r
Yuupppp, life is tough 'round these parts. Actually, the toughest part about this was 1) Not looking like an alcoholic with 7 martinis in front of me when I'm alone at 3:30 p.m., and 2) tasting each of them and still making it to my 5 p.m. training appointment at the gym.
Like I said, sacrifices. The reason I went over there is because, as indicated, Brio just launched this new martini menu, (You can order them for just $5 on Wednesdays from 3 p.m.-close), along with a "bar bites" menu. Some of the martinis are pretty standard -- cosmos, flirtinis, and the like -- while others are a little more adventurous.
(For martini afficianados -- before you start complaining, I know these are really more "cocktails" than martinis, as a martini is made with gin and vermouth, period. I agree with you. I'm just going along with terminology here for convenience's sake).
But I digress.
My personal favorite was the Chocolate Raspberry Martini, a mixture of Soieski Raspberry and Creme de Cocoa, shaken with whipped cream. I'm not usually a big fan of chocolate martinis -- too rich -- but this was delish. Winning the prize for the martini you're least likely to see on another menu is a Lemon Basil Crush Martini, which was really similar to the lemontini that's also offered. It's a mixture of Sobieski Cytron vodka, freshly crushed basil and freshly squeezed lemon juice. It's an interesting combination, but a flavor profile that I'm fond of.
However, sometimes, it's just not possible to make it out for a martini, so it's good to keep some items on hand so you can have your own cocktail hour at home. I really enjoy coming up with new flavor combinations for cocktails (my fiance is my guinea pig for test-tasting). Here are a couple of my faves:
Sake-Tini
I'm not a huge fan of straight sake, so when my fiance brought home a bottle, I found a way to dilute its flavor, but keep a hint of taste in a refreshing beverage.
1 ounce gin
1 ounce sake
Cucumber slices for garnish
Combine the gin, sake, and cucumber in a cocktail shake filled with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Float the cucumber slices on top of the martini.
Watermelon-tini
Could this be any more perfect for a hot summer afternoon?
- r
- 2 ounces watermelon puree r
- 1 ounce vodka r
- 1/2 ounce watermelon schnapps r
- Lime wedge r
Combine the watermelon puree, vodka, and schnapps in a shaker over ice. Shake and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.
