The Japanese Pickled Ginger Martini

Get ready for winter with this ice-cold Japanese-Russian-British infusion. If Moscow cuts off Europe’s gas supplies this is how to stay warm! I love gari (Japanese pickled ginger) and wanted to incorporate it into a drink for ages. Similar to making Limoncello the aim is to infuse clear spirit and add it to a classic martini. Take 1 small pile of gari slices (as in … Continue reading The Japanese Pickled Ginger Martini

The Squid Ink and Octopus Martini

    This one goes by many names… The Octopus-tini The Octopussy Martini The Loch Ness Monstini The Nautilus-tini The Maritime Martini The Tako-tini (tako no matini / タコのマティーニ) And finally, the Spectre Martini Add squid ink and octopus tentacle soaked in balsamic vinegar to make an unusual variation of a dirty martini and Le Jacques Coustini.    Get yourself some sea legs by drinking one … Continue reading The Squid Ink and Octopus Martini

Assortment

I thought I would collate several images I’ve taken of different martinis over recent months. A classic. Another classic. An Earl Grey martini. A Peartini. A Spicy Brazilian. The Raitini. The camomile tea martini. There are quite a few tea martinis. The rosemary martini. Green tea and lemon foam martini. The Appletini. The jasmine martini. Margarita martinis. A dirty martini. The Langoustini. More Langoustini and … Continue reading Assortment

Worcestershire Sauce Martini

Yes, you read that correctly. This is another slight variation on a classic martini. Just before you pour the martini, smudge a small amount of Worcestershire sauce into the glass. It adds a slightly savoury tinge to the drink which works quite well, especially if you’re looking to whet the appetite for a meal. Below is a suggestion: Marinade a good steak at room temperature … Continue reading Worcestershire Sauce Martini

The Mangoosteeni

Mangoosteen are an unusual looking tropical fruit with a thick, purple skin and soft, sweet white flesh, similar in taste to a lychee. In order to make a martini out of them, I followed a very simple formula similar to a Lychee Martini. Take a tin of mangoosteen (you can find them in specialist Asian supermarkets), then make the martini as follows (you can alter … Continue reading The Mangoosteeni

Packing martini glasses for international travel

Martinis are an international drink, but transporting martini glasses in your hold luggage on an international flight can be difficult. Nonetheless, I will not go without a martini or two on my holidays so I had to work out a plan. Wrap each glass in bubble wrap. If possible, keep the original box that you bought the glasses in. Place the wrapped glasses in the … Continue reading Packing martini glasses for international travel

The Churchill Martini

This is a crowd pleaser.    Winston Churchill was one of the world’s greatest war-time political leaders. He was also a martini drinker. We can thank both him and the classic drink for leading the fight against fascism. “I have taken more out of alcohol than alcohol has taken out of me” What should be noted is that Churchill liked his martinis to be somewhat … Continue reading The Churchill Martini

The man from the Alphabet Agencies

While attending an ‘event’ in a certain Middle Eastern city, I was introduced to a charming gentleman from, shall we say, one of the ‘Alphabet Agencies’. While our discussion covered subjects including politics, diplomacy and turmoil in the region, it settled upon the subject of martinis, of which we are both fond. When one works in the business of ‘international affairs’, a strong martini is … Continue reading The man from the Alphabet Agencies