Archive for Martinis

Like any good drink, this recipe starts with a story.  This drink is a bit like me.  In high school I was a cheerleader.  I am the sort of woman who screams if she runs into a snake in the backyard.  I like to dress up and wear feminine clothing.  However, those aren’t all of the qualities that define me.

In fact, I take issue with people who make comments, such as, “You were a cheerleader!” with a laugh of disgust.  Because in addition to my sport of choice in high school, there are other pieces to who I am.  I was intelligent enough to attend a well respected college on a full academic scholarship.  I am capable of solving household problems with a drill or hammer.

So, while I may have “pretty, pink” qualities, I also can deliver a punch.  When served this drink, you shouldn’t judge it by its look.  Yes, it is pretty and pink, but with the combination of ingredients, there is a punch that comes with it.

Pretty and Pink with a Punch

1 oz. peach schnapps

2 oz. vodka

1 oz. cranberry juice

1/2 oz. lime juice

1 oz. diet lemon-lime soda

Fill a shaker with ice, and add schnapps, vodka, and cranberry and lime juices.  Shake well.  Pour into a martini glass, and top with soda.

I am a seasonal sort of diner.  I like salads and fresh fruits with my meals during warm weather.  As the weather turns chilly, I discard salads in favor of soups, stews, and other warm dishes.  I also vary the ingredients that I use by season.

As fall is in full swing, I have been in a cranberry frame of mind when it comes to meals and drinks.  Last week I enjoyed a delicious turkey sandwich that included cranberry sauce.  I also have been incorporating cranberry juice into my drinks.

Although, I do like the classic combination of cranberry juice and vodka, I thoroughly enjoy creating new beverages.  I mull over ingredients, seeking the flavors that best complement each other.  For this new drink, I wanted the tartness of cranberry to be contrasted with the sweetness of raspberry.  Once shaken and poured, I decided it could be lighter, so I added a float of lemon-lime seltzer.

And with that, I had created a drink that had a subtle hint of fall, containing just enough cranberry to make a drink with raspberry liquor taste like a fall classic.

Martini with a Hint of Fall

2 oz. vodka

2 oz. raspberry liqueur

1 oz. cranberry juice (preferably 100% pure)

1/2 oz. lime juice

1/2 oz. simple syrup

1 oz. lemon-lime seltzer

Fill a martini shaker with ice.  Add vodka, liqueur, both juices, and syrup.  Cover, and shake well.  Pour into martini glass, and add seltzer.

While it may have been a while since you donned a costume and went door to door seeking treats, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the festive feel of Halloween.  Of course, as you have matured, you may no longer seek the thrill of a candy bar, but perhaps you appreciate the taste of a well made cocktail.

Luckily, my friend shared a perfect Halloween martini recipe with me last weekend.  With a few couples together for a fall cookout, she created a drink that could be camouflaged in a pumpkin field.  Not only did this drink have an excellent autumn color, it was delicious.

Served in a martini glass, you could use a variety of garnishes.  Top it with a dollop of whipped, or maybe you could skewer several pieces of candy corn.  Let your creativity run wild.  However, if you think of a unique garnish idea, make sure that you post it as a comment!

Martini Fit for a Jack O’Lantern

2 oz. pumpkin liqueur

1 oz. coffee liqueur

1 oz. butterscotch schnapps

1 oz. half and half

1-2 oz. seltzer*

Fill a martini shaker with ice, and add pumpkin liqueur, coffee liqueur, butterscotch schnapps, and half and half.  Shake well.  Pour into a martini glass, add seltzer, and stir gently.  Garnish as desired.  Makes 1 martini.

*Depending on how thick or thin you like your martini.

A few months ago, I wrote about a special bartender that we like to visit on a weekend martini crawl.  As with any busy restaurant, he is not the only bartender there.  Luckily for this restaurant’s owners, they have another bartender that is equally as talented. Though we have not known Jeff as long as we have known Jared, we have come to learn that his drinks are as perfectly made and delicious.

On a recent weekend night, the bar was incredibly busy.  Both Jared and Jeff were taking orders, making drinks, and delivering them with a smile as quickly as they could.  When Jeff had a free moment, I asked him to make his signature drink for me.  I also requested a copy of his recipe.  Generously, he shared this amazingly tasty martini’s ingredient list with me.

