You can keep your Aperol spritzes: On a warm summer evening, I live for a bracingly crisp, ice-cold martini. Of course, martinis are a classic year-round — hell, they're the second-most popular cocktail in America, after the margarita — but there's something about the long and lazy hours of summer that make me especially appreciative of the iconic drink. Martinis are, without doubt, having a major moment; some bars in New York are making upwards of 1,000 martinis a night, no doubt thanks to their big swerve out of "old man drink" status and back into the realm of cool.
Becoming a drinker of martinis entails developing a whole new element of your identity. The age-old question of gin, vodka, or both (shoutout to the Vesper crowd) takes precedence, but then there's the matter of olives versus twist, as well as with vermouth or without. It can feel a little bit B*zzFeed personality quiz to think about it too hard, but there's also nothing wrong with changing it up occasionally or often. Personally, I'm a vodka martini girl — Tito's, Belvedere, or Chopin; extra dry; a touch of brine and extra olives.
The Rat Pack member inside of me loves to sip a martini at Musso & Frank, but I also love to make martinis at home when I have guests over and want to serve something classier than a hard kombucha from the back of my fridge.
If you're a real martini enthusiast, you probably keep all the necessities on hand: a few solid gin and vodka options, dry vermouth if you're so inclined, nice glassware, multiple types of olives to suit the mood, and ideally some cocktail picks and embroidered napkins for serving the finished product in style. The world of martini merch has never been broader or more varied, and here I bring you a rundown of five of my favorite martini-centric gifts.
Quincy olives and brine
I recently became a big fan of Quincy's very smart take on martini olives. The olive-to-brine ratio is specifically formulated to make 14 dirty martinis per jar with no waste (of fruit or liquid), and the brine itself is just the right balance of salty and umami. I've made a few friends dirty martinis with Quincy brine recently and they all commented on how excellent their drinks came out. Plus, the recipe is right on the label, so it's foolproof.
Williams Sonoma Reserve coupe cocktail glasses
There are plenty of different styles of stemmed glasses that can handle a martini, but even as someone with a robust glassware collection, I find myself coming back to these classic, elegant coupes again and again. Sometimes, less really is more.
A sparkly little martini bag charm
Bag charms continue to dominate the accessory-for-an-accessory game, and there are some seriously charming (no pun intended, I swear) food-themed bag charms out there right now, including this beaded little 'tini that does double duty as a keychain.
A handsome set of cocktail picks
The finishing touches are what make the martini drinking experience. Think about it: If a bartender shook some vodka with ice and served it to you in an ungarnished Dixie cup, would you want to drink it? (Very, very doubtful.) It's all in the full aesthetic and sensory experience, and a set of chic metal picks can majorly elevate your cocktail. I would love to spear a couple of Castelvetranos on these bad boys.
Polo Bear cocktail napkins
I'm into these Ralph Lauren cocktail napkins emblazoned with a tuxedoed Polo Bear, and if someone handed one to me with my drink, I'd feel like a million bucks.
Post a Comment
0Comments