Harvard Square’s Alden & Harlow is no stranger to fruits and vegetables, given the food groups’ frequent and delightfully fresh appearance in the restaurant’s celebrated dishes. And Beverage Director Seth Freidus doesn’t hesitate to up the ante by incorporating them into the ever-changing cocktail menu.

One such gem is the Twist of Fate. Fresh pomegranate syrup leads the charge in this cocktail, but where some may stick to the seeds and call it a day, Freidus finds a way to use every bit of the fruit: Pomegranate halves soak in the water used in the syrup for maximum pomegranate zing. (Our DIY recipe below omits some of this TLC, but if you got the time, go for the splendor.)

Accordingly, the vodka sipper it helps create is bright, citrusy, and bursting with the seeded fruit’s flavor. It’s tangy, it’s refreshing, and with a brisk kick of mint at the finish it manages to hit just the right sweet notes without coming across as cloying or syrupy.

As for the name, explains Freidus, “You have to twist the pomegranate to get the seeds.” So it was fated.

Twist of Fate
1½ ounces vodka
1 ounce pomegranate syrup*
¾ ounce lime juice
2 dashes grapefruit bitters

Combine ingredients in shaker filled with ice and shake until chilled. Strain into coupe glass and serve

*Pomegranate Syrup (yields 2½ quarts)
4 cups pomegranate seeds
4 cups water
4 cups sugar
¼ pound fresh mint

Blend the seeds, water, and sugar in a food processor to make a purée. Transfer to sauce pan, add mint, and bring to a simmer. Strain into container. Syrup will keep four weeks, refrigerated.