I’m just going to leave this here… What could be easier than olives and cheese-stuffed peppers that you picked up at the shops on the way home? I particularly like the colour contrast of these two. Oh and the taste. You can’t go wrong with the lemony-buttery taste of Nocellara olive flesh, while the soft creamy cheese paired very indulgently with the sweet piccante … Continue reading More martini snacks and canapes
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
I first collected a bottle of this gin in Madrid airport duty free. The unusual branding caught my eye. Made with pure Icelandic water with a traditional English gin technique, it sits in a tall, proud-looking bottle with straight lines and clean imagery. There are strong maritime tones to the bottles appearance. The gin has a crisp, dry flavour that you can lose in … Continue reading A Martin Miller’s Gin martini
Here is another selection of savoury snacks I’ve recently served and eaten with martinis. Roasted and salted soy beans. Prawns on lettuce with Peking duck sauce and fried spicy broad beans. You can get a lot of good stuff in IKEA. Fish roe goes well in Swedish croustades. Here are some of the filled croustades, as well as some Japanese nuts and seaweed snacks. Here … Continue reading More snacks and nibbles to accompany martinis
It’s Christmas time and last night I decided to have a non-martini drink. I’ve previously mentioned my liking for akvavit for midsommar, but I also like it during the winter (to keep warm). I put some miniature bottles of akvavit (from Ikea) in the freezer for a day, then served them in heavy glasses and a single spherical ice cube. I like all the different … Continue reading Swedish akvavit
The classic martini will always be my favourite, but of the non-classics, I think this is definitely one of the tastiest (even if it looks slightly alarming). The breakfast martini was invented by Salvatore Calabrese in the Lanesborough hotel in London. It involves gin, marmalade, lemon juice and Cointreau or Triple Sec. However, I’ve had some lingonberry jam in my fridge from my last Ikea … Continue reading The Frukostini (the Swedish breakfast martini)
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
There were no martinis served in the household last night. It wasn’t a problem. Continue reading More Swedish influence
Sweden produces some absolutely delightful snacks to accompany a martini. I love pickled things and seafood so it’s an absolute delight for me. Fish roe, gherkins and a range of condiments with subtle, natural flavours make a tasty accompaniment to a martini. As an accompaniment for this entry I served Japanese peanut/rice snacks (obviously not Swedish, but it’s what I was craving) and two different … Continue reading Swedish accompaniments for a martini
The Martini Socialist 