The 12 Days of Speakeasy: Day 8

The holiday season is filled with parties. Inevitably, at any gathering there will be friends or family with limited cocktail knowledge. Urge them to take advantage of the open bar and order this simple concoction. It’s sure to please even the novice cocktail connoisseur.

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love poured for me a:

Cosmopolitan

2 ounces Speakeasy vodka 
1 ounce Cointreau
1 ounce 100% cranberry juice 
The juice of 1/2 lime
Add of the ingredients into a shaker full of ice and shake vigorously. Strain and serve up. Garnish with a citrus peel.

The 12 Days of Speakeasy: Day 5

Being a grown up is awesome. No bedtime, the option of having dessert before dinner, getting to saying things like “beer me”. Adult activities really are the best activities. The only downside is those damn bills. To keep them from piling up you most likely work Monday through Friday, and by the time five o’clock rolls around you could probably use a drink. It’s Monday, so make it a strong one. We both know you’ve earned it.

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love poured for me a:

Vodka Gibson Martini

3 ounces Speakeasy vodka

Cocktail onions to garnish

Pour Speakeasy vodka into a shaker full of ice. Shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled martini glass.  Garnish with picked onions and enjoy. Serves one.

The 12 Drinks of Christmas: Day 7

Similar to the coffee connoisseurs of Seattle, every martini lover has a particular way they like theirs made. The slightest of variation has the ability to change each martini into a whole new drink.  Gin or vodka. Dirty, dry, shaken, stirred or bruised. Olives, Gibson or with a twist.  There are so many ways to order this classic cocktail.

Whether you’re James Bond, James Brown or James that-guy-down-the-street the basics of martini creation are a must know for any home bartender. Once you have mastered the fundamentals, you will be able to make any martini with ease. This is good, because James that-guy-down-the-street has gotten in the habit of dropping by unexpectedly…

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love poured for me a:

Classic Martini

3 ounces Tanqueray Ten Gin

 ¼ ounce Noily Pratt Dry Vermouth

 Olives to garnish

Generously rinse a chilled martini glass with the dry vermouth and discard any extra.  Add the gin into a shaker full of ice. Shake vigorously. Strain and pour into glass.  Garnish with small, pimento stuffed green olives and enjoy. Serves one Don Draper-ish individual.

This is my favorite martini. Let us know what yours is by leaving a comment!

(Cocktail) Week in Review

At our core, we’re snobs. Friendly enough people, but the word “pretentious” is occasionally tossed around. For us, it’s not about luxury brands and designer cars (although we like those too). It’s about supporting our community of local artisans. The culinary superheroes who imagine and create amazing food, small batch spirits, and hand crafted cocktails. Their passion rescues us from the mundane and inspires us to try new things.

Monday: Bastille Cafe and Bar

I don’t know what special trick the bartenders at Bastille employ, but they consistently make my favorite Gibson Martini in Seattle.

Both Batch 206 Vodka Martinis. Left: Dry with Olives, Right: Gibson

Tuesday: Tilth

This was our first visit to Tilth. Their cocktail menu is unique and includes choices that are seasonally inspired.

Left: Solera (Ron Zacapa Rum, Honey, Grapefruit Bitters.) Right: Seasonal Sidecar. We could not find the exact ingredients online, so here’s our best guess: Brandy, Fig Puree, Lemon Juice with a sugared rim and fig garnish.

Wednesday: The Stumbling Goat Bistro

Forgive us Stumbling Goat, this is admittedly not our best picture. It does not do these cocktails justice.

Left: Gibson Martini (Russian Standard Vodka and a house-pickled onion.) Right: Seasonal Huckleberry Pisco Sour (Pisco, huckleberry syrup, lemon and egg white)

Not photoed: The Rubycello I enjoyed after dinner. Beautiful in presentation, delightful in taste. Imagine the sweetness of lemoncello combined with tart flavor of a fresh ruby red grapefruit. The Stumbling Goat offers house made Lemoncello, Rubycello and Blood Orangecello.