Jerry's Thoughts, Musings, and Rants!

Mistletoe Cosmo

This recipe comes to you from the LCBO - Ontario's famous liquour monopoly. About 10 years ago they realized that food and drink go well together and started publishing a magazine that highlights the two. The Mistletoe Cosmo was featured it he 2008 Holiday (AKA Christmas) edition.

They wrote:

For a cocktail party with style, this fruity Martini is also gorgeous; deep red with the green accent of mint. Make up trays to pass around the room, keep a pitcher in the fridge for a quick and easy top-up, and get ready for the mistletoe!

Style - yes, Taste - yes. Easy - yes! Clearly a recipe to keep.

Mistletoe Cosmo

For one drink:

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add 1 oz vodka, 1 oz Chambord, ½ oz lime juice, 2 oz cranberry juice and 4 mint leaves, torn. Shake and strain into a Martini glass and garnish with a mint sprig.

For a 'happening' party . . .

Entertaining Size: Serves 8 People

1 cup vodka
1 cup Chambord
½ cup lime juice
2 cups cranberry juice
4 stalks mint leaves

Add all ingredients except mint to a pitcher and stir well to mix. Chill in fridge, or add ice cubes to chill quickly. Pour into Martini glasses and garnish each with a mint sprig.

Ginger Martini

I can not believe that it has been since July that I have featured a martini recipe on the blog. I have slipped to the point that I may never catch up. Yes, I am hanging my head in shame.

Shame, I say!

As I thought about what to make for a ginger appetizer on Sunday I decided to go all out and make a ginger martini. The tangy combination of ginger and vodka would be just the thing to rock my world, so to speak.

This martini can be made with a store bought ginger syrup - if you can find some in the store. I decided to use the recipe and make my own syrup. I am glad that I did because the depth of flavour from the fresh ginger was far superior to anything else that one could try and buy.

This is not a martini for the 'fruit-punch' martini lover - those who like a juice filled martini glass with a splash of vodka poured in for good measure. This martini will knock your socks off with the potent combination of vodka and spice fresh ginger. MMMMMMMM

Ginger Martini

Ice
3 ounces vodka
1/2 to 1 ounce ginger syrup
1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
Twist of lemon or lime

Fill a cocktail shaker or small pitcher with ice.

Add the vodka, ginger syrup, and lime juice.

Cover and shake vigorously, or stir, until combined and chilled, about 30 seconds (In general, by the time the shaker mists up the drink is ready).

Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Add twist and serve. 

Ginger Syrup

1 lemon
2 cups coarsely chopped fresh ginger with peel, about 8 ounces
1 cup sugar
2 cups water

Remove the outer peel of the lemon with a vegetable peeler, taking care not to include too much of the bitter white pith.

Finely chop the lemon peel and ginger in a food processor.

Transfer the lemon-ginger mixture to a medium saucepan, add the sugar and water and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes.

Strain the mixture and cool.

Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week. 

Strawberry Basil Martini

ARGH - back to work tomorrow.

I am NOT ready nor happy about this. Not happy at all. However, the work pays for the trips so off I go . . .

Anyway. Paul's sister, brother-in-law, and two nephews are in town visiting from Manitoba. It turns out that tonight was the only night that we could have them over for dinner before Ian starts his drive back on Friday. While the timing wasn't ideal you make the best of whatever opportunity shows up! It sure helps that they are so wonderful - anytime we can spend together with them we take it!

I was looking for an interesting martini to make and finally settled upon a strawberry one. Then I thought about an herb to add. I've been doing a lot of stuff with fresh herbs lately and enjoy the combination of strawberry and basil. Hmmm A few clicks of the mouse and I had a recipe for a strawberry basil martini.

It was a HUGE hit. We all enjoyed it. This is a perfect summer drink - you can play around a bit by adding more basil or strawberries depending upon your preferences.

This recipe is from Food and Wine magazine.

Enjoy!

