It's Not "REAL" But It Works!

Ever wonder how restaurants without liquor licenses can serve Bloody Marys for breakfast? They use what I call faux Vodka! It’s a clever little trick where rice, potatoes or grapes are fermented instead of distilled. In addition the alcohol content is less than traditional Vodka. That combination allows the “Vodka” placement as a wine instead of liquor. So any establishment with a beer and wine license is golden!

I wouldn’t recommend it in a martini but mixed in a spicy Bloody Mary you can hardly tell the difference. I had one of these tasty treats during my New Year’s Eve brunch at CRaVE in Fort Myers. CRaVE is a cozy little upscale diner in a strip mall off of McGregor Blvd. It has shiny metal siding on the back wall and a giant chalkboard on the side crammed with delicious specials.

The regular menu has something for everyone and the omelet choices are endless. Mine had asparagus, shrimp and Brie. It was a nice accompaniment to my Bloody Mary made with Soboloff Vodka. Finding information about Soboloff has been a bit exhausting and not very fruitful (pun intended). Our waiter said it was a grape-based “Vodka” with a little orange in it.

Vodka aficionados: give it a try! Let me know what you think. If you go to CRaVE on the weekends get there early. There is almost always a line out the door.