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

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

The Foxlow in Balham 4/5

   My friend invited me out to lunch at the Foxlow Restaurant just around the corner from Balham tube station in south London.   The decor has a 1970s Scandinavian feel to it, with lots of wood and chunky fixtures that say practicality as well as style. The staff were also helpful, friendly and knowledgable.     The food menu is unpretentious comfort food – but of very high … Continue reading The Foxlow in Balham 4/5

A Dirty Martini with lemon olives

This is a very tasty variation on a classic.    It’s just a normal dirty martini but with an extra sour-silken touch of citrus.   I’ve mentioned previously that Fragata kindly sent me a box of goodies to try out. I usually eat their olives stuffed with anchovies but now I’m trying out their olives stuffed with lemon. While I still prefer to eat their … Continue reading A Dirty Martini with lemon olives

Oysters: a Timeless Martini Accompaniment

In my opinion, one of the nicest, most simplistic nibbles to accompany a martini is the humble oyster. This mollusc has been consumed for millennia. Sometimes seen as a food for the poor, its reduction in availability over recent decades has led to its rise as a more exclusive culinary luxury. Nonetheless, whatever it’s historically fleeting association with status, I see it as a timeless … Continue reading Oysters: a Timeless Martini Accompaniment

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

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