This is a martini interview with Catriona MacLeod. I have wanted to have this conversation for a while now, and I was not disappointed. I also have to say that during our chat, Catriona gave me a rendition of Billie Holliday whilst I enjoyed my second martini. What an absolute privilege. What has been the highpoint of your day so far? I decided to wake … Continue reading A Martini with Catriona MacLeod
I keep my gin in the freezer permanently, so I’m always ready to mix up a frosty, cold classic martini. Nonetheless, we can all get caught short occasionally. If you’ve only got an hour or two to try and cool down your gin from room temperature to sub-zero (centigrade) here’s a tip that can at least help speed up the freezing process. First, get two … Continue reading How to rapidly chill your gin, vodka or other bottles
Whilst casually watching Eurovision 2022, I couldn’t help notice that the overall quality of performances has increased significantly in recent years. However, one performance in particular caught me completely off guard. I can’t stop thinking about Lithuania’s Monika Liu. When introducing her, Graham Norton almost took it upon himself to warn us that this act was going to be “very retro” as if that might … Continue reading Lithuania’s Femme Fatale and Instant Martini Classic
If you live somewhere around the UK coast, you may have access to gutweed (Ulva intestinalis), which you can harvest, wash and roast into a highly tasty snack. If the sea in your area is clean, head to a rocky beach and seek out rockpools, and/or areas where fresh water runs into the sea. Here you may find bright green, but somewhat unappetisingly named ‘gutweed’. … Continue reading A Roasted Seaweed Snack
Much of the secret of enjoying a good martini is in the way that you make it. However, there are other elements beyond the drink that also contribute to the quality of the experience. Setting, lighting, ambience, atmosphere and company all play hugely important roles in your enjoyment. One aspect is the background noise. You might have the rain tapping against your window, the crackling … Continue reading A Classic Martini Playlist
Here is a selection of images of some recent martinis for your viewing pleasure. Continue reading Some recent martinis
I had to fly last minute from London to Glasgow. I was in Gatwick South terminal on a Saturday night. I had come through security but I hadn’t had dinner or a much needed martini. So off I went in search of something to quench my thirst. The expensive caviar bar downstairs in the south terminal sadly doesn’t do martinis, although it has some exquisite … Continue reading The London Bar at Gatwick Airport
It’s been a while since my last post so I thought I would put up a brief update on my nice weekend. We had the first properly warm weather of the year. It was warm enough to light the garden fire pit and have a martini outside before dinner. It’s so nice to get outside again. I took this picture because I thought the lower … Continue reading Spring weekend
Normally I would only ever serve savoury snacks to accompany a martini, but there have been a small number of exceptions. I don’t have a sweet tooth but some of you might, so this is for you. I made some umami tuna steaks for a friend for dinner (thank you Laura Santtini for the recipe). We had a martini as an apéritif before the meal … Continue reading Sweet martini accompaniments
On the day that one of the worst things ever associated with the Hebrides is inaugurated as president of the United States of America, I thought I would highlight one of the loveliest things to arise from this part of the world. Harris Gin is so easy for me to blog about. Introduced to me by my generous cousin from Stornoway, it’s exceptional in many … Continue reading A Harris Gin Martini
The Martini Socialist 