Thanksgiving Cocktail Recipes: Tweaked Martini & French 75 - The Nibble Webzine Of Food Adventures Thanksgiving Cocktail Recipes: Tweaked Martini & French 75
 
 
 
 
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Thanksgiving Cocktail Recipes: Tweaked Martini & French 75

Martini With Olive & Lemon Peel
[1] The Harvest Moon Martini adds some oloroso sherry—which provides nutty autumn notes—to the classic Martini recipe (photos #1, #2, #5 © Golden State Distillery).

French 75 Cocktail
[2] The sparkling French 75 cocktail, gin-based with a fall garnish.

A small bowl of juniper berries
[3] Gin is made from juniper berries plus botanicals (photo © Silk Road Spices).

Olives stuffed with anchovies
[4] Manzanilla olives stuffed with anchovy. You can get them here (photo © Donostia Foods).

A bottle of Gray Whale gin
[5] Gray Whale Gin on the California Coast.

California Gray Whale
[6] California Gray Whale (photo by José Eugenio Gómez Rodríguez | Wikipedia).

 

When Gray Whale Gin asked us to consider variations classic cocktails for Thanksksgiving, we were intrigued by the suggestion of a fall twist to the Martini: add some oloroso Sherry.

We tried it, we liked it, and we share the recipe with you (below).

We also turned to the nearest search engine to learn more about using sherry in Martinis, which we share later in this article.

A second suggestion, for a classic sparkling cocktail with a fall twist, was equally delicious.

So treat your holiday guests to one or both of these recipes. We liked them so much, we’ve made them every day this week!

> The history of gin.

> The different types of gin.

> The history of the Martini.

> The history of the French 75 cocktail.

> The history of cocktails.

> The history of Thanksgiving.
 
 
RECIPE #1: HARVEST MOON MARTINI

Oloroso sherry is a dry, full-bodied, fortified wine with a complex flavor profile that includes nutty, spicy, and autumnal notes.
 
Ingredients Per Drink

  • 2 parts Gray Whale Gin
  • 0.5 part oloroso sherry
  • 0.5 white (blanc) vermouth
  • Garnish: olive and lemon twist*
  •  
    Preparation
     
    1. STIR all ingredients well over ice and strain into a coupe glass.

    2. GARNISH with olive and lemon twist*.
     
     
    What About Other Types Of Sherry In Your Martini?

    Sherry can add complexity to a martini, making the drink more than the sum of its parts.

  • Fino sherry is dry, unoxidized, and a good choice for adding salinity to a Martini. The Tuxedo is a classic Martini that uses fino sherry instead of vermouth, and is finished with orange bitters.
  • Manzanilla sherry has acidity that can make the Martini taste a brighter.
  • Amontillado sherry is spicier and slightly deeper than fino and manzanilla.
  • Oloroso sherry is nutty and fuller-bodied.
  •  
     
    RECIPE #2: FALL FRENCH 75

    The garnish of an apple fan gives this year-round drink a fall touch.
     
    Ingredients Per Drink

  • 1.5 parts Gray Whale Gin
  • 0.5 part fresh lemon juice
  • 0.5 part apple cider
  • 0.5 part honey syrup recipe below
  • 4 parts Prosecco (substitute other sparkling wine)
  • Ice cubes
  • Garnish: apple fan slices or wedge†
  •  
    Preparation

    1. COMBINE all ingredients except the Prosecco into a cocktail mixing glass and shake it with ice.

    2. ADD the Prosecco to the mixing glass and strain the contents into a coupe or flute. Garnish with apple slices.
     
     
    ADDING SHERRY TO A MARTINI

    Sherry adds a variety of flavors and complexities to a Martini, including nuttiness, salinity, and a brighter taste. It works with both gin and vodka Martinis.

    Oloroso is a dry, oxidatively aged sherry wine that’s full-bodied, nutty, and savory with notes of fig, cinnamon, and clove—just right for fall. (The Spanish word oloroso means “fragrant.”
      
     
    RECIPE #3: HONEY SYRUP

    Honey syrup is essentially simple syrup made with honey instead of granulated sugar.
     
    Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup water
  •  
    Preparation

    1. COMBINE the honey and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the honey is dissolved.

    2. COOL and transfer to an airtight container. The syrup will keep, refrigerated, for up to 1 month.
     
     
    ABOUT GRAY WHALE GIN

    Gray Whale Gin was founded on the principle that a consciously crafted spirit can do some good in the world. One percent of the proceeds of every bottle are contributed to Oceana, the largest organization in the world devoted to ocean conservation.

    Gray Whale Gin is perfected with sustainably sourced and wild harvested botanicals foraged along the migratory path of the California Gray Whale, including Juniper (Big Sur), Limes (Temecula Valley), Fir Trees (Sonoma), Sea Kelp (Mendocino Coast), Mint (Santa Cruz) and Almonds (Central Valley).

     

    ________________
     
    *We substituted an anchovy-stuffed olive from Donostia Foods. The also produce olives stuffed with lemon paste.

    As a sweet alternative, we soaked some dried cranberries in vermouth and loved how they soaked up the alcohol—so much so that we soaked more cranberries and rolled a log of goat cheese in them. You can also press them into the top of a warmed Brie.

    *Arctic, Gala, Ginger Gold, Goldrush, and Opal  
    Preparation varieties are resistant to browning when cut.

     
     

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