Tag Archives: vodka

Dirty Martinis are My Favorite Drink

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I’m not sure when I fell in love with the dirty martini, but I feel like it’s been years. And I haven’t been sad about it. At. All.

In the beginning, I would just order them at restaurants. Making them at home seemed to involved. Plus, they seem to taste better when someone else made them. Capital Grille in DC was a fav. A place I would return to again and again. They are also the reason I have upped my dirty martini game.

Stuffing your own blue cheese olives starts the endeavor known as a dirty martini. In some circles, a dirty martini with blue cheese olives are called a Dirty Executive. However, I think blue cheese olives are a standard in a dirty martini and doesn’t signify a different name. Grey Goose was also the vodka of choice for said dirty martini. It’s a clean vodka. And works well to carry the olive flavors necessary to this classic.

Adding a cocktail onions made total sense. A hit of pickled sweet after all the savory… Yummo! Then I learned about adding anchovies to the cocktail pick loaded with olives and onions. This was from a cookbook based on the Venice region of Italy. With these two additions to the cocktail pick line-up along with blue cheesed stuffed olives make my Dirty Martini complete.

Each drink and bite… or not… is unique. Adding little bits of flavor and texture and umami-ness. And since I use both vermouth and olive brine in my Dirty Martini, well shaken and not stirred, I also get a uniform canvas upon which to appreciate all the differences… and some sameness.

Dirty Martini

-makes a large pour

  • 4 oz Grey Goose
  • .75 oz olive brine
  • .5 oz dry or blanc vermouth
  • 3 dashes olive bitters
  • 1 spritz lemon oil
  • blue cheese olives, anchovies, cocktail onions

Put ice in a martini glass. Stick it in the freezer as you make the martini. Put the first four ingredients into a shake. Fill with ice. Shake it up. Take glass our of freezer, dump the ice, and pour the martini into the glass. Spritz with lemon oil or express some lemon oil from a cut rind. Garnish with olives, onions, and anchovies Enjoy!

Apples, Apples… Apple Cider Martini

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Fall and winter holidays, like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and all the others always brings to mind delicious apple cider. I love freshly-pressed juice of ALL THE APPLES. It was such a no-brainer to come up with a delicious apple cider cocktail.

After much experimenting, I came up with lovely Apple Cider Martini recipe that should hit the spot for the holidays. Add in a cinnamon stick and you have a festive cocktail you can have alone or batch for a group.

  • 2 ounces vodka
  • 3 ounces apple cider
  • a pinch of cinnamon
  • .5 ounces lemon juice
  • cinnamon stick

Put all the ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake. Strain into a martini glass. Light one end of the cinnamon stick, swirl the smoke over the glass, blow it out, and then use as a garnish. Drink and think of fall.

This drink is light and not very alcohol forward. Which makes it perfect for parties or the occasional martini alone. Plus, apples say fall.

Espresso Martini… and My Hunt for the Perfect One

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I discovered the Espresso Martini in the last couple of years. I’m pretty sure it’s a throw-back to the 1980s and my Kailua fueled college years. It’s taste reminds me of my past. Plus, they are super delicious.

The recipe I’ve been using lately is pretty simple:

  • 2 oz vodka
  • 2 oz espresso
  • .75 oz coffee liqueur

Add all the ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake. Pour. Garnish with 3 beans. Viola.

Sometimes, if I’m feeling myself, I will add a thin layer of fresh soft cream on top. I like cream with my morning coffee, so it’s not a stretch that I would like a little with my espresso martini. Other times, I add some Frangelico and add a little hazelnut flavor. That’s the beauty of this drink. With just a little of this or that, you can make it fresh and new.

Or be like me and just drink the classic.

Cool Summer Drinks

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Here are some delicious summer drink recipes. Some have more alcohol, some have less. They are all refreshing. I will share some more as the summer goes on. lol

Campari Spritz

I had this a lot when I took a month touring Italy. It is light and freshing. Plus, it’s low in alcohol but high in bubbles. A perfect combo, yeah?

1 part Campari
3 parts prosecco
1 part soda water

Put into a wine glass. You can garnish with oranges or ruby red grapefruit slices. Yumm.

 

White Wine Sangria

Most people have had red wine sangria. But for summertime, white wine sangria is the way to go, especially if you live in warmer areas. And that’s saying something cause I am a red wine drinker. Don’t get me wrong, I like red wine sangria just fine. But the white wine one is really, really refreshing.

 

 

Ingredients:

1 bottle of Riesling or Gewurztraminer
1 bottle Vihno Verde or Sauvignon Blanc
1 can pineapple/oj frozen concentrate (not the little ones but a big one or you can use two little ones)
juice of one orange plus slices
juice of one lemon plus slices
juice of one lime plus slices
2 oz brandy
4 oz Cointreau or Grand Marnier
1 liter ginger ale or club soda or italian lemonade

lots of summer fruits cut up- green apples, strawberries, pomegranate seeds, mixed berries, etc.

Put all of the liquid into a large container or punch bowl, add citrus slices and cut up fruit. Viola white wine sangria. Let it sit for a bit for better fruity flavor. If you are going to let it sit, leave out the fizzy part(ginger ale et. al) until right before serving.

 

Blackberry Vodka Fizz

I saw this recipe using bourbon. I’m not a big bourbon drinker. So I substituted Vodka. It was still pretty good.

4-5 blackberries
1-2 oz vodka or bourbon
ginger ale
club soda

Muddle the blackberries with a little ice. Add vodka then fill 3/4 way with ginger ale. Add club soda until glass is full.