Very Cold, Very Dry

Happy Wednesday, Martini Lovers! How is everyone doing? I for one, cannot fathom that this is the last week before Christmas. I feel like all the days and weeks blur together, causing me to forget it’s actually December. Thankfully, the array of holiday Hallmark movies remind me.

As I mentioned in last week’s Martini Friday’s post, getting out of the house is a struggle this time of year. It has to be a really worthwhile event for me to crawl out of my heated cocoon, trade my well-worn, soft pajamas for actual clothes, and add an extra 15 mins to my getting ready time to put on all the winter layers needed to make being out in 27 degrees bearable.

Fortunately, the outings that have forced me to leave the house have been worthwhile, especially with the holiday spirit and a martini being involved. So, I thought I’d share my favorites from the past week. Because if you have to leave the house, make it worth your time!

The Sidecar Martini at The Stockyard

This local institution in Brighton is the ultimate no frills steakhouse. The dark wood, fireplaces, and a menu with all the standards you’d expect (and want) make this a favorite of my friends for our annual holiday dinner. I also love their martinis, especially when it’s served with a sidecar. If you haven’t seen the trend lately, it’s where restaurants put your martini mixture in a little carafe with a bucket of ice. This way, your martini is always cold, and you can put as much as you want in your glass. This place did it before the trend, and will continue doing it after. Also, I’m counting the bleu cheese olives as a ‘Tini snack. Click here for the menu.

Monkey 47 Gin at Rochambeau

Most locals avoid this part of Back Bay, a neighborhood in Boston, as it’s right in the heart of two touristy shopping meccas: Newbury Street and The Prudential. They’ll use it for the convenient access to the trains, but then go somewhere near their neighborhood for dinner to avoid the tourists.

While I’d argue there aren’t great options in this area because of those reasons, Rochambeau has become a decent place to grab a bite before a concert at The Boston Symphony.

The atmosphere is has a sexy tropical vibe, and it’s not too loud to have an intimate dinner.

For $37, you can get their steak, a salad, warm baguette and endless frites (fries) from 5-10 daily. While we didn’t get that at this particular time, we’ve had it before and highly recommend! Where else can you get steak for $37?!

Their martinis aren’t too shabby either. They came in impressive glassware and garnished with decent lemon twists. It wasn’t as cold as I’d like it, but it was mixed well.

To accompany the cocktails, we had Crab Cocktail Appetizer, served with homemade chips. It was fresh, light and a great combination. Definitely recommend as a pairing for cocktail hour. Click here for the menu

If you really don’t want to leave the house…

While I love going out once and having a martini prepared for me once occasion, I truly believe I make the best martinis. I know exactly the ratio of gin to vermouth to make them dry, when to put our glasses in the freezer so they’re extra cold, and how I like my olives stuffed with a certain bleu cheese. Plus, it’s a lot more cost effective, and I can be in my pajamas,

I decided to recreate the sidecar martini at home. All you need is a bowl, fill it with ice and a little carafe. If you don’t have one, use a small drinking glass. Please excuse all the mess in the kitchen!

Also a charcuterie board is always the perfect cocktail appetizer. There’s no cooking involved, it’s ready in minutes, and you can put as much or little as you want on the board.

However you decide to enjoy your ‘Tini snacks with your martini, may it be exactly what you want or need (sometimes it is necessary!). Want more inspo? Head to our first ‘Tini snacks post!

Let’s I know in the comments what you have for ‘Tini snacks!