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June 29, 2006

M is for Martini

No big surprise, eh? You all know how I love my martinis. But I'm going to tell you the story behind my martinis. And then I'm going to tell you how to make a martini just like I do.

Okay, flashback. January, 2004. I read a book called The Dewey Decimal System of Love by Josephine Carr. The book tells the story of a quirky librarian who sets her eye on the conductor of an orchestra. And drinks Dirty Grey Goose Martinis. Up until this point in my life I had never had a martini. I can't abide the taste of gin and I didn't know you could make one from vodka. By halfway through the book I had researched exactly how to make a martini like the ones the librarian in the book was drinking. And by the end of the book I was drinking a martini along with her.

Here's my recipe:
3 oz Grey Goose Vodka
1/8 oz Vermouth
1/2 oz olive juice
2 olives

Put all ingredients except the olives in cocktail shaker with lots of ice. Shake vigorously. Pour into chilled martini glass and add the olives. Drink. Relax.

Mason_Martini.JPG

I'll be having one or two this weekend. I will not be sharing with the cat.

Posted by Carole at June 29, 2006 7:00 AM

Comments

Next time I'll have to try one of your special martinis. The Citris one I had was sure good, however.

Posted by: margene at June 29, 2006 8:07 AM

WHAT!? How can you hate gin!? I LOVE gin!

Posted by: Miriam at June 29, 2006 8:20 AM

I chill the heck out of the glass and then put a splash of vermouth in, swirl, and dump. Gives you juuuuust enough vermouth for a nice, dry martini.

I'm a gin-hater too. Try Monopolowa vodka sometime. It's a really good, inexpensive Austrian potato vodka that makes a fabulous martini or bloody mary. It scored a 94 at the 2003 International Review of Spirits, the highest score, tying with Stolichnaya, from Russia. This is out of all vodkas tested, including the very expensive super-premiums like Grey Goose. (Grey Goose is wonderful, don't get me wrong, but it's nice to have an alternative that costs half as much!)

Posted by: liz at June 29, 2006 8:28 AM

I don't like gin either. I also haven't tried a vodka martini yet but I do like vodka. Cosmopolitans are one of my favorite drinks. Yum.

Posted by: Karen at June 29, 2006 8:36 AM

I'd be happy with a glass of just olives and vodka. Yummy.

Posted by: Heather R. at June 29, 2006 8:42 AM

Love the photo. DH had a lot of Grey Goose in Nawlins, but tried to drink all of the Absolut that was going at the Endeavor party on Bourbon Street. We went through all their Mardi Gras beads, too. I drank straight Coke.

Posted by: Paula at June 29, 2006 9:06 AM

yummm -

Posted by: Teyani at June 29, 2006 9:45 AM

My cat likes to lick olives (and popcorn). :-) I've never had a martini - me & vodka don't get along too well. Isn't it funny how reading a book can change something in your life? I got into knitting because of a book I read.

Posted by: Angelia at June 29, 2006 10:07 AM

Never had one, but now I need one :) and thank you for the recipe to make one!

Posted by: maggie at June 29, 2006 10:10 AM

Thanks for the recipe. I'll have to substitute it for my appletini sometime.

Also, loved your poem in the previous post.

Posted by: Lisa at June 29, 2006 10:43 AM

I loved this post for the title alone! M is always for Martini baybee!!

Posted by: Kathy at June 29, 2006 10:49 AM

3 oz. vodka? I think that would knock me flat on the floor. ;-)

Posted by: Beth S. at June 29, 2006 10:56 AM

Just in time for the weekend .......

Posted by: Ruth at June 29, 2006 11:41 AM

I just finished reading "Everyone Worth Knowing" and they talk about dirty martini's. Thanks for sharing the recipe, as I had no idea what they were.

And Grey Goose is the *best* vodka! :)

Posted by: Helen at June 29, 2006 11:55 AM

You're a gin hater? I'm shocked and saddened. But I do love Grey Goose when I go the vodka route so I guess we're still on speaking terms :o)

Posted by: amanda at June 29, 2006 12:51 PM

I'm right there with you on the gin, yuck! Your recipe sounds somewhat similar to the drink my uncle used to mix up for me at the lake cabin. I'm blanking on what he called it right now though, but it had some roses lime in addition to the olive juice. Yum!

Posted by: Kristi aka Fiber Fool at June 29, 2006 12:52 PM

Not surprised at all! I love the photo of the cat. I actually like gin and prefer a good gin and tonic to a martini, but my favorite summer drink is a mojito. Enjoy the festive weekend.

Posted by: Birdsong at June 29, 2006 1:24 PM

No martinis for me, but cosmos and I are good friends. I love the picture of the cat!

Posted by: Stephanie at June 29, 2006 3:23 PM

Yes....martini's!!! I make mine with Kettle One that's stored in the freezer. I add two olives and a dollop of ice. My cat would never get a chance to drink my martini :).

Posted by: Cindy D at June 29, 2006 4:44 PM

Let's hear it for research! I'm not a big fan of martinis myself, but I'm all for relaxation, wherever you can find it.

Posted by: Lucia at June 29, 2006 5:10 PM

Make them blue cheese stuffed olives and the martins almost count as dinner!

Posted by: Deb at June 29, 2006 5:32 PM

In my world M is for Mojito or Margarita but I think that's because the one and only dirty martini I every had was made with gin (yuk!) I'll have to try your recipe!

PS - Do they let kitties in AA? :)

Posted by: Debi at June 29, 2006 5:56 PM

Ok wait - first you had candy and I got none being (blissfully?) unaware of that tidbit. Now you share that you are another vodka drinker and we didn't do that EITHER when you were here?

That does it - you will have to come back to SLC simply to eat candy and drink vodka with me. I'll have the room ready.

Posted by: Anne at June 29, 2006 6:35 PM

Ooo, I love Grey Goose martinis. A local bar here sells one called the Bone Dry Martini, which is Grey Goose with a splash of Glenlivet Scotch and a lemon twist. Mmmmmm.

Posted by: Amy at June 29, 2006 8:28 PM

you have one very sophisticated cat!

Posted by: blogless sharon at June 30, 2006 9:39 AM

Congratulations!! You won the contest on my blog!! Send me your address and I'll mail you the yarn.

Posted by: Karen at June 30, 2006 1:49 PM

I've never had a martini! I am so going to try that this weekend!! Thanks for sharing!

Posted by: Leah at June 30, 2006 9:05 PM

I want a cat. Badly. Some day...

So, I'm going to be in Boston for about a week and a half, with a lot of time to explore. I know I want to go to the MFA...but any ideas about what else I can/should do?

Posted by: Cecily Stewart at July 1, 2006 11:14 AM

My cat tries to drink beer... not my martinis thankfully, but beer. The more bitter, the better. I'll have to try the dirty martini recipe - I'm just unpacking and displaying all my martini tools and glasses at our new place. :-)

Posted by: Joanne at July 1, 2006 12:35 PM

D'oh. Why did it escape me you don't have to use gin? (blech)

I'm sure that cat is too young to drink anyway...

Posted by: Chris at July 1, 2006 2:54 PM

Hysterical picture of the cat!

My cat is a gin girl, herself....

Posted by: The Purloined Letter at July 6, 2006 4:31 PM

two words Carole - Bombay Sapphire. It will make a convert out of you. Gin, Gin, Gin. Loving my Gin and Tonic now.

Posted by: jessica at July 8, 2006 9:55 PM