Martini Recipes: From Classic to Creative

Gin or Vodka? It all depends on you and what you prefer.

The Martini is a cocktail made with gin and vermouth, garnished with an olive or lemon twist.

Ingredients: 1/2 oz (1 part) Dry Vermouth | 3 oz (6 parts) Gin

Preparation: Straight: Pour all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice cubes. Stir well. Strain in a chilled Martini cocktail glass. Squeeze oil from lemon peel onto the drink or garnish with an olive.

Served: Straight (or on the rocks).

Provisions & Libations, Episode #54, Made In California, tells the story behind the making of a Martini in a small mining town, Martinez, to celebrate a man who struck gold. In the absence of Champagne, the bartender created a drink for the lucky miner and named it Martinez after their hometown. Years later, the cocktail name changed to Martini, which sounds more chic for this big city-style drink.

Episode #55 Martini’s

In Honor of my daughter, Laurel, for her 25th Birthday

Classic Variations of a Martini: The slightest alteration to the above combination can make a difference. Adding a few teaspoons of olive brine makes a Dirty Martini, and a pickled onion makes a Gibson. A Filthy Martini is not an extra dirty Martini; it is garnished with pickled caperberry. To sip a Perfect Martini, the ingredients match: 2 parts Vodka or Gin and 1 part sweet and dry Vermouth.

An Upside-down Martini consists of flipping the ingredients and reversing the gin-to-vermouth ratio, making it less potent. A Bone-Dry Martini has an essence of Vermouth, so the vapor is apparent on the glass. The Churchill Martini is served sans Vermouth, just as Winston Churchill liked. The Vesper Martini, created by Sir Ian Fleming in his novel Casino Royale, uses both Gin and Vodka.

The Hot Martini is lit on fire with high-proof alcohol for dramatic effect, and the spicy martini has a few drops of hot sauce to whet the appetite. The Paisley Martini, named after the Scottish town once the center of the whisky industry, adds a teaspoon or two of whisky, especially in the wintertime. Don’t confuse this with a Smokey Martini that has a hint of whisky by rubbing whisky around the inside of a glass.

An Appletini is a retro classic that balances apple’s sweet sharpness with vodka’s strength. The Gimlet is half the strength of a Martini and balances sweet and sour. A Gypsy Martini is a slightly sweetened variation using a Maraschino Cherry for garnish with a teaspoon of syrup for the sweetener.

During London’s Fashion Week in the 1980s, the Espresso Martini took the world by storm. The combination of Vodka, Kahlua, and Espresso provides a pick-me-up with exquisite texture. The Breakfast Martini uses marmalade with Gin, orange liquor, and lemon juice in this signature cocktail. The Lemon Drop is strong, sweet, and sharp. This San Francisco creation combines vodka with sugar and citrus with a sugar rim.

Lastly, the cucumber martini is delicate and refreshing. It involves muddling cucumbers with Vodka or gin before being poured into a cocktail glass. You can also use a cucumber slice as a garnish.

This isn’t the end of the Martini creations. They are endless and will continue as food trends change with the season. Cheers!!

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