 Strawberry Basil Martini

3 strawberries, plus 1 thin slice of strawberry for garnish
3 basil leaves
1/2 ounce Simple Syrup
Ice
1 ounce gin, preferably Tanqueray No. Ten
1 ounce vodka
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the strawberries with the basil leaves and Simple Syrup (I don't have a proper muddler but found by bashing the strawberries, basil, and syrup with a wooden spoon i was able to bash things up nicely). Add ice and the remaining ingredients and shake well. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with the strawberry slice.

NOTE - you can make a simple syrup by mixing 1 part water to two parts sugar (i.e. 1 cup water + 2 cups sugar) in a saucepan. bring to a boil and gently boil until all fhe sugar has dissolved. Cool completely before using.

Blackberry Limoncello Martini

The blog has been sadly lacking in martini recipes lately. Today seems as good a day as any to fix that oversight!

There is something about the spring and lemon that seems to run together in my cluttered brain. Perhaps it is because lemon seems so fresh - like the spring does when it hits full-force, full of promise and hope.

Whatever the reason - the point is that for me spring = lemon. Call me weird, have at it. I am good with it all (isn't it amazing how four days off of work can improves one's disposition . . .).

This is a tale of how I started on a journey, got twisted about, and came up with something great in the end. Hmmmm - this could be a metaphor for my life!

So I was looking for a lemon martini recipe to make on Good Friday. Then I thought mmmmm - limoncello. Anyone who has ever sipped a glass of limoncello in Italy knows that nothing is quite as lemony as that!

I found a recipe for a limoncello martini but was loath to stop there.

'What goes great with lemon?' I wondered . . . BLACKBERRY!

So, at the end of the twisted journey . . . I present one incredible martini for your sipping pleasure (and believe you me, it WILL be pleasure)

Blackberry Limoncello Martini

Ice
3 ounces lemon vodka (I used Absolut Citron)
1 ounce limoncello
1 ounce Chambord
2 teaspoons blackberry infused simple syrup (see recipe below)
Lemon twists, fresh blackberries for garnish

Fill a shaker with ice.

Add vodka, limoncello, Chambord and the blackberry simple syrup. Shake well and strain into martini glasses. Garnish each with fresh blackberries a lemon twist.

Blackberry Simple Syrup: Simple syrup is made by combining 2 parts granulated sugar with 1 part water. Add a handful of blackberries. Crush the blackberries with the back of a wooden spoon in the syrup. Simmer, stirring, over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Strain. Chill before using.

A Celebration Martini

Many of my friends south of the border are celebrating today. Guess what, many of us up here as well. It has been a challenging time living next to the US as they bumbled through the past eight years. Hopefully the election will put an end to the negative politics of recent history and mark a return to government that actually puts the interests of people first and foremost.

I have to say though that in the midst of this euphoria I am disappointed in some of the people of CA who voted to ban san-sex marriage. It is inconceivable that anyone would vote for discrimination, regardless of what you feel about marriage. Of course, this battle isn't over and the struggle will continue for years. Until then I guess we'll continue to see a stream of Californians coming to Canada to marry.

This martini is a classy, rich treat deserving of a celebration. Some folks south of the border deserve to mix one of these up . . . those of you who don't have anything to celebrate, and you know who you are . . . just pour a yoo-hoo in a cup and swill it back.

Enjoy.

The Nutty Berry

1 oz Chambord
1 oz Frangelico
1 oz half and half
2 blackberries

Mix the ingredients in a martini shaker filled iwth ice, Shake.

Pour into a martini glass.

Garnish with the blackberries. Note - I used frozen blackberries and they replaced the ice cube I generally toss into a martini because I like them quite chilled.

Toffee Apple Martini

The last time we were at the LCBO we picked up a bottle of Dooley's Toffee Liqueur, only to get home and discover that we already had one. Rather than take it back, I started searching for recipes to make that might assist us in using it up.

We found the recipe for this martini on a restaurant web site. It only listed the ingredients so we had to play about a bit wit the measurements. My kind of experimentation! This is a great martini with hints of toffee and apple.

