Today, June 19th, is National Martini Day. I’m celebrating with the help of my friends from Sipsmith who sent me a beautiful martini kit complete with their London dry gin, a rose gold bar spoon, jigger, mixing glass, and strainer.
To be honest, a martini would rarely be my drink of choice at a bar or restaurant. I remember stealing a sip of someone’s when I was in high school and thinking it was like paint thinner. I’ve since had more exposure and come to develop an appreciation for the simple sophistication of the classic cocktail.
The difference between a martini that tastes like paint thinner and one that tastes spirit-forward but well-balanced is the quality of ingredients. This is a two-ingredient drink and therefore is not the occasion to cheap out.
Spend a bit more and opt for a quality gin like Sipsmith London Dry Gin and a beautiful dry vermouth like Dolin – that has a subtle floral quality that plays well with the juniper and citrus notes of the Sipsmith. You can choose to add a dash of Angostura bitters and decide whether you want to garnish with a twist of lemon or a few olives.
You might be curious to know how I captured these images of myself making a martini. Let me tell you, it wasn’t easy. I don’t have a production assistant, aside from the occasional hand model, and don’t have a remote trigger.
So, in the absence of those resources, I used the self-timer function and would press the shutter, sprint over to my set-up, kneel on the ground and try to recreate my pose from the last series of shots. As a result, you’ll see my hair is slightly different in each shot and if you look closely, you can see the subtle sheen of distress on my face.
A friendly reminder that things aren’t always as they seem. If I did have a production assistant, I would have captured a behind-the-scenes shot to let you peak behind the curtain.
But for the meantime, you can continue to suspend your disbelief and think this series of self-portraits came together effortlessly – as I coolly sipped down this delicious martini.
Cheers!
Classic Gin Martini
Celebrate National Martini Day on June 19th with a Classic Gin Martini. Opt for quality ingredients like Sipsmith London Dry Gin and Dolin Dry Vermouth.
- 2½ oz Sipsmith London Dry Gin
- ½ oz Dolin dry vermouth
- 1 dash Angostura bitters, optional
- 3 olives, for garnish
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In an ice-filled mixing glass, add gin, vermouth, and a dash of Angostura bitters (if desired) and stir for 30 seconds.
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Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
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Garnish with three olives skewered onto a cocktail pick (or a twist of lemon, if you prefer).
