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Welcome FabFitFun subscribers! We hope you're enjoying your Winter Box and want to thank you for choosing the Masontops Cocktail Shaker as one of your items. As part of that thank you, we'd like to offer you 20% off your next purchase on Masontops.com with discount code FabFitFun (use at checkout; expires May 1, 2022). Keep scrolling for three great martini recipes to try out in your new shaker. Cheers!
Elevate your next dinner party or girls' night by impressing your guests with a thoughtfully crafted martini. Mature taste buds will celebrate the complexity a properly made martini offers, while you unwind feeling posh and collected.
A good martini is not just gin shaken over ice and poured. Elements like olive juice, lemon twists, and vermouth transform vodka and gin into a classic martini. Other than the classic martini of vodka or gin and vermouth, there are other fun takes on the drink that are slightly more palatable to a newbie and can win any crowd. We'll take you through three martini recipes, ranging from easy party pleasers (the cosmo), to the sophisticated classic martini, along with some terminology that will make you feel like a bonafide mixologist. And no, you do not have to like olives to enjoy a martini: promise!
Made popular by the hit TV show "Sex and the City," the Cosmopolitan martini (or Cosmo for short) is an iconic drink, made primarily of vodka and cranberry juice. The Cosmo was hugely popular in the late 90s, but remains a classic and is especially popular during the holiday season for it's beautiful, red hue. Cosmos are an easier-to-drink martini because of their sweetness and they can be mixed with more affordable vodkas.
Cosmopolitan for One
1.5 oz vodka
0.5 oz triple sec orange liqueur (eg. Cointreau)
1.0 oz cranberry juice
0.5 oz fresh lime juice
Lime wheel garnish
Add ice to your Masontops Cocktail Shaker, then use the cap of the shaker to measure out your ingredients and add them all to the shaker, minus the garnish. Stir with the swizzle stick, screw back on the lid and secure the cap, then shake for 10 - 30 seconds to properly chill. Remove cap and pour into a martini glass, then garnish with a lime wheel.
This recipe can easily be doubled to make martinis for two. Adjust the cranberry and lime ratio to your liking if you prefer sweet over tart. Enjoy!
Ciao bella! You will feel like an Amalfi Coast cliché (in the most Italian-glam way possible) drinking a Lemon Drop Martini with a sugared rim. Can you hear the gentle crash of waves and church bells ringing? We recommend pairing with seafood and pasta. You're in Italy, after all.
Lemon Drop for One
1.0 oz vodka
0.25 oz triple sec
0.75 oz lemon juice
0.25 oz simple syrup
Lemon wheel or twist (garnish)
Lemon wedge (for rim)
Sugar (for rim)
Slice a lemon wedge and circle it around the mouth of your martini glass, then dip it into a bowl of sugar. The longer you're able to leave it to rest, the more of a chance the sugar will have to harden to the rim and not fall off.
Make your simple syrup if you need some. To do this, simple mix equal parts water and sugar (start with about 2 tablespoons of each, unless you're hosting a party and need more), simmer in a small pot until dissolved and let cool. You can also make it in the microwave by adding the sugar and water to a microwave-safe bowl and microwaving it until just about to boil (that time will depend on how much you're making). It can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.
Add ice to your Masontops Cocktail Shaker, then use the cap of the shaker to measure out your ingredients and add them all to the shaker, minus the garnish. Stir with the swizzle stick, screw back on the lid and secure the cap, then shake for 10 - 30 seconds to properly chill. Remove cap and pour into a martini glass, then garnish with lemon.
The origins or the classic martini are foggy, but have more than one and you'll understand why. Was it first made during the California Goldrush for a miner who hit it big? Or named after Alessandro Martini, the director of marketing at Martini Vermouth? These are things you can ponder with your dog, date or party guests while you dazzle them with lingo like "straight up," "dirty," or have a classic "shaken, not stirred" James Bond moment.
Classic Martini for One
1.75 oz premium vodka or gin
0.25 oz dry vermouth
Lemon twist or an olive (garnish)
First things first: shaken or stirred? A shaken martini will have more ice broken into it, which in turn slightly dilutes it. A martini pro will most likely want a stirred martini to preserve as much flavor as possible. Either way, begin by adding ice to your Masontops Mason Jar and pour in the vodka or gin and vermouth. Secure the lid and shake it for up to 30 seconds or gently, but quickly, stir with the spoon end of the swizzle stick for the same amount of time. Pour into a martini glass through the strainer lid and garnish with a lemon twist or olive.
Want to make it dirty? Add a bit of olive juice or a squeeze of lemon and lighten up the vermouth to just a dash. The dryness in a martini comes from the vermouth and the "dirtiness" comes from olive juice, but subbing for lemon or bitters makes a nice option for olive haters. Someone who wants an extra dry martini wants a little extra vermouth in their drink. If you really want the full experience, put your martini glasses in the freezer for 15 minutes for an exceptionally chilled drink. If someone asks for a martini "straight up," it means serve it with no ice in the glass, which is how all martinis are supposed to be served. See, you already know what you're doing!
