This drink plays on the faint cucumber note in Hendrick’s and doubles down with the herbal Chartreuse.  Allowing the ice cubes to muddle the cucumber in the shaker, produces just the right flavor intensity.  Unless, of course, you want your cocktail to taste like a salad!

• 1 ½ oz. Hendricks’ Gin
• ¾ oz. Sweet Vermouth
• ¼ oz. Chartreuse
• 3 -4 thin slices of English Cucumber
• Lemon Zest for Garnish

1. Combine all ingredients except the lemon zest in a shaker with ice cubes (not crushed). Shake for 30-45 sec.
2. Double strain into chilled coup or martini glass and express the lemon zest. Float the zest.

• 2 oz. PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur
• 1 oz. vodka
• ¼ oz. Grand Marnier
• St Germain Elderflower Foam

1. Chill cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Stir all ingredients, except foam, with ice
3. Add St. Germaine Elderflower Foam to chilled glass
4. Strain drink through foam into glass
5. Repair foam and flame drink with Misto of Chartreuse

The original martini contained a lot of vermouth, even equal to or more than the gin, and orange bitters.  But over time, the vermouth became a drop or two or just a rinse, and the orange bitters were lost entirely.  This is my version of that classic martini.  I use St. George Botanivore Gin and Dolin Vermouth.  The Botanivore has a nice herbal flavor without a lot of juniper.  Also, use fresh good vermouth, it will cost $12.95 instead of $9.95.  Vermouth goes bad overnight after opening unless you refrigerate it.  Then it will last a week or so, (All right, dig that old bottle out of your cabinet you opened 5 years ago and throw it out!)

I like my Doc Elliott’s Actually Bitter Orange Bitters, (I wonder why?), but Suze Orange Bitters work well.  Also, the garnish is essential.  The olive and the lemon zest impart a very different character to the drink.  I suggest you try this drink both ways.

• 1 1/2 oz. St. George Botanivore Gin
• 3/4 oz. Dolin Dry Vermouth
• 1-2 Drops Doc Elliott’s Actually Bitter Orange Bitters
• 1 jalapeno stuffed olive or a lemon zest for garnish

1. Chill a martini glass with ice and water
2. Add all ingredients, except the olive, to a mixing glass and stir with ice
3. Strain into chilled glass and garnish with the olive on a fancy pick or the lemon zest

• 1 ½ oz. Gin
• ½ oz. sweet vermouth
• 2-3 drops orange bitters

1. Chill cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Add all ingredients to shaker
3. Shake well with ice 10 – 15 sec.
4. Strain into chilled glass
5. Garnish with maraschino cherry

Where the dirty martini meets the Cajun martini: Hendrick’s Gin, dry vermouth and pickled jalapeno juice. Guaranteed to tickle your tongue.

• 2 oz. Hendrick’s Gin
• ½ oz. dry vermouth
• ¼ oz. pickled jalapeno juice
• 1/2 – 1 dash Doc Elliott’s Olive Bitters to taste

1. Chill cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Add all ingredients to shaker
3. Shake well with ice 10 – 15 sec.
4. Strain into chilled glass
5. Garnish with jalapeno stuffed olive or jalapeno spear

Cheers!

From the middle of the last century, the martini became basically gin or vodka on the rocks.  The vermouth that originally was prominent, became a splash or even a wash.  This is how to make that cocktail.

• 1 1/2 oz. Dry London gin such as Bombay Sapphire or Vodka
• Fresh Dry Vermouth
• An olive for garnish

1. Chill a martini glass with ice and water
2. Fill a mixing glass with ice and add a splash of dry vermouth and swirl the glass.
3. emtpty the vermouth but retain the ice.
4. Add the Gin or Vodka and stir to chill.
5. Strain into the chilled glass and drop in the olive.

I decided to play with my Dry Martini.  Using the St George Botanivore Gin, I substituted Lillet Blanc for the vermouth.  The result is a very pleasant drink.  Goes well with our Olive Poppers.

Olive Poppers

• 2 oz. St. George Botanivore Gin
• 1 oz. Lillet Blanc
• 1-2 drops Doc Elliott’s Actually Bitter Orange Bitters
• Lemon Zest

Dry Martini with Lillet

1. Chill a martini glass with ice and water
2. Add all ingredients, except the Lemon Zest, to a mixing glass and stir with ice
3. Strain into chilled glass and garnish with the lemon zest

Cheers!