This is a very simple variation on the classic martini. The only thing I have changed is the garnish. Marsh Samphire is one of my favourite foods. Harvested in the summer months from coastal rocky areas it is comparable to asparagus, but with a saltier and less pungent aftertaste. It’s very simple to prepare but it’s fleshy, crunchy freshness makes for a lovely … Continue reading A Martini with Samphire
This isn’t a standard martini post but the Gin Monkey very kindly gave me some advice on tonic water for those of you who would like some guidance for making G&Ts. I don’t drink G&Ts very frequently anymore but they were my drink of choice before I discovered the simplistic power of a martini. Her basic rule for tonic is to stay away from artificial … Continue reading Gin and Tonic advice courtesy of @GinMonkeyUK
This is a very simple variation on the classic martini. Thyme is one of my favourite herbs. The mouth-watering smell evokes summertime, or some of the delicious za’tar manouche (savoury thyme-flavoured Lebanese wraps) I’ve eaten in Beirut, London and Dubai. Take a sprig of fresh thyme (I’ve been growing some on the balcony), wash and dry it, then rub it around a chilled … Continue reading Martini with a sprig of thyme
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
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
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
Most of the time I garnish my martinis with a very simple piece of lemon peel. When I make the drink I take a strip of lemon peel and squeeze it over the glass so as to spray it with fresh lemon oil. After I have squeezed the peel I quickly trim it for presentation and drop it in the drink as a simple garnish … Continue reading Garnishes
I found some pickled Brazilian ‘little beak’ peppers (pimenta biquinho em conserva) in the supermarket and I knew instantly what to do with them. It’s a very simple variation on a spicy martini recipe I’ve made before. Notable ingredients include tabasco sauce or hot sauce. I use both but you could omit one if you wanted. The hot sauce adds colour, while both add a … Continue reading Spicy Martini with Brazilian Peppers
Referred to in the US as the Cotton Candy martini, this concoction could also be dubbed the Diabetini. It can be very sweet and isn’t my sort of drink, but I thought I would experiment with it nonetheless. Get yourself some candyfloss. Mix together some chilled vodka, cranberry juice and freshly squeezed lemon juice. A full lemon will yield enough for two of these martinis, … Continue reading The Candyflosstini
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 