Monthly Archives: May 2015

Nothing evokes images of class and sophistication like a fine Martini. From the impeccably clad James Bond to the fine aristocratic gentleman of London England to the high class wall street bankers in New York, a martini is the perfect way to finish a day, close a deal, or just enjoy the finer things in life!

But what is a martini? Is it the glass? It is it ingredients? Is it the method? In actuality it is all three and more! The origins of the martini are a little murky, but one of my favorite stories is the New York version where a guy named Martini invented the drink. Other theories say an Italian drink company made the first one, or that the Martini came from the Martinez drink? Whatever the origin, most people agree that the original martini was a simple concoction of gin and vermouth!

A true gin martini is 3 parts gin and one part dry vermouth, garnished with a lemon twist or olives. From here you can make it drier and drier! A dry martini simply means less vermouth in the ratio. It is said that a true Englishmen will pour three parts of gin, wave the vermouth bottle over the glass and bow to the east—the direction of France where vermouth originated!

From this simple recipe, martinis have grown to become one of the most popular drinks in the world. The Martini glass with the long stem and open mouth(perfect to enjoy the aroma) has become the signature. Virtually anything you pour into the unique glass is called a martini! Name a flavor and you can probably find a ‘martini” recipe to satisfy your taste buds! Chocolate, peppermint, mango, cranberry, etc. The list can go on and on!

Shaken, not stirred

I prefer Vodka to gin. My Martini recipe is a little different. I first chill my martini glass, with a little ice. I then add some dry vermouth to the glass. I swirl the vermouth to coat the glass with a delicate film of vermouth flavor. After dumping the vermouth, I then add 2-3 oz. of Chopin Vodka to my shaker. I shake it with vigor and urgency then pour straight into the glass. 3 basic martini olives is a must—I need my veggies! The slight film of vermouth is perfect for my taste buds. I love Chopin Vodka. It is 100% potato vodka from Poland. It has a slight creaminess to the finish that I have never found in another vodka. It is wonderful!

True mixologists never shake their martinis. They prefer to stir it. Shaking a drink adds at least 23% more water to the mix. I like this because it is a little lower alcohol in the final drink. Purists like to stir because you get the truest expression of the products flavor. But it doesn’t matter what the experts say. Experiment and do what you like! The fun is in the journey not just the destination!

Without getting into the hundreds of other martinis, I have to mention another great recipe. The Dirty Martini. A Dirty Martini is for olive lovers. It is made just like you would make any other Gin or Vodka martini. But you add an ounce or two of olive juice from the olive jar. It takes the edge off the martini and really accentuates the flavors! They are fun and easy to make and are very environmentally sound! You use every bit of the jar of olives! No waste!

Martinis are simple to make, but are truly a classic. Sometimes the classic drinks are still best. Experiment and find your perfect ratio. There are dozens of great gin and vodkas you can try. Every libation has its own character and flavor. Don’t be afraid! You can never go wrong. Sometimes you will just like one better than the other! Cheers!!

There can be nothing better than a long tall cocktail on a summer night!  During the fleeting summer months we need to take the time and enjoy the pleasure of mixing a great drink.  I agree that the utter simplicity of cracking an ice cold beer open, pouring the golden brown ale into a frozen pint mug, and letting it cascade over your parched taste buds is a summer rite and will quench your thirst—but taking the time to craft a cocktail can be just as satisfying.  Sometimes the journey is better than the end result!

The burgeoning mixology movement is bringing new flavors to our consciousness, but also is bringing back some old classics!  New items like St Germain Elderflower liqueur and Pama Pomegranate liqueur are awesome to try and will amaze you with cool flavors and never before tasted delights.  But sometimes the simplicity of the classic Gin and Tonic with a twist is just as good!

Gin and Tonics have been around for hundreds of years.  First popularized in England since the 1700’s , The Brits have long toasted the long summer nights with a classic Tanqueray and tonic or Beefeater gin.  These are two of the standards in the Gin world.  Years of tradition have made them the perfect gins!  The juniper flavors shine thru to create the slight piney flavor we all love in gin!  Fill a long tall glass with pure ice, add a couple of ounces of gin, fill with tonic water, and spritz a little lime over the top and then garnish with the lime!

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St Germain has taken the world by storm.  It was introduced to our palates a few years ago.  It took customers a while to figure out what to do with the unique liqueur.  But now it is flying off the shelves!  It is a delicate liqueur made with fresh elderflowers.  It is handcrafted in France using age-tested methods.  It is a true testament to the French custom of taking it easy and doing things the right way! It is a great mixer to many cocktails.  But my favorite is the Elderflower Cocktail.  Get a chilled Collins glass, fill with ice, 2oz of St Germain, 3 ounces of Champagne (brut or extra dry) and soda water.  Garnish with a lemon twist.  It is amazingly simple—but the flavor is pretty cool and will make you feel fancy and European for the afternoon!

Pama Liqueur can be used as an additive to many cocktails. My wife and I were walking thru the liquor store one day, and the unique crimson colored bottle caught our eye.  I had never tried it, but was intrigued!  So we took a bottle home and started experimenting!  Being a thirsty guy and a martini lover, I immediately grabbed my Chopin Vodka, a shaker, and made a Pama Martini.  The Pomegranate flavor blew me away.  It was slightly sweet—but not so much as a cosmopolitan or other girly drinks!  Even though the drink had a pinkish color, I was secure enough to enjoy the great flavors!  My wife, ever the contrarian, decided to make a mojito with the Pama added in.  I had to admit—her mojito was amazing!  She used great rum, fresh mint from my neighbor’s garden, fresh squeezed limejuice, her homemade simple syrup, and her favorite muddling tool to create this awesome Pama Mojito.  I hate to lose any competition —but this was worth it!!

This is the smallest sampling of a few drinks you can make in the summer time.  The most important thing to remember is don’t be afraid!  There is a plethora of recipes available.  But sometimes just turning your creativity loose can create an awesome summer drink.  But Just in case you fail don’t despair–the Ice-cold Beer can still satisfy!  Whatever edge of the spectrum you fall into—enjoy and savor the fleeting days of summer with a great adult beverage!