I'll warn you - it is high in fat AND highly addictive - always a lethal combination.

Enjoy!

Toffee Apple Martini

1 oz Dooley's Toffee Liqueur
1 oz Green Apple Vodka
2 oz apple juice
1/2 oz cream
Cinnamon sugar

Rim the glass with the cinnamon sugar. I dipped the rim of the glass in some Dooley's and then in the sugar. Let dry.

In a shaker pour the remaining ingredients. Shake with ice.

Pour into the prepared martini glasses.

Orchard Martini

I've posted about this martini twice in the past few weeks. Lots of folks have asked em for the recipe - lord knows I am happy to share! I think that for Paul and I this our new favourite martini - perfect for this time of year. It tastes of apple cider - what says fall better than that?

On Monday we officially ran out of both vodka AND Pucker liqueur . . . time for a run to the liquor store!

Orchard Martini

1 1/2 oz vodka
3/4 oz sour apple liqueur (we use 'Pucker')
3 oz apple cider

Mix ingredients together with ice, shake. Pour into a martini glass. Garnish with an apple wedge or a thin cross-section slice of apple.

I Need a Drink!

Work has been killer lately. It has been the same for Paul, as well. The other day we dragged ourselves home after a bad day, arriving at the front door at the same time. We looked at one another and it was clear - a drink was needed.

I had some Blue Alize (a French liqueur) handy and the rest of the ingredients (sans Swedish Fish) for this cocktail so it became the drink of choice. We loved the taste and the colour.

Funny how sipping one of these in the garden makes the hectic pace of work vanish, if only for an hour or two.

Absolut Blue Fin

 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 oz. Absolut Citron Vodka

1 oz. White Cranberry Juice

1/2 oz. Alize Blue

 

 

Instructions:

 

Add all ingredients to a shaker. Fill with ice. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a Swedish Fish.

 

Note: I did NOT have a 'Swedish Fish' (the candy) handy so I served these with a twist if lime.

Martini Class

This is March Break here in Ontario - spring break for those of you used to another term. If you've been following my whining here on the blog you know it has been a brutal winter. We were excited about our Martini class on Monday - your Winter Get-away Martini Style'. We really, really, really needed to get away from snow and cold, if even just for a short hour.

The class was offered by the LCBO. For those of you who aren't from Ontario, this is our government run liquor monopoly. It is the largest purchaser of wine and spirits in the world and at the same time it pumps billions of dollars into the government coffers and provides Ontarians with an excellent supply of wine and liquor. Clearly a win, win situation!

The LCBO store near our house is equipped with a large room where they hold tastings and cooking demonstrations three or four times a week. The martini class was to be an hour long and we were to taste 6 martinis. What a get-away!

Now before I am slammed by the 'purists'  . . . we only drank 1 martini. The rest were simply cocktails served in a martini glass. However the term 'martini' is evolving and we should all just get on with it, I say.

I am reminded of my grade 12 geography teacher, Mr Washington. He once asked us to define the word 'rock'. We came up wit all sorts of complicated definitions but never quite got it. Finally, someone asked him what the definition of 'rock' was. His response was: 'something hard that you can pick up and throw at a rabbit.'

In the spirit (no pun intended) of Mr Washington . . . my new definition of Martini is any alcoholic beverage served in a Martini glass.

When we arrived we took our spot. The tasting mats were set with six martini glasses, each one uniquely decorated.

Let the get-away commence!

By the time the class was over we had tried six martinis (not full sized thank goodness), learned some new tips, and had a debate with the alloying man across from Paul over the key ingredient in Chambord.

Classic Martini

2 1/2 oz Premium Gin or Vodka
Splash of Vermouth

Put ingredients into a shaker with ice, for a Gin martini stir (do NOT shake), for a vodka martini shake, until chilled. Pour into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with an olive or lemon zest.