Not only does this drink have a fruity sweetness equivalent to the candy for which it is named, it also has a beautiful color.  Garnished with fruits, it could be a cocktail too beautiful to drink except that you would be missing out on a flavor sensation.

Liquid Skittles

1 1/2 oz. citrus vodka

1 oz. Cointreau

1 oz. Chambord

1 oz. Pom Juice

1 oz. sweet and sour mix

Champagne

Fill a martini shaker with ice, and add all ingredients.  Shake well.  Strain into a martini glass.  Float champagne to taste.  Garnish with berries and lime wedge.

My husband and I are very fortunate to have a pair of best friends that are there for any event.  Whether it’s hosting a holiday with family and hoping for some sanity, moving to a new house and needing some extra hands, or attending a child’s sporting event and wanting a cheering squad, they are there.

This past weekend our eldest competed in a tri-county cross country meet.  Of course, our best friends were in attendance with us.  To cap off our day, they joined us and two of our kids at home.  Having a little fun with the big sporting event, I created a Tri-Tini for the adults.  (The kids mixed juices, seltzer, and grenandine to make their own special beverages.)  Named the Tri-Tini to acknowledge both the event and the three ingredients with alcohol, this drink was tasty.

What better way to end a day with such great friends than to have a drink and enjoy their company?

The Tri-Tini

2 ounces blue curacao

1 ounce banana liqueur

4 ounces coconut rum

2 ounces pineapple juice

Fill a martini shaker with ice.  Add ingredients, and shake well.  Pour into martini glasses.

Serves 2.

Time for a little word association game. If I say, “Summertime,” what do you think of? Asking a few of my colleagues, their responses were swimming, beaches, and cookouts.

For me, summertime conjures thoughts of watermelon. This fruit is a favorite among the ages. What is more fun for a child than eating watermelon off the rind, allowing the juice to drip down your chin, and getting to spit the seeds?

As an adult, I still enjoy the taste of watermelon. With watermelon season coming to an end, I purchased one to savor the waning tastes of summer.  There were a few slices left after the meal, which I could have saved them for the next day’s lunch.  However, I decided to transform this kid-favorite fruit into an adult’s only beverage.

Combining the watermelon with vodka, I made my own infusion. When we had friends for dinner, this vodka became the base of a delicious martini. This drink can be made with purchased infused-vodka, though that version is sweeter.

Watermelon-infused Vodka

2 cups watermelon, cut into ½” cubes

4 cups vodka

Place watermelon cubes in the bottom of a clean, glass jar. Add vodka. Seal jar with lid, and place in a cool dark place for 1 week.

Using a fine mesh strainer, pour vodka into a bottle for storage.  Can be used in mixed drinks or the following martini recipe.

Watermelon Martini

2 oz. watermelon-infused vodka

1 oz. cranberry juice

Splash lemon-lime soda

Fill a martini shaker halfway with ice cubes. Add vodka and cranberry juice. Shake well. Pour into a martini glass, and add soda. Stir gently, and serve with a small watermelon chunk as a garnish.

During our mini-honeymoon in New Orleans, we decided to spend an evening on the town, enjoying tapas-style dishes and martinis. We started our evening at Harrah’s Casino. Having taken a 6-mile walk at midday and not having eaten since an early lunch, we decided to have a bite to eat before hitting the gaming tables.

We had done a little research and knew that there was a trendy-looking bar at the casino. However, being a Monday evening, the bar was empty. We decided we wanted to find somewhere more lively. After speaking with a few casino employees, we left the casino and went to Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse.

I have never been to a Ruth’s before, but my new husband has and was certain that we would find good food and drinks there. When we arrived at the steakhouse, we found a decent crowd for a Monday and a pair of seats available at the bar. Perusing their cocktail menu, I opted to order their new specialty drink, the Summer Berry Fusion. I have to admit that this was an excellent decision on my behalf.

This martini was made with a combination of muddling, shaking, and straining. First, fresh blackberries were muddled. To this, Stoli Blueberi and Belvedere Lemonessence, and some ice were added, and the ingredients were shaken. Instead of pouring the martini through the regular shaker-top, a fine mesh strainer was used to avoid getting blackberry seeds in the drink.

This drink had a strong flavor of berry with a hint of lemon, which kept it from being too sweet. It was light and refreshing, the perfect start to an evening of fun.

