Very Cold, Very Dry

When I was young, my Dad and I would frequently go to the movies. We’d get our sugary sodas, buttery popcorn, giant boxes of candy, all costing at least $60, find our way into the dark theater, making sure to get the center aisle seats, and hunker down for two hours. We’d get there so early we’d see the ads that ran before the previews even started, with our sodas drunk and snacks eaten by the time the movie began.

We’d watch films starring the what I like to call the “Golden Stars”: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant, Matt Damon, among others.

It was magic, watching them on the big screen, the surround sound magnifying every special effect and dialogue spoken.

As we all know, the magic of the theatre has been diminished with affordable streaming options that cost less than the price of a movie ticket. Plus, when movies get released to streaming platforms within months of its release, what’s the point of going when you can be in your pajamas watching it with the candy you purchased using CVS coupons?

Now, my ideal movie night is making popcorn, snuggling under the blanket in my favorite pj’s and having a very cold, very dry martini.

Last week, we were in the mood for a certain movie from the late 90’s, starring two Golden Stars Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. If you guessed the one where they exchange messages over AOL, you’d be right (talk about nostalgia)! “You Got Mail” is the perfect encapsulation of one of my favorite eras. You got cardigan sets, Meg Ryan’s famous long pixie cut, AOL inventing the internet, and the big bad box bookstore coming into town, forcing the cute little independent bookstore to close. Funny enough, Barnes and Noble, who Fox Bookstores is supposed to be in the movie, could now be the bookstore Meg Ryan is trying to save and Amazon is the villain coming to tear down a small business (which they are)! But I digress.

The point is, You Got Mail has all the right ingredients for Martini Friday: It’s a classic, has a great soundtrack, and has the perfect martini scene:

Tom Hanks breaks up with his girlfriend and moves out, now living in a yacht. His womanizing father lives in the bigger, adjacent yacht. They talk while Hanks makes them martinis. And that my friend, is this week’s martini icon.

Tom Hanks (Joe Fox) in You Got Mail (1998)

90’s era Tom Hanks is just what we need in these crazy times. While 99.9% of us will never own a yacht, we can certainly make a martini with just three ingredients. And that is why the Martini is an easy and universally loved cocktail.

Plus, this scene is like a step by step instruction manual on how to make one.

Now, we can’t watch a 90’s rom-com without listening to a song from its soundtrack.

On the Playlist Tonight: I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself A Letter (Billy Williams) from the You Got Mail Soundtrack

Maybe it’ll inspire you to go old school and bring back the art of letter writing. In the age where you can communicate instantly with just a few taps, it’s not nearly as satisfying as receiving a handwritten note.

Tonight’s recipe: The Floral Martini

We’re going floral tonight, in honor of the movie, referring to the scene where Joe Fox gives Kathleen Kelly daisies when she’s sick. So romantic! The cucumber adds a refreshing touch to the herbaceous gin.

Gin: St. George Terrior See more about it here
Vermouth: Dry Vermouth
Garnish: Cucumber Slice

Recipe:
You’ll need:
A scale (or measuring cup)
Ice
Cocktail stirrer
Cocktail Mixing Glass
Cocktail Strainer
Chilled martini glass
3 oz (around 100 ml) of Gin
Splash of Dry Vermouth
Cucumber Slice

Place all liquid ingredients in the cocktail mixing glass (use a measuring cup as an alternative). Fill with ice. Stir for at least 30 seconds until the glass mixer is cold.

Take out your chilled martini glass. Strain mixture into glass. Place the cucumber on top. Enjoy!

I hope this inspires you to watch this gem, and maybe even go out and support your local bookstore (RIP The Shop Around the Corner!). Comment below with your favorite 90’s rom com!