Today is National Martini Day. A day to celebrate that all-American concoction of gin and vermouth. But what if you don’t like gin or vermouth…or olives, for that matter? Well, there are a number of variants on the classic martini that are created with other spirits as well as flavored liquors and fruity ingredients. You know…the appletini or choco-tini, for example. These drinks are named after the cocktail glass in which they’re served and have little else to do with the classic martini. But as much as purists want to deny them, these drinks are extremely popular. Plus, they add a little extra variety and color to any martini party.
So, in honor of drink that author E.B. White called “the elixir of quietude” — I bet you didn’t know that E.B. himself had his own preferred twist on the martini, consisting of lime juice, apricot brandy, honey, dry vermouth, and gin — I present four fabulous “Faux-tinis”.
CILAN-TINI
Created by Pablo Villareal at Jazz at Kitano.
Ingredients
4 cherry tomatoes
1 dried red chile pepper
8-10 cilantro leaves
Pinch of salt
2 oz. Grey Goose vodka
½ oz. lime juice
½ oz. lemon juice
½ oz. simple syrup
Instructions
In a cocktail shaker, muddle together cherry tomatoes, dried chile pepper, cilantro leaves and salt. Add Grey Goose, lime juice, lemon juice and simple syrup and ice. Shake. Garnish with a cilantro leaf
RADIANT ORCHID
Recipe and photo courtesy of Ungava Canadian Premium Gin.
Ingredients
2 oz. Ungava gin
½ oz. lemon juice
½ oz. maraschino liqueur
¼ oz. crème de violette
Edible orchid for garnish
Instructions
Combine all ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with the edible orchid.
BELLA PESCA MARTINI
Recipe and photo courtesy of BRIO Tuscan Grille.
Ingredients
2 oz. Sobieski (or favorite non-flavored) vodka
½ oz. peach schnapps
½ oz. peach daiquiri/peach puree
½ oz. Sierra Mist
2 fresh strawberry slices
Instructions
Combine vodka, peach schnapps, and peach daiquiri in shaker with ice. Shake well. Strain into a martini glass. Float Sierra Mist on top. Garnish with strawberry slices.
RASPBERRY BLUSH
Recipe created by Kim Haasarud, Liquid Architecture for Sobieski. Photo courtesy of Sobieski.
Ingredients
2 oz. Sobieski Raspberry vodka
¾ oz. lime juice
¾ oz. simple syrup
½ oz. pomegranate juice
Raspberry and mint sprig for garnish
Instructions
Combine vodka, lime juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into chilled cocktail glass. Top with pomegranate juice. Garnish with raspberry and mint sprig.