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There is just nothing like a classic martini. A smooth, ice cold martini is my idea of a perfect night cap. My personal order is a shaken, dirty and dry vodka martini served up. However, I’m not too picky… I’ll drink them a variety of ways depending on my mood and supplies.

The thing that I learned as a bartender is that there are not a lot of people comfortable ordering martinis. Often people would slide up to the bar and that they’d like a martini and then they’d be stumped by questions about the drink. It is good to know the differences between the terms so that you know what you like. No bartender wants to make you a drink you don’t enjoy.

Classic Martini and Tips for Ordering // A Well Crafted Party
Photo by Motormouth Studios

I’m sharing with you today some martini terminology and my recipe for my classic martini. Just gonna put this out there… there are a LOT of different ways to make martinis and there are a lot of “classic martini recipes” hanging out in the web. I’d say, test them and figure out what YOU like. That is the important part of all this anyways. Also, check back next week where I share some fun variations on the martini.

Classic Martini

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz Gin or Vodka
  • 3/4 oz dry vermouth
  • ice
  • shaker and/or long spoon
  • fine mesh sieve (or strainer)
  • Martini glass (TIP: Throw your martini glass into a freezer for a nice frosted glass.)
  • Garnish: olives or lemon twist

Directions: 

  1. Pour your gin or vodka and dry vermouth over ice in a shaker
  2. Shake or Stir the ingredients and ice- (I like shaking it because I feel like it makes it nice and icy!)
  3. Strain the ingredients into a martini glass
  4. Garnish  your martini with a lemon twist or olives- (I’m all about the olives.)

Martini Terminology

What the heck does all that stuff mean anyways? Well, here are my definitions!

Dirty: Made with olive juice. I start with about 1/4 oz and sometimes, when I am feeling like having a really dirty martini I up the olive juice to 1/2 oz.

Dry: Less vermouth! When I make my dry martini I take my vermouth down to 1/4 oz. Though, if you want very dry just omit the vermouth entirely.

On the Rocks: Served over ice.

Perfect: A martini using 50% dry and 50% sweet vermouth

Shaken: Ingredients shaken over ice.

Stirred: Ingredients stirred with a bar spoon with ice for about 45 seconds or so. This doesn’t “agitate” the ingredients.

Up: Served in a martini glass with no ice.

Wet: This term isn’t used often…. but, just in case you LOVE vermouth this one is for you. This means that you’d like the vermouth upped in your drink.

With a Twist: Served with a citrus twist (typically lemon) instead of olives. Adds a bit of the smell and taste of the citrus oils to your drink.

Am I missing anything? What is your favorite martini order? Comment below!

 

melon & mint granita cocktail topped with gin // A Well Crafted Party

Okay, I’m not gonna lie… this drink takes some work. It is totally worth it though! First you have to make a granita. Granita takes some time to make, though very little effort. The granita can be used in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages or just eaten on its own as a delicious pallet cleanser or dessert.

What is a granita? According to good ole wikipedia a granita is a semi-frozen dessert made from sugar, water, and various flavorings. I learned how to make a granita from Martha.

Honeydew Melon, Lime, & Mint Granita Recipe:

*Makes enough granita for about a dozen of the Melon & Mint Cocktails

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium sized honey dew melon– ripe and sectioned discarding rind
  • Juice of 2 freshley squeezed limes
  • Mint to taste (I used about 15 leaves)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • Food Processor
  • sauce pan
  • a non-reactive pan that will fit in fridge and has at least 1 inch sides (I used a loaf pan)

Directions: 

  1. Put the melon in a food processor and process until there are no chunks, add mint and process
  2. In a sauce pan on medium heat combine the sugar and water. Stir as it heats until it is completely dissolved. Take off the heat and let cool.
  3. Combine the sugar/water syrup, freshly squeezed lime juice, and honey dew melon/mint puree in a non reactive pan. Put in freezer.
  4. Every 30 minutes or so give the mixture a scrape with a fork. Continue to freeze until ice crystals are formed. I tend to cover my granita with plastic wrap between freezings.
  5. Store granita in freezer in a airtight container

Melon and Mint Granita cocktail

 

Melon & Mint Granita Cocktail Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 1 scoop of your Honeydew Melon & Mint Granita
  • 1 1/4 oz Gin
  • 2 oz sparkling water

Directions:

  1. Drop 1 scoop of granita in a martini glass
  2. Top with 1 1/4 oz of Gin
  3. Slowly pour over the sparkling water– pouring it slowly helps mix a bit of the granita flavor in with the gin
  4. Garnish with mint

This drink has a strong beginning and then gets sweeter as the granita melts. It is a good drink for sipping on a hot Summer day!

Enjoy!

Gin and Basil Cocktail

Gin and Summer go hand in hand in my book. This simple and refreshing cocktail is perfect for a hot summer evening. Make it in single servings or mix it up in a batch to serve a crowd. I recently made a batch of this to serve at my husband’s Farm to Table Birthday Party. I also made a batch of Fruity Whiskey Collins. The two drinks went FAST and were perfect for an evening celebrating out in the garden and backyard.

Simple, Refreshing Gin and Basil Cocktail Recipe:

Gin and Basil Cocktail Ingredients

Gin and Basil Cocktail for one

Ingredients:

  •  2 oz of your favorite Gin
  •  1 oz of Lemon Juice (approximately 1 lemon)
  • 1 oz of Basil Simple Syrup
  • 4 oz soda water
  • ice
  • glass (at least 8 oz glass)
  • stirring spoon
  • garnish of Basil

Directions: 

  1. Pour 2 oz of Gin, 1 oz of Lemon Juice, 1 oz of Basil Simple Syrup, and 4 oz of soda water over ice in a tall glass.
  2. Stir
  3. Garnish with Basil leaf
  4. Enjoy!

Gin and Basil Cocktail

Gin and Basil Cocktail for Eight

Ingredients:

  •  16 oz of your favorite Gin
  •  8 oz of Lemon Juice (approximately 8 lemons)
  • 8 oz of Basil Simple Syrup
  • pitcher (at least 32 oz)
  • stirring spoon
  • Soda Water to be used at time of serving)
  • Measuring cup for 4oz (1/2 cup)
  • glassware, ice, stirring spoons, instructions sign and garnish of Basil for guests to make their own.

Directions: 

  1. Pour 16 oz of Gin, 8 oz of Lemon Juice, and 8 oz of Basil Simple Syrup into a pitcher
  2. Stir
  3. Set out with sign, glasses, stirring spoons, ice, measuring cup and soda water so guests can make their own.
  4. Pour 4 oz of the mixture over ice, top with soda water, stir, garnish with Basil and enjoy!