Kim, the instructor, showed us a trick. She added no vermouth at all to the drink. Rather she soaked the olives in vermouth. After draining them she added one to each glass. this provided for the perfect amount of vermouth.

I confess that I wasn't looking forward to this one. At every martini class we have ever taken this is made, and at every class it is everyone's least favourite. This was the first time I had had one prepared with gin (Bombay Sapphire) and for a change, I liked it!

Orange Star

1 1/2 oz Starbucks Coffee Liqueur
1/2 oz Mandarin Vodka
2 oz cold hazelnut flavoured coffee
1 oz Starbucks Cream Liqueur

Pour ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. Shake until well chilled. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a slice of orange that has been dipped in melted chocolate.

Key Lime Martini

1 oz Navan Liqueur (a liqueur made with vanilla and cognac)
1 oz melon liqueur
1/2 oz vanilla vodka

Dip the rim of the martini glass in melted white chocolate, then dip into graham cracker crumbs. Chill.

Measure the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until well chilled. Strain into a prepared martini glass.

Ras-chocolate Martini

1 oz premium vodka
1 oz creme de cacao (the clear, not the coloured)
1/2 oz raspberry liqueur (we used Chambord)
2 oz raspberry/cranberry cocktail

Measure the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until well chilled. Strain into a prepared martini glass.

Garnish with frozen raspberries.

Ocean Blue Martini

1 oz Hpnotiq liqueur
1 oz gold tequila
1/2 oz simple syrup
1 oz lime juice

Measure the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until well chilled. Strain into a prepared martini glass.

Garnish with frozen blueberries.

Kim also dipped the glass in Hpnotiq and then in coloured sugar for a festive look.

Chai Cream Martini

1 1/2 oz Voyant liqueur (a new chai tea liqueur)
1/2 oz dark rum
1/2 oz Kahlua

Measure the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until well chilled. Strain into a prepared martini glass rimmed with sugar and cinnamon.

Kim dipped the glass into Voyant in order to have the sugar/cinnamon mixture stick.

I don't know which one was my favourite. Paul's favourite was the Orange Star. I enjoyed the Chai Cream and the Ocean Blue.

A highlight for Paul was when he won 4 martini glasses to take home. He couldn't wait to get them home and fill them with a tasty concoction.

All in all it was one heck of a way to forget about winter for awhile!

A Martini for the February Bloggers

Back on January 26th Angie (AKA Tuscanartist), an incredibly talented artist living in Paris, posted this on a slowtravel message board:

Today I decided to blog everyday for a month. Anybody want to join me?

There are a lot of people out there that blog more than me but some do less too. So maybe we can motivate each other in this midwinter. I'm starting today

The group you see listed on the side as the February Bloggers are the folks who accepted the challenge. So starting on February 1st these folks: an Australian, three Canadians, some Americans, an American living in Paris, and a Norwegian living in Baltimore, filled countless hours sharing their thoughts, experiences, and stories on-line. Today, being the last day of February, the challenge is complete.

I confess that I felt a cheat joining in . . . I have blogged every day since January, 02, 2007. However, I am always one to join a party so the group kindly allowed me to join.

In honour of the group's accomplishment, I post a martini recipe which was created by . . . drumroll please . . . me! Like mant good things, it was created by accident. I felt like making a chocolate martini but had no dark chocolate liqueur. I did find some white chocolate liqueur (I know, I know . . . white chocolate isn't really chocolate) which I poured into a shaker with some other indigents.

When I poured it out for Paul he raved 'this is amazing, just like a Banana Cream Pie!'

Now, I don't like banana flavoured drinks as a rule but managed to quaff this back with a smile.

Banana Cream Pie Martini

1 oz Vanilla Vodka
1 oz White Chocolate Liqueur
1 oz Creme de Banana
1/2 oz White Creme de Cacao

Pour over ice in a martini shaker. Shake until well chilled.

Strain into martini glasses.

We garnished the glass with pieces of sliced banana which had been dipped in chocolate.

Cheers to the wonderful February Bloggers, be proud of your accomplishment!