Chilling the glass
I went to a bar last night where they chilled the martini glass using ice cubes. This really doesn’t work. The glass will warm up very quickly, especially if the alcohol content hasn’t been stored in the freezer either. It may take a bit of pre-planning and adjustment to get everything organised, but soon you will realise that keeping everything in the freezer is the … Continue reading Chilling the glass
Cherry martini
My cousin was visiting for a catch up so I decided to make her something sweet and dark. I saw fresh cherries for sale, incidentally from the same shire that she comes from, so I bought them and went from there. So here is the result, the dark cherry martini. 3 parts gin or vodka 1-2 parts sweet vermouth (to taste) 2 parts cherry syrup … Continue reading Cherry martini
Classics
I’ve been making some very standard martinis lately, rather than experimenting, but why vary on a classic when it’s so good? I also made a dirty martini, just with a little olive brine to add a salty taste and whet my appetite before a meal. Still, the clean, sharp original remains my ultimate favourite. Continue reading Classics
Le Jacques Coustini
For mid-summer I like to gather friends in the evening for seafood and drinks as the sun slowly sets. Akvavit normally features strongly in the blueprints for the night but before I served the food I wanted at least one martini as an aperitif. For a seafood theme I made a slight alteration to a classic gin martini, adding a dash of olive brine for … Continue reading Le Jacques Coustini
The martini from Tanzania (aka the Serengetini)
My friend brought me some Konyagi back from Tanzania. Konyagi is a local spirit made in Tanzania that resembles something between gin and vodka. It’s a clear spirit with less juniper or other herbs. It’s also sold in plastic bags which adds to the novelty. Obviously my first thought was “how do I make a martini out of this?” So I put the konyagi in … Continue reading The martini from Tanzania (aka the Serengetini)
Spicy martini
This spicy drink was inspired by the mermaid inn in New York, which does a tasty oyster happy hour. I had a spicy vodka martini there before consuming a platter of various types of oyster with friends. They garnished theirs with a hot pepper, but I didn’t have any of those available so I improvised with olives and sliced spring onion. The latter went very … Continue reading Spicy martini
The simple guide to making a dirty martini
While I waited for dinner to cook I was craving something salty so I whipped up a quick dirty martini (as you do). -Vermouth to taste -Olive brine to taste (I use roughly the same amount of brine as vermouth, but my brother likes 3 teaspoons of brine) -Gin/vodka for the rest I squeezed in some lemon oil from a piece of peel but then … Continue reading The simple guide to making a dirty martini
Mid-week martinis
These martinis are totally standard. However, what is unusual tonight is the rapidly changing London weather. Continue reading Mid-week martinis
Pear martini
Similar to a lychee martini. 1 part vermouth. 2.5 parts gin 3 parts pear juice from a tin Garnish with one or two pear slices And adjust the measurements to taste. It’s sweet and not as strong as a full martini. It goes well after dinner. Continue reading Pear martini
Summer akvavit
Sunday evening, I didn’t want a full martini, just a little pre-dinner sip. London looks green, with the stirring of a summer haze as the sun sets. The approach of the solstice put me in mind of Scandinavian celebrations so I took a bottle of akvavit out of the freezer and poured some into a tall, frozen shot glass, with a twist of lemon peel … Continue reading Summer akvavit
The Martini Socialist 