Very Cold, Very Dry

About a week ago, I was eating lunch along the water. It was one of those perfect Spring afternoons. High 60’s, the breeze just right as it cools you down but isn’t windy. The sky so blue it almost looked fake.

There’s a busy walking path along the water, and it’s fun to hear snippets of people’s conversations as they pass by. One in particular caught my attention. Two people were conversing, and one of them said loudly enough so I could hear, “Wow! It sure is gorgeous! I could live here!”

I started laughing. I thought to myself, would you say that if it was 10 degrees below zero, with 6 feet of snow on the ground, the wind chill burning your face as you painstakingly try and keep up with shoveling? I think not!

If you’re a New Englander, you know these days are few and far between. It’s almost a right of passage when they arrive, like you’ve earned it because you’ve survived a winter or two. Or several.

I still wonder if that person started looking at Zillow.

For me, I will be taking advantage of every nice day we have, as you never know when they’ll end.

So for this Martini Friday series, we’ll be talking about all things to do with martinis outside: patio ideas, a fun and easy appetizer, and of course, the usual Friday offerings.

Let’s dive in!

Our little porch!

We take advantage of the porch as much as possible. Here are some of the products we use to make our porch perfect for martini nights, all pictured above!

These napkins speak to my millennial self.

This exact rug – it’s perfect for smaller porches, and is waterproof!

Our martini glasses are here (They’re also mentioned in our Favorite Martini Tools which you should check out!)

Our exact porch furniture! I love that they’re easy to assemble, durable, and perfect for two! We actually got two sets so four people could sit comfortably. We also like using the two tables setup like above – one for appetizers, and one for our drinks. The navy cushions come came with our set, but there are other colors available!

Our pillows are no longer available, but I am loving these and these pillows!

The Charcuterie Board was also a factory outlet find, but this one is just as stylish!

I just made this pimento cheese dip recipe. For some reason, I am obsessed, and I make it at least once a week. This recipe adds some nice heat and spice, from What’s Gaby Cooking. Recipe below (my notes are in italic)

Pimento Cheese Dip

• 2 cups shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese (I tend to use pre-shredded cheese!)
• 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• ⅓ cup mayonnaise
• 1, 4-ounce jar diced pimentos drained
• 1 jalapeño pepper seeded and minced (optional) – I recommend adding this if you like heat!
• ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• Potato chips for serving (I like to use the crackers from Trader Joe’s, but use what you like!)

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the shredded cheddar, softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, drained pimentos, minced jalapeño, granulated garlic, red pepper flakes, and onion powder. Mix until thoroughly combined and creamy.

Season generously with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. For best flavor, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Bring to cool room temperature before serving. Serve with potato chips, crackers, or crudités for dipping.

It definitely gets better the longer it’s marinating in the fridge, so if you have time, let it sit for at least an hour before serving. But it’s still good if you serve it immediately!

Martini of the Week: 50/50 Martini

I have seen so many memes on my feed that say “It’s not weird to order a 50/50 martini”.

While I love my very cold, very dry martinis, I would not say someone is “strange” for ordering one. If you’re not familiar, it is basically equal parts gin and vermouth. There are variations on it, but this one from Food and Wine is the most similar to what we would make at home. We put in orange bitters for an extra kick, and Eric loves a lemon peel.

Recipe:
1 1/2 ounces gin
1 1/2 ounces dry vermouth
1 dash orange bitters (I like this brand)
Lemon twist, for garnish

Tools:
Martini Glass (Chilled in Freezer)
Cocktail Mixing Glass
Cocktail Stirrer
Jigger
Peeler
Paring Knife

Instructions:
Add the gin, dry vermouth and orange bitters to a mixing glass. Fill with ice and stir until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Enjoy!

My Favorite Gin of the Week:
I’m going to go with my old standby, Bombay Sapphire. It’s always available, it’s dry, and goes good with both olives, onions and lemon peel. I’m a broken record, but it’s the best.

Music I’m listening to:

You should actually read my blog I posted on Wednesday, Martini Music For Quiet Evenings, which is perfect porch music!

My martini icon this week is…

He’s been our martini icon before, but somehow, he popped up on my Tik Tok feed, and I couldn’t resist. He’s literally holding my drink – with three olives! And his suit is gorgeous.

He’s about to attend the Met Gala (which I don’t love, but that’s another story), but the face that he’s having a cocktail before heading down the Met Gala carpet (or whatever it is called), thinks he knows this is a bad look for him and he needs some liquid courage to do it anyway.

I hope you enjoyed my Martini Fridays; patio edition! More to come on patio season! Comment below on how you enjoy a martini outside!