making magazines in the shelter and lifestyle arenas. She also happens to be one of my best friends.Her recipe for a Sungold Zinger screams summer and is a nice, savory twist on a typical sweet summer cocktail. It tastes like a bright splash of summer in a martini glass.

Sungold Zinger(recreated from the bar at Range in San Francisco)

You will need:- 4 Sungold cherry tomatoes, plus 1 for garnish- 2 oz Gin- 3/4 oz Lemon juice- 1/4 to 1/3 oz agave nectarTo prepare:In a cocktail shaker, muddle cherry tomatoes to release juice. Add ice and shake with the rest of the ingredients. Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a martini glass (you may need to stir the liquid in the strainer to get the whole drink into the glass). Garnish with a cherry tomato.Notes: The tomatoes matter. (Don't they always?) The rich sweetness and orangey color of ripe Sungolds make this drink. Range used No. 209 Gin, which I can't find here, so I use Bombay Sapphire. Adjust the agave nectar depending on the sweetness of the tomatoes, the tartness of the lemon, and your taste. All my friends know I like my drinks on the tart side, so I usually lean toward the lesser amount.images via Richard Swearinger and Oma Blaise Ford