How to make sage-infused gin (for martinis or gin and tonics)
I have sage growing in the garden so I thought I would make good use of it. When infused in gin it adds a subtle dimension to a martini. It also goes very well in a gin and tonic. Pick a generous bunch of sage leaves, approximately 15 per 100ml of gin you intend to infuse. Wash, pat dry, then roughly chop the leaves. Add … Continue reading How to make sage-infused gin (for martinis or gin and tonics)
An easy guide to making Tsukemono (Japanese pickles)
I sometimes serve pickles alongside a martini as an accompanying snack. A pickled onion is the garnish of a Gibson Martini while I like Polish-style pickled gherkins on the side as well. However, I am also a fan of Japanese pickles – tsukemono / 漬物 – which I tend to find more delicate than their robust European cousins, so I thought they would make an … Continue reading An easy guide to making Tsukemono (Japanese pickles)
Another selection of recent martinis
Here are some I made earlier… A frosty classic. A lemon drop martini with foam. An earl grey martini LINK with foam. A spicy Sriracha martini LINK A dirty Mr. Gibson (combining this with this) A tribute to the God of dirty martinis. A frosty classic with mixed nuts. A Gibson with olives and sliced pickled gherkins. Here’s a classic martini I made for my … Continue reading Another selection of recent martinis
Mum and Dad’s house gets 5/5 for martinis
I thought I would review my parents’ house to illustrate that you don’t need to be in a fancy bar to have a nice martini. I gave their venue full points for adhering to all the main points in the martini rating scale. They keep the gin and martini glasses in the freezer and they use lemon peel to flavour and garnish the drink. They … Continue reading Mum and Dad’s house gets 5/5 for martinis
Swedish akvavit
It’s Christmas time and last night I decided to have a non-martini drink. I’ve previously mentioned my liking for akvavit for midsommar, but I also like it during the winter (to keep warm). I put some miniature bottles of akvavit (from Ikea) in the freezer for a day, then served them in heavy glasses and a single spherical ice cube. I like all the different … Continue reading Swedish akvavit
POLL: What is your favourite non-classic martini type?
Let me know your thoughts by completing this poll. And if you need a reminder of what these martini variations all are, here are some pictures and links to the recipes: The Canadian Martini The Rosemary Martini The Cherry Martini The Lemon and Lime Drop Martini The Langoustini The Raitini / Cucumber Raita Martini The Lycheeni / Lychee Martini The Appletini / Apple Martini The … Continue reading POLL: What is your favourite non-classic martini type?
An early Christmas present of olives
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me… nine million olives and an EU fishing quota’s worth of anchovies. Continue reading An early Christmas present of olives
Supersize my Dirty Martini
I recently posted about getting myself larger than normal toothpicks. I thought I would use them to make a larger than normal dirty martini, using this recipe. I am happy with the result. Recipe: 1 measure vermouth (I use sweet vermouth) 1 measure olive brine 4-5 measures gin or vodka Lots of olives Continue reading Supersize my Dirty Martini
Earl Grey Gin & Tonic
I previously made Earl Grey infused gin which I’ve used to make one or two martinis. However, for a highly refreshing (and less alcoholic alternative) I would also recommend this infused drink for a nice gin and tonic (yes, I drink tonic water sometimes). Right now it’s in the middle of winter in the northern hemisphere but if you’re in Australia, Chile, South Africa, the … Continue reading Earl Grey Gin & Tonic
Use longer toothpicks to maximise your garnishes
My brother commented that normal toothpicks were too short for my martini glasses. He is a very practical former Royal Marine and a keen perfectionist so I took his comments onboard and spent some time trying to think of an alternative. The other day I found some slightly longer mini bamboo skewers in an Asian supermarket and thought they would do the trick. Here is … Continue reading Use longer toothpicks to maximise your garnishes
