San Jose Martini

San Jose Martini


Ingredients:

  • 3 oz Gin
  • 1/2 oz Dry Vermouth
  • Teaspoon Menjure de Ancho Reyes (Ancho Chile Liqueur)
  • Olive

Take a classic American martini and add a dash of ancho chile liqueur from the Pueblo de Zaragoza en Mexico and you have a drink that is quintessentially San Jose, California.

Ancho Reyes Liqueur
San Jose, my adopted home town, was home to Costanoan Indians when Spaniards arrived in 1776. It was part of the Mexican state of California until 1846 when settlers revolted and declared California an independent republic. Then the territory was annexed by the United States and became a U.S. state in 1850. San Jose is proud of all these heritages. They are reflected in our language(s), food, architecture and more.

Ancho Reyes Liqueur made with ancho chiles.
The use of chiles for flavor came from Native Americans in Mexico (likely dating to before the Mayans and Aztecs.) And today my neighbors and I use salsa and chile sauces like the rest of the USA uses salt or ketchup.

Gilbey's Gin is one of my favorites.
Ancho Reyes does provide a kick but it isn't super hot. Instead it gives the San Jose Martini a warm, smoky aroma and roasted chile flavor.

The Ancho Reyes benefits from a little sweetness from the vermouth and salt from the olive.


Dry Martini

Barnard Recipe for the Perfect Dry Martini

How have I gotten this far without giving you a classic, dry martini? For those of us who like gin, I mean really like gin, then this is the ticket. But you have to follow the instructions carefully to achieve the perfect cocktail!

Ingredients:

  • 3 oz Gin (Tanqueray, Bombay Sapphire, Gordons, Beefeater and even others could work)
  • Dry Vermouth (ONLY Noilly Prat or Dolin will do)
  • Optional: Twist of lemon
  • Optional: Olive


If your vermouth has been refrigerated, take it out of the refrigerator and allow it to warm to room temperature.

Prepare ice. I recommend 5 small cubes, approx 1 inch (2.54 cm) per side. If your cubes are too big, cut them to size with a jeweler's saw or laser cutter. Gently lower the cubes into a shaker being careful not to damage them.

The Perfect Dry Martini

Pour the gin into the shaker. Pause for 15-20 seconds to allow the gin to settle. This prevents "bruising" that many fear when it is shaken.

While the gin rests, open the vermouth and allow it to breath briefly.

Pass the vermouth within 2-3 feet (60 to 90 centimeters) of the shaker. Ensure the cap is still off the vermouth. If more vermouth is desired this can be repeated up to 3 times but be careful not to move too fast or cause splashing.

Shake for at least 30 - 45 seconds. After shaking, you may allow the martini to again rest but for no more than 15 seconds to prevent the ice from watering down the drink.

Pour your martini into a tall cocktail glass. If you like you may garnish with either lemon twist or olive.

Enjoy!

(Note: if you find you have allowed too much vermouth vapor to penetrate the martini, simply pour it out and try again. This time hold the vermouth farther away from the shaker. If the taste of vermouth is still too powerful, try waiving the vermouth over the shaker with the cap still on the bottle.)

A Perfect Extra Dry Martini

Let's Get One Thing Straight:

A Martini is made from Gin. Any of you weakling heretics who argue that it can be vodka are WRONG! . . . . . . That said, many of my fri...