Growing up on an island off the west coast of Scotland, I don’t think I even saw a mango until I was a fully grown adult living on the mainland. However they almost immediately became my favourite fruit. I love their sweetness combined with a zesty taste that reminds me of the smell of pine needles. This pine flavour might be one of the reasons … Continue reading The mango martini
While I first made this during the winter, I think it will make a better summer cocktail. It involves a similar preparation technique to the Lemon Drop Martini with Foam but uses Earl Grey infused gin as an additional ingredient. Leave out the egg white and the frothing process in this recipe if you want a simpler drink. For two martinis you will need: * … Continue reading The Lemon Iced Tea Martini with Foam
This is a slight variation on a classic American cocktail. I first encountered the Lemon Drop in New York. A barman asked me what I wanted and I said I felt like something strong and astringent. It’s a very simple combination of sweet and sour, and it’s easy to make at home. Leave out the egg white and the frothing process in this recipe if … Continue reading The Lemon Drop Martini with Foam
Canada is one of Britain’s closest allies. It was only a matter of time before I wrote about the country. Have you ever heard of Five Eyes? It’s an intelligence term. I will let someone else give you the details, or you can read about it here. It’s basically an intelligence-sharing arrangement between five key countries – the United States, Australia, New Zealand, the United … Continue reading The Canadian Martini
I love the sweet taste of maraschino cherries, so I thought I would incorporate it into a classic martini. I made a classic martini and simply added two teaspoons of maraschino cherry syrup then garnished the drink with one of the cherries. Simple. Goes well with a cookie. Apparently. Continue reading Maraschino Cherry Martini
Mangoosteen are an unusual looking tropical fruit with a thick, purple skin and soft, sweet white flesh, similar in taste to a lychee. In order to make a martini out of them, I followed a very simple formula similar to a Lychee Martini. Take a tin of mangoosteen (you can find them in specialist Asian supermarkets), then make the martini as follows (you can alter … Continue reading The Mangoosteeni
Have you ever had a lemon drop martini? It’s the inspiration for this drink. I just altered the recipe slightly. You will need: Gin or vodka (vodka is probably better) Sweet vermouth Lemons and limes (one each for the number of drinks you want to make) Honey Sprite (yes, sprite) I’m on holiday in the Mediterranean; a time for relaxation and spending quality time with … Continue reading The Lemon and Lime Drop Martini
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
This drink, the apple martini, took several attempts (and a strong liver) to perfect. My first recipe simply involved sour apple spirit (there are several brands) mixed with vodka (stored for at least a day in the freezer) garnished with an apple slice. 2 parts sour apple spirit 4-5 parts vodka Apple slice While visually appealing with its clear green hue, I thought its chemical … Continue reading The Apple Martini (aka the Appletini)
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)
The Martini Socialist 