The beauty of the Martini Cocktail is its austerity. Just two ingredients artfully combined in perfect proportions, along with the right garnish, yield a classic cocktail that is easy to make at home but sublime in flavor — provided you use quality ingredients, of course.
There are those who are firmly entrenched in the gin camp, but just as many prefer vodka as the building block of the Martini Cocktail. And for the latter group, an excellent choice is GREY GOOSE Vodka. This French spirit is distilled from single-origin Picardie winter wheat with natural spring water used to cut it to proof, resulting in a subtly sweet vodka with notes of citrus and vanilla on the palate. It’s the perfect canvas to build upon with splashes of flavor and color.
And if you’re expecting company this holiday season, or any time of the year, building your own home Martini bar is a cinch and the perfect way to please any palate.
Start With a Foundation of Flavor
The Martini Cocktail may be exquisitely simple, but it’s also quite a versatile drink, meaning you can customize it to any palate or even find ways to incorporate flavors of the season in which you are drinking. Building a spread at home to mix up different types of Martini cocktails is easy, starting with the core components: GREY GOOSE Vodka and the dry vermouth of your choice. There are many opinions to be had and formulas to be calculated when mixing a Martini Cocktail, running from the 50/50 version (equal parts vodka and vermouth) to just a glance and a nod at a bottle of aromatized wine. But for a classic Dry GREY GOOSE Martini Cocktail, the proportions are as follows: 2 and a half ounces of vodka combined with half an ounce of vermouth, along with a dash of orange bitters and a twist of lemon.
Now Add Autumn-Appropriate Spins on the Classic Martini Cocktail
The fall season is now entirely upon us, but pay no attention to the misconception that sweater weather equals whiskey weather — this is the perfect time to change up your Martini Cocktail game and take inspiration from all of those rich, warm flavors associated with the season. Use this opportunity to veer away from standard garnishes like olives and lemons. Instead, expand your home bar to include ingredients like dried cranberries, apples, cinnamon sticks, maple syrup, cider Calvados, and apple brandy.
Apple Juice and Apple Cider
Consider the Appletini. Now, ignore its reputation. Sure, it has gotten a bad rap due to the saccharine apple schnapps often used as a mixer, but you can elevate this drink by introducing Calvados to the cocktail. Calvados is a French brandy from the eponymous region of Normandy, made from apples and/or pears. Try swapping out vermouth for Calvados in your Martini Cocktail, and garnish with some dried apple and a small cinnamon stick to see how the drink can be transformed. If you are looking to add a bit of sweetness, a splash of apple juice will heighten the fruit flavor and provide a burst of fruity tartness.
Sticking with the fruit theme that is so synonymous with the fall season, there’s nothing like a hot cup of apple cider after a brisk day of apple picking at an orchard. The slightly acidic and fermented flavor from the cider can match wonderfully with a vodka Martini Cocktail, balanced by a bit of sweetness from a spoonful of maple syrup. Using these ingredients to build your Martini Cocktail will really turn this drink into a fall classic, with the final touch of a cinnamon stick for garnish.
Add a Pop of Color With Cranberries
Cranberries always bring to mind the approaching Thanksgiving holiday, and while fresh cranberries can be quite tart, the dried version can be used to bring a nice balance of sweet and sour to your Martini Cocktail. Keep the vermouth on hand for this one, but add a half-ounce of cranberry juice (unsweetened or sweetened, your choice) and garnish with dried cranberries to add a pop of color and flavor to the drink.
Fall Goes Fancy With Fig and Pomegranate
Another way to customize your Martini Cocktail for the fall season is by bringing some unlikely ingredients like figs and pomegranate into play. The Fall Vodka Martini Cocktail from GREY GOOSE combines fig puree and fresh pomegranate juice with the vodka base, along with equal parts lemon juice and maple syrup. And for a final touch of sweet acidity, a spoonful of balsamic vinegar goes a long way here. Garnish with fresh fig and pomegranate seeds, and enjoy this festive and fruity riff on the Martini Cocktail.
Pumpkin Spice for Life
If you think the shade that gets thrown at pumpkin spice every autumn is unjust, consider stocking up on pumpkin pie spice mix and cream liqueur to liven up your cocktail. There are even some pumpkin liqueurs to consider, a spirit that would blend well with chai tea to really bring autumn feels to a Martini Cocktail.
These ideas are just starting points, and there are many other flavors and ingredients to consider adding to your home Martini bar. The options are truly endless. No matter the season, holiday, or company you keep, there’s a GREY GOOSE Martini Cocktail waiting to be created to suit every taste bud.
This article is sponsored by GREY GOOSE® Vodka.
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©2022. GREY GOOSE, ITS TRADE DRESS AND THE GEESE DEVICE ARE TRADEMARKS. IMPORTED BY GREY GOOSE IMPORTING COMPANY, CORAL GABLES, FL. VODKA – 40 % ALC. BY VOL. DISTILLED FROM FRENCH WHEAT.
