This bottle was a lovely gift from my amazing friend Sonia, a stylish and passionate Parisienne with a zest for philosophy, intense debates and seeking out the beautiful truth in life, love and both the brightest and darkest aspects of existence. While I was delighted with the quality of the gin and beautiful flavour profile, I was also surprised by the origin story of its … Continue reading A Martini with QVT Gin
Enjoy a martini listening to Egypt’s most famous singer of all time, the illustrious, highly influential and incredibly powerful Oum Kalthoum. Continue reading A Martini with Oum Kalthoum
This is a simple snack item consisting of ground nuts, herbs and spices served with bread and some good quality oil. I’ve always been drawn to Egypt, old and new. It’s such a fascinating country with both grand and tumultuous history and I am delighted to include it in my blog with a contribution to the martini world. I wanted to write about duqqah, which … Continue reading Egyptian Duqqah to accompany a martini
I love most foods that are raw, pickled or cured (with the exception of tinned tuna). A lot of them lend themselves very well to being a good martini accompaniment. Enter the biltong. Usually (but not exclusively) made from beef, seasoned and dried in blocks, this South African delicacy was born out of hardy necessity to preserve meat, often ahead of long journeys into … Continue reading South African biltong
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)
The Martini Socialist 