Chocolate Martini
One of my best friends brought back this gem from the
Venetian in Las Vegas.
1.5 oz chocolate vodka (Golden Boar, Van Gogh, etc.)
1.0 oz chocolate liqueur (Mozart, Godiva, etc.)
.75 oz Bailey's
.75 oz Amaretto
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake
vigorously, and pour into martini glasses. For a special
touch, drizzle chocolate patterns in the glasses prior to
pouring in the liquid.
Margarita
You’ll first need to make some sweet & sour.
Sweet & sour:
1 part fresh-squeezed lime juice
1 part fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 part sugar (I like to use turbinado sugar; agave nectar
is also good)
3 parts water
Dissolve 1 part sugar in 1 part boiling water. Add 2
remaining parts water and lemon and lime juice. This
mixture lasts a few weeks when refrigerated. I like to
freeze it in Gatoraid bottles or ziplock bags for longer
storage.
Now, for the actual margaritas:
1 part Cointreau
1 part Grand Marnier
4 parts tequila (Sauza Hornitos Reposado is a good place to
start)
9–12 parts sweet & sour
For a single margarita, .5 oz. each of Cointreau and Grand
Marnier and 2 oz. tequila will set proportions well. To
make two liters for a party, start with 4 oz. each of
Cointreau and Grand Marnier and 16 oz. tequila. A dozen
each lemons and limes will get you enough juice.
I’m forever indebted to David Cooper, who we met while he
was working at Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill in Las Vegas, for
help with this recipe.
Gin & Tonic
Many gins taste like aftershave courtesy of the
manufacturer overloading them with botanicals. I find
Plymouth and Boodles much more to my liking. The
tonic is at least as important as the gin in
developing the overall taste. Unfortunately, nearly
every tonic is sweetened with high-fructose corn
syrup, giving it a nasty taste. At the time of
writing, Stirrings tonic is the only decent one
available in the Atlanta area. Other ones that look
appealing include Fever Tree and Q.
Recipe:
1 part Plymouth gin
1–2 parts Stirrings tonic
Lime juice
If you start with 2 oz. of gin, the juice from a quarter of
a lime is about right. Serve on the rocks.
Dry Martini
1 part Noilly Prat French (dry) vermouth
2 parts gin
splash of olive brine
Chill the martini glasses in the freezer while preparing
the drink. Combine ingredients in a shaker with a generous
helping of ice cubes and shake until cold. Pour into the
glasses and garnish with olives. Using 1/2 part dry and 1/2
part Martini & Rossi Italian (sweet)
vermouth is also very tasty.
See also part 1 and part 2 of this series on stocking a
liquor cabinet.
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