For the benefit of Indigo, who has never had the extreme pleasure of drinking a martini, I will provide a list of my favorite martini recipes. Sure, sure, for you purists out there, I will start with the Gin Martini. But, I love the flavorful, mixed concoctions served in a martini glass.
Gin Martini
Dry Vermouth
2 oz gin, chilled
Pour a little bit of dry vermouth in a chilled martini glass and swirl to
coat the inside of the glass. Dispose of excess vermouth. In a shaker full of ice, gently swirl or stir* the gin before straining into glass.
Serving suggestion: Garnish with olives, lemon twist or cocktail onion and add rocks if you like.
*I don’t care how James Bond does it…gin will bruise. Shaking gin in the ice causes the ice to melt faster and quickly dilutes the flavor of the gin, causing it to taste like rubbing alcohol.
Lemon Drop Martini
1.5 oz Absolut Citron
1.5 oz Limoncello
2 oz sweet and sour
1.5 oz fresh lemon juice
1 tsp sugar
Fill a shaker with ice, and add the ingredients above. Place the shaker cap over the shaker, and shake vigorously until the shaker becomes too cold to hold. Remove the shaker cap and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a lemon rind twist.
Sidecar Martini
2 oz Chivas Regal
1.5 oz fresh lemon juice
1 oz Limoncello
Fill a shaker with ice, and add the ingredients above. Place the shaker cap over the shaker, and shake vigorously until the shaker becomes too cold to hold. Remove the shaker cap and strain into a chilled, sugar-rimmed martini glass. Garnish with a lemon rind twist.
Big Easy Martini
1.5 oz Southern Comfort
.5 oz Raspberry-Flavored Liqueur
1 oz Sweet and Sour Mix
1 oz Lemon-Lime Soda
Fill a shaker with ice, and add the ingredients above. Place the shaker cap over the shaker, and shake vigorously until the shaker becomes too cold to hold. Remove the shaker cap and strain into a chilled, sugar-rimmed martini glass. Garnish with a lime rind twist.
Key Lime Martini
2 oz. Absolut Vanilla Vodka
1 oz. Rose’s Lime Juice
1 oz. Half and Half Cream
Fill a shaker with ice, and add the ingredients above. Place the shaker cap over the shaker, and shake vigorously until the shaker becomes too cold to hold. Remove the shaker cap and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a lime rind twist.
Cosmopolitan Martini
.5 oz Cointreau orange liqueur
1 oz Absolut vodka
juice of 1/2 limes
1 splash cranberry juice
Fill a shaker with ice, and add the ingredients above. Place the shaker cap over the shaker, and shake vigorously until the shaker becomes too cold to hold. Remove the shaker cap and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a lime rind twist.
The best way to enjoy these fine beverages are in your sassiest heels, with lots of friends, possibly a poker game, some music, a little dancing, and perhaps a little impromptu karaoke. Anytime is a good time for a martini!
Interstellar Adventures 