Summer’s officially over and we’re marveling in the milder weather and muted tones of March. However, I’m not quite ready yet for steamy hot chocolates and mulled wine, so let’s celebrate this beautiful new season with a range of colourful martinis (sporting Poetry‘s range of beautiful glassware, of course) – from the bold and classic to something a little more playful.
With all the beautiful olive and berry colours in Poetry‘s stores at the moment, these martinis fit right in. Adjust the strength of the alcohol according to your preference. Some prefer their martinis with minimal dilution, others can only enjoy it over lots of ice and with a little added juice or soda.
Classic martini
This one is stirred, not shaken, to preserve the translucency of the gin and dry vermouth. I serve it with one green olive, no twist (lemon), no brine (not dirty).
- ice
- 2 parts gin (or vodka)
- 1 part dry vermouth
- 1 green olive
Fill a cocktail shaker half full with ice blocks. Add the gin and vermouth, then use a long spoon to stir for 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled glass and add a olive. Serve immediately.
Dirty martini on the rocks with extra olives
This martini will put you straight into party mode! Shaking it results in a beautiful almost light green icy coloured drink, and the brine adds just the right amount of salty flavour that works so well with the bitterness of the gin. The extra ice makes it less intimidating to drink, and the extra olives provide you with a snack while you’re sipping.
- ice
- 2 parts gin
- 1 part vermouth
- 1/2 part olive brine
- ice, to serve
- thin strip of lemon rind, to serve
- pitted green olives on a skewer, to serve
Fill a cocktail shaker half full with ice blocks. Add the gin and vermouth, then close the shaker and shake vigorously for at least 10 seconds. Strain into a glass filled with extra ice. Add the lemon twist and olive skewers. Serve immediately.
Black and blue martini with lemonade and thyme
If you’re not into the boldness of straight-up martinis, this one with black- and blueberries might tickle your fancy. It’s a little milder, a little sweeter and even a little tinge of pink! The thyme adds a lovely fragrance to the drink.
- ice
- 2 parts gin/vodka
- 1 part vermouth
- 1 blackberry, bruised
- a few blueberries, bruised
- 1 sprig of thyme (plus more for serving)
- ice cold lemonade, to top up with
Fill a cocktail shaker half full with ice blocks. Add the gin, vermouth, blackberry, blueberries and thyme. Shake vigorously for at least 10 seconds. Strain into a glass, then top up with lemonade to taste. Garnish with more berries and a sprig of thyme. Serve immediately.
Red martini with bitters
This fruity cocktail is stunning to look at, fruity with the extra juice added, yet it still has that martini twang in the background. A dash of bitters adds depth of flavour.
- 2 parts gin/vodka
- 1 part vermouth
- ice cold berry juice (I used cranberry), to top up with
- ice, to serve
- raspberries, to serve
- a dash of bitters
Fill a glass half full with ice blocks. Add the gin & vermouth. Top up with juice. Garnish with berries and a dash of bitters. Serve immediately.
Note: This post was written for Poetry Stores. Find featured glassware, homeware, linen and clothing online at www.poetrystores.co.za.