As a joke, my husband once suggested to make a martini with a "Finnish twist" by using turnip or rutabaga as a flavouring ingredient, so I decided to give this concoction a go. You can serve this as an aperitif before a "traditional Finnish meal" :-)

small piece or slice of fresh, sweet rutabaga
3 tbsp vodka
1½ tbsp dry white vermouth

Make sure to use fresh, juicy rutabaga with a sweet taste and crispy texture. Taste the rutabaga before using it, as some may have a bitter taste and/or a dry and woody or soft and limp texture. (If rutabaga has not been stored for long, it can be eaten raw, finely grated or mixed in salads, as is often done here in Finland. Raw rutabaga contains a high amount of vitamin C.)

Peel the rutabaga piece and cut out a small cube to be used as a garnish for the cocktail. Finely grate the rest of the peeled rutabaga, wrap it inside a small piece of clean cheesecloth and squeeze to extract the juice in a small bowl beneath. Strain the juice through a tea strainer, if necessary, to remove any cloudy bits. Discard the pulp left behind.

Pour the vodka, vermouth and about 2 teaspoons of the rutabaga juice over ice in a cocktail shaker. Place the lid on, shake and strain in a chilled cocktail glass.

Stick the cube of rutabaga in a cocktail stick and use as an edible garnish instead of olives, pickled pearl onions, lemon twist, etc.
Serves 1.