20111114

The PICKLE MARTINI for National Pickle Day


November 14th is
NATIONAL PICKLE DAY

Just wait a minute, I can hear you saying "Euww" but don't be too quick to judge. Pickle brine is a spiced vinegar solution, vermouth is an aromatized, fortified wine with added botanicals. They are culinary relatives. Not so far fetched now, is it?

Think of it as a Dirty Martini that replaces olive brine with pickle brine. If you like dill pickles and martinis, you'll like this cocktail. For my version's below I did one replacing the vermouth with pickle juice (brine) and one with both.

My preference with the dill pickle is for gin, but vodka is good as well.

PICKLE MARTINI

 INGREDIENTS
2 Oz. Gin (or Vodka)
1/2 Oz. Dill Pickle Juice
Ice

 Garnish: Salt and Dill Weed Rim, Mini Dill Pickle, Pickled Mushroom, Green Olive

 Tools: Two Small Plates, Cocktail Shaker

 Glass: Two Small Plates, Cocktail (Martini)

 DIRECTIONS
In one plate, mix two tablespoons of kosher salt with 1 teaspoon of dill weed. Add 2 tablespoons of pickle juice to the other plate.
Get your classroom in the pickle juice and then into the salt mixture, then chill glass in the freezer.
Fill your cocktail shaker with ice pour in the gin and the pickle juice then shake until chilled.
Straight into your chilled glass, garnish and serve.

DIRTY PICKLE MARTINI

Add 1/4 Oz. Of Dry Vermouth to the ingredients then follow the instructions for the Pickle Martini.

HAPPY NATIONAL PICKLE DAY

Updated November 14, 2017
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Candy Apple Martini is Thanksgiving Martini #1 of 9



a candy apple cocktail from The Martini Diva

How to avoid a Thanksgiving Day Disaster Tip #1:
Treat your friends like family and your family like friends.




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20111111

VETERAN'S DAY MARTINI - A Veteran's Day Cocktail


The Veteran's Day Martini
for Veteran's Day
from The Martini Diva

In loving memory of my father:
Lt. Col. Walter E. Dennis, U.S. Army

Please enjoy this red, white and blue cocktail as you celebrate our nation's military personnel and the sacrifices they made for our freedoms.

The Mottos of the branches of the United States Military:
United States Army: "This We'll Defend"
United States Coast Guard: "Semper Paratus"
United States Navy: "Honor, Courage, Commitment."
United States Marine Corps: "Semper Fidelis"
United States Air Force:"Aim High...Fly, Fight, Win"


Happy Veteran's Day and join TheMartiniDiva.Com in a moment of silence at 11:00 a.m. in honor of our troops, past and present.

Please enjoy this tribute to each branch of the U.S. Military by KISS:






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20111110

Vanilla Bean Liqueur Recipe


My Vanilla Bean Liqueur is a pure vanilla cocktail experience that can be enjoyed in cocktails or poured over cakes, ice cream and fruit for dessert.  It's also really easy to make.

Plan ahead for this one if you can't find vanilla liqueur to purchase - my recipe for the homemade vanilla bean liqueur takes a month to infuse.

HOME MADE
VANILLA BEAN LIQUEUR

INGREDIENTS
1 fifth (750ml) bottle of vodka
1 cup sugar
3 vanilla beans, split lengthwise
*Vanilla Beans for decorative effect, optional

TOOLS
1 Quart Infusion Jar (any glass jar with a lid), measuring cups, decorative bottles with screw tops, labels
*Optional: Large strainer, coffee filters
      
DIRECTIONS
In your one quart infusion jar combine the vodka, split vanilla beans and the sugar.
    Seal the jar and shake until all the sugar has dissolved.
    Store in the fridge or a cool, dark location for two weeks to one month. The longer you allow the infusion to distill, the stronger your vanilla flavor.
    Remove the split vanilla beans.
    At this point you can, if you like, strain out any of the vanilla seeds by filtering through a metal strainer lined with coffee filters.
    Pour into your decorative bottles, add a fresh, full vanilla bean for decoration if you like, label and enjoy or share or enjoy it yourself in my
VANILLA BEAN MARTINI:



Did you know?
Vanilla Beans come from an Orchid - the Flat-leaved Vanilla Orchid (Vanilla Planifolia):


Updated August 2016

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20111108

The Story behind the HARVEY WALLBANGER for National Harvey Wallbanger Day!


During the 1970s the Harvey Wallbanger was a very popular cocktail, pretty much a staple in most bars. In fact the drink was so popular in that era that in the 1972 presidential election "Harvey Wallbanger" garnered an impressive number of write in votes for president.


The Story
Legend has it that the Harvey Wallbanger was invented by Donato "Duke" Antone for a regular customer, Harvey, who had just lost a surfing competition and needed consolation. The story goes that Harvey consoled himself so much that he was banging into walls by the end of the evening. The nickname he was given "Harvey the Wallbanger" stuck not only to him but to the cocktail that caused the trouble. True or not, it's a fun story and one to regale your drinking buddies with when the conversation lulls.


If you've happened upon this cocktail on November 8th,
Happy National Harvey Wallbanger Day!

Updated 11-2017
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20111104

HAPPY NATIONAL CANDY DAY!


November 4th is
NATIONAL CANDY DAY
Celebrate with a Crafted Candy Cocktail from
The Martini Diva!

Candy: [kan-dee]  noun, plural -dies, verb, -died, -dy·ing. noun
1.any of a variety of confections made with sugar, syrup, etc., often combined with chocolate, fruit, nuts, etc.

Today is the day we celebrate our sweet tooth and give homage to those little bits of sugar, chocolate and other goodies that we love so much.


Make  your sweet tooth happy at happy hour with one of my

A Few Facts about Candy:
  • On the average, Americans eat 25 pounds of candy per person, per year.
  • Candy is made by dissolving sugar in water but the different heating levels determine the type of candy produced.
  • Commercial candies only became widely available around 130 years ago. Until then most candy was produced in the home.
  • Candy accounts for only 6% of the added sugar in the American diet. Soft drinks and juice account for 46%.
  • They found licorice in King Tutankhamen's tomb!
HAPPY NATIONAL CANDY DAY
and Sweet Dreams from The Martini Diva!



Updated 8-2016



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20111031

HAPPY NATIONAL CANDY APPLE DAY!


As well as being Halloween, October 31st is also
NATIONAL CANDY APPLE DAY!

The red candy apple was created by William W. Kolb in 1908 while experimenting with cinnamon candy for his Christmas inventory.  He had a batch of red cinnamon candy and dipped a few apples in the mixture to display in his window.  They proved so popular he continued the practice each year in fall and soon the entire Jersey Shore had candy coated apples for sale.

Because hardened sugar is difficult to achieve in humidity, candy apples are rarely found in the spring and summer months in many parts of the U.S., one of the reasons why this treat is so closely associated with Fall.

By the way, don't confuse the candy apple with toffee, taffy or caramel apples!  While toffee, taffy and caramel apples are certainly candy apples, a candy apple is not always a toffee, taffy or caramel apple! 

When I was a kid the candy apples I used to get were more like raspberry flavored caramel apples!  I don't ever remember having a hard coated, cinnamon flavored apple so, to celebrate National Candy Apple Day, here is my version of the

CANDY APPLE MARTINI


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