Drink of the Moment: Dirty Vodka Martini, My Dirty Little Secret

What day isn't a dirty martini kind of day?  Well in my opinion, not many, but I knew today had far surpassed the beer threshold by 9am, and I was going to need my comfort cocktail (or more) before all was said and done.  The winter-like temps over the weekend make this even more appealing to curl up with like a warm blanket.  Not sure exactly why I enjoy this drink so much - I'd say it's my signature cocktail, maybe it's because of it's nice savory flavor (like an olive tapas plate or something), or maybe it's quick to make the worries melt away.  Who knows, but whatever magic it is that makes this my happy drink, I'm about to share my 'dirty little secret' with you now.

My (Favorite)Dirty Martini
(courtesy of John Barrar)


2 oz Stolichnaya Gold vodka
1 oz olive brine (preferably from a jar of olives)
1/2 oz Noilly Pratt dry vermouth
Whole olives (I prefer the extra large ones, or even stuffed ones sometimes for an added depth of flavor)

Shake extremely vigorously for about 30 seconds with ice, and pour into your favorite martini glass.  Garnish with olives, and let the day melt away.

Pretty low maintenance, huh?  I've had martinis in all sorts of places, made all sorts of ways (believe it or not, there is a lot that can go wrong with just 3 ingredients), and after actual taste tests between them, this one is the champ.  So what makes this one so different from the others?  Because there are so few flavors, it really boils down to the quality and specifics of those that are actually there.  There are 3 things to note in this recipe.  1) I am very specific about the types of ingredients that go into this cocktail - I know everyone has their favorite brands, but these are the ones that I've found combine together for my most optimal beverage experience.  I have even had die-hard fans of other vodkas (quite nice ones too) cave to the smoothness that you get with the Stoli Gold in this particular drink.  It really does make that much difference.  2) I use vermouth - I know you can make a pretty bang on dirty martini without the vermouth, and for years that was my preference as I had only tried using extra dry vermouth and found it to be horrible.  There is something about the dry vermouth that works amazingly well though, and actually compliments the cocktail instead of killing it.  I still drink martinis without it no problem; this is just my favorite way to drink them.  3) Shaking the drink hard enough is very important - no one likes a warm drink unless it's supposed to be warm.  Since this drink is served up, it's best when shaken hard enough so you get the little ice chips floating in the top of the glass. That keeps it much colder and crisper while you sip and proceed to get warmer and fuzzier. 

So, that's more than enough writing for now.  I've got places to go, people to see, and cocktails to consume!

Cheers!

Drink(s) of the Moment

Ask anyone that knows me, in a certain setting, what I'm having to drink, and without hesitation they will tell you that it's either an extra dirty Stoli martini served up, or a pint of Guinness (if I'm feeling like something a little more subtle).  Recently though, I've been getting an itch to find some new and more interesting alternatives to mix things up a bit, which brings me to what I'll call my 'Drink(s) of the Moment.'

I suppose if this were a few years ago, I could do something exciting like a 'You Buy It, I'll Try It' thing, where I would probably end up with some seriously interesting bar stories that I wouldn't even be able to relay in full due to brief blackouts from what I'm sure some of those drinks might contain.  Since this is not a few years ago though, and I do truly enjoy having Jay in my life, I've been doing a little experimenting for myself with our own personal 'bar'.  While this may seem a little less exciting than a story about some random night out ending with me asleep on the floor somewhere; it should actually be more exciting for you because I remember everything I need to relay here (at least for the most part), AND I can share the recipes!

Here are my current 'drinks of the moment' worth sharing:

The Rumchata Black Russian

You may remember that Rumchata was one of my Favorite Five this month, and if you typically like a White Russian, then you'll love the twist the Rumchata gives this 'Black' Russian.  It will knock your socks off in more ways than one.

Ingredients (Serves: 1)

1 part Rumchata

1 part Kahlua

1 part Vodka (I used Stoli Gold)

Mix

Shake and pour into a rocks glass over ice.

Have a sip, and smile.  :)

The Tomato-Politan Martini

A yummy savory martini that I think would be fabulous at brunch, or you could throw caution to the wind and bring a whole new meaning to the term ' ladies who lunch.'  The pickle juice surprisingly gave a wonderful dimension to the drink. 

Ingredients 

(Serves: 2)

8 ounces of your favorite vodka (again, I used Stoli Gold) 

4 Tablespoons of tomato juice 

1 teaspoon of green hot sauce (like Tabasco Jalapeno)

Juice of one medium lemon

2 Tablespoons of pickle juice

Pickles for garnish.

Mix

Pour the vodka into a shaker 1/2 full of ice.

Add the hot sauce and shake for a bit.

Let the shaker rest for a moment, and then add the tomato and lemon juices.

Give it another few shakes and then strain into a well chilled glass

Top each drink with 1 Tablespoon of pickle juice, garnish with a slice of pickle, and enjoy!

Let me know what you think, and if you have any new ideas you'd like to have 'tested', by all means send them in!