A Bombay Dry Martini
I was picking up some supplies in the supermarket when this gin caught my eye. Bombay London Dry Gin: more muted in appearance than its bright blue Sapphire sister, it has a simple, almost stringently-coloured branding. I am not a fan of floral or overly botanical gins in my martini so I though that this one with only 8 botanicals (to Sapphire’s 10) might provide … Continue reading A Bombay Dry Martini
The Popup Martini Bar
Several months ago, my auntie suggested that we hold a popup martini bar in our family restaurant. The venue is the Gallery, on the Main Street of Tobermory on the Isle of Mull (a beautiful and friendly Hebridean Island in Argyll, western Scotland). We thought about the idea for a while but it remained firmly in the land of fantasy for quite some time. Then, … Continue reading The Popup Martini Bar
More Izakaya dishes
As I’ve previously mentioned, I love Izakaya culture. So here are some more izakaya-inspired dishes to accompany a martini. This is very simple: grill sweet potato in oil with a sprinkling of salt until ready. I was drinking a martini when I made this so I can’t remember how long it was in the oven for. 20 minutes? Who knows. There’s a reason … Continue reading More Izakaya dishes
The Sun Tavern in Bethnal Green
This post isn’t about martinis but I wanted to tell you about a cool bar I visited in East London, as well as the wonder that is Irish Poitín. I nipped into an Irish bar in Bethnal Green for a quick drink with some friends from Latvia and Lithuania. (Take that Brexit, we’ve got no place for your xenophobia on this blog). Apart from a … Continue reading The Sun Tavern in Bethnal Green
A Martini with Homemade Roasted Seaweed
I’ve previously mentioned my liking for seaweed so I thought I would make my own to go with a martini. After a fairly long walk on the Isle of Mull, I was looking around the beach for something edible to forage. The tide was fairly high but there were several rockpools containing thick gutweed, as above. This dark-green, grass-like seaweed lives in upper tidal areas, … Continue reading A Martini with Homemade Roasted Seaweed
The Saffron Martini
This one is a real treat of colour. A martini made with saffron is beautiful to look at, with interesting, subtle botanicals. But what you would expect if you take the rarest, most expensive spice and infuse it into the most elegant of drinks? Note that you can also buy very high quality saffron gin ready made here. I cannot claim credit for the original recipe. … Continue reading The Saffron Martini
A Martini with Crushed Oyster Shell
I drifted into borough market the other day and found myself standing in front of a fishmonger’s counter staring at all the produce. I couldn’t leave empty handed and suddenly felt a craving for salty, briny oysters so I bought a handful.I’ve made a martini with oysters before (you can see the blog post here). This time, though, I was inspired by a story I’d … Continue reading A Martini with Crushed Oyster Shell
A Martini at Yumi, Soho, 4/5
I don’t want to recommend this restaurant. It’s lovely, tasty, friendly and authentic: the perfect Izakaya in a London setting. But when I visited, it was rather quiet. And I loved it. Located in the heart of London’s theatre district, I expected it to be mobbed on a Saturday evening, but there were no other diners when we arrived. We had the undivided attention of … Continue reading A Martini at Yumi, Soho, 4/5
A Martini with Nori Seaweed
A tasty, healthy accompaniment for a martini Continue reading A Martini with Nori Seaweed
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier… Drunk
Who would serve a jug or pitcher of martini at a party? Oh wait, only Kim Philby, one of Britain’s most notorious traitors. I’ve just read a book entitled “a spy among friends” by Ben MacIntyre. It was the first book I’ve read in a long time that I struggled to put down. It documents the story of Harold ‘Kim’ Philby as he worked his … Continue reading Tinker, Tailor, Soldier… Drunk
The Martini Socialist 