If you know me at all, you know I am pretty strict about Martinis. To be considered a Martini, a drink must contain some amount of both gin and vermouth. There’s no such thing as a vodka Martini, and I take a dim view of gin-based variations.
However, now and then, a variation comes along that’s really deluxe and merits my – and your – consideration. This is one of those, courtesy of my feed from the nice folks at Food & Wine magazine. Their take: The Chef's 50/50 Martini Breaks Every Rule — and Still Delivers. And they are so right! Food & Wine again: it is “shockingly good!” With an endorsement like that, how could I not try it?
The recipe calls for Navy Strength gin (more on that below) and dry vermouth, but adds sherry and Bénédictine, and tops it off with not one, but two, pickled onions and an olive for garnish – and a touch of flavor.
The result is sort of amazing and very difficult to describe. Very clean and fresh, but also deep and meaty. Alternating hints of sweet, bitter, sour, and of course lovely ginishness. Oh My! What a fabulous drink!
Re Navy Strength gin, a word of caution. Navy Strength means the gin must be at least 114 proof (57% alcohol) and it will knock your socks off if you aren’t careful. So, sip slowly. Or just use regular gin. That would likely work just fine.
Make a few of these – one at a time! – and forget about watching the clock for a while.
Chef's 50/50
1 1/2 ounces Navy Strength gin
1 ounce Dolin dry vermouth
2 teaspoons Manzanilla sherry – or another dry sherry
1 teaspoon Bénédictine
2 pickled cocktail onions, for garnish
1 olive, for garnish
Mix the ingredients, pour over a big cube, and stir a while to get it good and cold.