Very Cold, Very Dry

This is the first thing I text my husband as I am leaving work. It’s a very important question. He’s always one step ahead of me. “Two glasses ready to go”, he’ll reply. It is Martini Friday after all!

Then the second most important question is “Olive, onion or a twist?”, which depends on the gin we’re using. Is it herbaceous? London Dry? A little salty? (And if you’re new to the martini world, here’s a little guide to get started)

Well, for today’s martini, we’re doing a classic Steakhouse Martini. This one is from a cocktail book called “The Martini Cocktail” by Robert Simonson.

This recipe is from Gallagher’s Steakhouse in New York, which is still there today.

According to the book, this martini got a revamp in 2014 when they brought a highly regarded bartender, Dominic Venegas to fix the cocktail list. He made this with higher quality gin, less watery, and of course, always a chilled glass beforehand. This is also in a smaller coupe glass. Scroll down for the recipe.

On the playlist tonight: “Four and Five” by Kenny Drew Trio. When this song plays, I think of walking into a beautiful hotel bar, two seats open, with quiet jazz playing in the background.

Tonight’s martini: The Gallaghers Steakhouse Martini. Even though it was a bit more “wet” than we usually have our martinis, I liked the hint of orange mixed with the lemon.

Gallaghers Steakhouse Martini
Gin: Beefeater (We used Bombay Sapphire which is a great equivalent)
Vermouth: Dolin Vermouth
Bitters: Orange
Garnish: Lemon Twist

Recipe:
You’ll need:
A scale (or measuring cup)
Ice
Cocktail stirrer
Cocktail Mixing Glass
Cocktail Strainer
Chilled martini glass
2 1/2 ounces of Beefeater Gin
3/4 ounce of Dolin Dry Vermouth
1 dash of Orange Bitters
Lemon Twist

Directions:
Combine the liquid ingredients in a mixing glass filled with ice and stir until chilled, about 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Express a lemon twist over the surface of the drink and drop it into the glass.

Naturally, we had to do a steak dinner with our martini. Here are a few photos (a blog on our steak dinner to come soon)!

Four kinds of bruschetta, steak with homemade fries and cauliflower gratin, and cheese plate.

Martini icon(s) of the Week: Rose Castorini (Moonstruck)

(Excuse the curtains, it’s a screenshot from my TV. )

One of my favorite movies of all time. It’s one of those films you can watch over and over again. The lines, the acting and story never get old. When we decided to watch it this week, I realized Rose was the perfect martini icon. She knows what she wants, who she is, and knows how to order (“Martini, no ice two olives”), because she is a regular at Grand Ticino. It’s also the perfect cocktail to eavesdrop on the next table.

Well, your martini glass is probably chilled by now. Enjoy and put on the perfect movie pairing! Cheers!