A perfect day for two. That is how this past Saturday could best be described. Perfect in a real world sort of way. There was no vacation to some tropical island, but there was time for work and play, which is about as good as it gets. So, we spent the beginning of our day working on business, then moved onto a house project. We followed the work with fun: a trip to Whole Foods, shopping for clothing and new perfume, trying new recipes for dinner and drinks, and watching a movie to end our day.

With many produce items being in-season, we decided to make a fruity drink. Having just purchased nectarines at a farmer’s market in Boston, we thought they would be a great base for our beverage. We had chosen a bottle of prosecco while shopping (read the review at our sister site, Parched No More), so we wanted to combine the two flavors. The sweetness of the nectarines would be an excellent contrast to the tartness of the sparkling wine. Add a little vodka for some kick and apple juice to broaden the flavors, and you have a perfect summer drink!

Nectarine Bellini

1 nectarine, peeled and cut into cubes

3 oz. vodka

3 oz. apple juice

1/2 tsp. sugar

ice

prosecco

Place nectarine in martini shaker, and muddle. Add vodka, apple juice, sugar, and ice. Shake well. Pour through strainer into 2 martini glasses. (Note, the drink has a good amount of pulp. You may need to exert some effort to remove all of the liquid from the shaker.) Top each glass with Prosecco.

Makes 2 bellinis.

When we spend an evening doing a martini crawl, we always stop to visit our favorite bartender, Jared. As we love all of the concoctions he makes, we always are willing to sample something new. One of Jared’s classic drinks is the Apple Picker.

Like all of his beverages, Jared uses only the best ingredients and makes the drink as appealing visually as it is in flavor. Between excellent presentation, delicious tastes, and exceptional conversation, you are assured of a great time.

When trying the Apple Picker, we were curious as to what inspired this drink. Jared shared the following story with us, “When I was a young boy, it was a family (and neighborhood) ritual to go to ‘Pick your own Apples’ during the late summer at one of our town’s local farms.The ingredients for ‘The Apple Picker’ reflect my mom’s homemade apple crisp and apple pie made from those apples.”

To enjoy your own crisp, fresh-picked apple in grown-up fashion, try this recipe

Apple Picker Martini

2 oz. Sour Apple Pucker

2 oz. General John Stark Vodka

1 oz. caramel/honey simple syrup (see recipe below)

ice

Grade A maple syrup

cinnamon sugar

Rim inside of 6 ounce chilled martini glass with maple syrup. Tip glass over a dish filled with cinnamon sugar and rotate glass until coated with a generous amount.

Pour Sour Apple Pucker and vodka into a martini shaker filled with ice. Add simple syrup. Secure cover and shake diligently for 10 seconds. Pour into martini glass. The drink should be a soft caramel green and should be about 1/8 inch below the rim, so the liquid does not touch the cinnamon sugar.

Using a maple twig as a skewer, punch it through an apple wedge with skin side facing up. Place garnish into drink and serve.

Notes:

Maple syrup should be grade A, as it’s thicker and will not drip as easily into the glass. The chilled glass also will help prevent dripping.

Vox Green Apple is a suitable replacement if General John Stark Vodka is not available.

Caramel/Honey Simple Syrup

1 liter water

1 cup sugar

1 cup prepared caramel syrup

1/2 cup honey

Pour water into stock pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-high, add sugar, and stir. Add caramel and stir. Then add honey and stir. Continue to stir for 1 minute, then allow to simmer for a few minutes.

The syrup’s consistency should be on the thin side, so you are able to dispense the syrup from a squirt bottle.

Makes about 1 quart of caramel/honey simple syrup.

When I go to a bar, I always peruse the drink menu, searching for some new martini that is intriguing to my palate. I will talk with the bartender to learn what he or she considers to be his or her best drink. After some contemplation, I place my drink order.

As I was preparing to write the first entry for this site, I was thinking about all of the tasty drinks I have tried, which led me to wonder, which of the drinks I have consumed is most like me? (Thank you to my fiance for introducing me to the game of what inanimate object would you be.)

Given my choices, I would have to say I am most like a martini made with strawberry-infused vodka. Strawberries are grown both in my birth state, California, and my current residence, New Hampshire. The drink is deceiving, as it is lightly sweet but also has the kick of vodka. I, too, have that quality, as to many I appear to be quiet and reserved, yet once you get to know me I can be quite a conversationalist.

So, what sort of martini are you?

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