I've been to plenty of wine pairing dinners but what about a dinner based around vodka. The Zyr Vodka Maker dinner at WIld Thyme in Southampton, NY on May 16 offers an entire meal that uses the vodka infused with a variety of flavors. It starts with hors d'oeuvres paired with a classic martini; followed by a martini of scallop ceviche paired with cilantro and jalapeno infused Zyr; curry seared Ahi tuna with a cucumber peanut relish with is paired with a peanut infused Zyr; American red snapper with white asparagus spears, brown butter and pistachio paired with Zyr infused with lemon zest; seared duck breast and foie gras with peppered melon and black olive vanilla sauce paired with an aged infusion of cantaloupe and pepper Zyr martini; a sorbet of wildflower blossoms; and finishes with a caramelized banana and chocolate spring roll with roasted almond ice cream paired with something they call a banana transfusion, a puree of banana blended Zyr digestif. This unique meal costs $85 and the phone number for Wild Thyme is 631-204-0007.

Is ZYR the best Russian vodka? That's the claim behind the vodka which is made from water drawn from 460 feet below Russia's heartland and a fermented blend of winter wheat and rye. They use a 9/5/3 ratio (water filtered nine times, five distillations and three taste testings) to get the right taste. The vodka has gotten high marks from a variety of publications, including most recently, Liquor Snob and sells for around $30. It's on my list of vodkas to try and see if it can tempt me away from my new favorite, Christiania vodka.