Bleeding Heart Martini
from http://www.marthastewart.com/

Keep up the fear factor with a Bleeding Heart martini, a drink with a pickled beet that "bleeds" from a wound caused by a cocktail spear.

2 ounces dry vermouth
8 ounces premium gin
Ice cubes
4 Pickled Baby Beets, each placed on a cocktail skewer

Chill 4 martini glasses in the freezer or fill with ice water and let sit until frosty, about 5 minutes (pour out water). Add the vermouth, dividing evenly; swirl to coat the glasses, then pour out. Add gin to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously until chilled; divide among chilled glasses. Garnish each with a skewered pickled baby beet, and serve immediately.

Pickled Baby Beets

Choose the smallest baby beets you can find -- they should be about the size of very large olives. Or, use a paring knife to whittle larger ones to the desired size.

3/4 cup distilled white vinegar
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
10 juniper berries
2 bunches baby beets (8 to 10), peeled

Combine all ingredients, except beets, in a small saucepan, and stir until sugar is dissolved. Add beets and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer very gently until beets are tender, 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Transfer to a small heatproof container; keep beets submerged.