OK, pet peeve here. A martini isn't made with vodka, and everything served in a martini-styled stem glass is not a martini.

Back to you regularly scheduled programming.....

;-)

I agree, a martini is gin and vermouth. That's it.

However, I know it's very fashionable to call all kinds of things a martini now, so here's a nice blue one, although it is pretty sweet and it makes....well.....a lot, LOL. It would be fairly easy to cut down to half a recipe, though, or less.

Hawaiian Martini

Roy Yamaguchi's national chain of Hawaiian fusion restaurants serves a martini that will have you singing "Tiny Bubbles" with your imaginary monkey friend Cecil. Whole bottles of Skyy vodka, Stoli Vanil, and Malibu rum are dumped into a giant decanter along with some sugar and pineapple chunks. After three days, when all the hunks of pineapple are floating, the cocktail's ready to be served -- shaken, not stirred -- in a chilled martini glass. This is a perfect clone to prepare in advance of your next swinging pool party since the recipe makes around 36 drinks.
2 750 ml bottles Skyy Vodka
1 750 ml bottle Stoli Vanil Vodka
1 750 ml bottle Malibu Rum
1 6-ounce can pineapple juice
1 cup sugar
1 fresh pineapple, sliced

1. Combine vodkas, Malibu rum, and pineapple juice in a large nozzled decanter or 5 quart jug. Add sugar and stir until dissolved.

2. Slice the top and bottom off of a fresh pineapple. Slice the pineapple in half then slice the halves in half to make quarters. Cut the rind from each of the quarters, then slice the quarters into 1/2-inch thick slices. This will make several bite-size wedges. Add pineapple slices to decanter, and let mixture sit for 3 days at room temperature.
   3. To make the drink, shake 3 ounces of the martini blend with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with one piece of pineapple from the decanter, speared on a toothpick.

I have tried the one above, but I only tried the lemon drop one of the rest of these, so I guess they are not tried and true, but I just don't drink to speak of and so I don't experiment much. The lemon drop martini was definitely not sweet, I rimmed the glasses with sugar and kept adding more and more sugar. Lpinkmountain brought the vodka and we had a good time. I think. I don't reallyl remember. (grin)

MARTINIS

Lemon Drop Martini

3 tbls fresh lemon juice
2 tsp simple syrup (2 parts water and 1 part sugar, cooked until sugar dissolves, then boiled one minute)
1/3 cup lemon flavored vodka
2tbls triple sec
Superfine sugar
Lemon "wheels"

Mix first four ingredients (shaken or stirred, your choice), strain into a chilled, sugar rimmed martini glass, Garnish with lemon wheel.

Red Apple Martini

1/4 cup Grey Goose vodka
1/4 cup sour apple liquer
1/4 cup cranberry juice
apple slices
cinnamon sugar

Mix first three ingredients, shake or stir. Pour into glass rimmed with cinnamon sugar and garnished with an apple slice

Espresso Martini with a Twist

3 tbls Grey Goose vodka
3 tbls Kahlua
2 tbls white Creme De Cacao
2 tbls double strength espresso, chilled
3 chocolate covered coffee beans
lemon twist

Mix first three ingredients, shake or stir. Pour over coffee beans in chilled martini glass. Garnish with lemon twist.

Godiva Chocolate Martini

1 1/2 shots Godiva chocolate liqueur
1 1/2 shots creme de cacao
1/2 shot vodka
2 1/2 shots half-and-half

Mix all ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake and pour into a chilled cocktail glass.

Annie

I am with you sushi....but I am liberal enough to allow a vodka martini.
How about what is called a Scarlett O'Hara?
Cranberry juice and Southern comfort served with a geerous wedge of lime....not vodka...but good and if you want it less sweet, go easy on the southern comfort...for a lot of drunks in your house....ramp up the southern comfort.
On that same line, cranberry juice pomegranet drink, with vodka and a slice of lime. Equal parts...unless you want to make it less boozy....but if you are serving in traditional martini glasses, shake 1 1/2 oz vodka with 2 oz juice. Garnish with a whole slice of lime with a few pomegranet seeds on top.

I don't drink very much and am not very knowledgeable about drinks but this could become habit forming for me.

Washington Red Appletini

2 oz. Crown Royal
2 oz. sour apple liqueur (Schnapps)
2 oz. cranberry (or pomegrante juice)
ice
1 slice apple to garnish

1. Place everything in cocktail shaker.

2. Shake to mix.

3. Strain into a martini glass.

Note: I am not a purist re: the martini glass and it looks so pretty and seasonal. You may also double the amount of cranberry or pomegrante juice.

jude

We like Lemoncello Martini's. Don't really have a recipe, I did a Google search and there are many recipes for the Lemoncello Martini's.

1 part Lemoncello
1 part Vodka
splash of simple syrup
shake as you would any martini
can sugar a rim of martini glass
serve with lemon twist

Another great Martini, but no vodka

Sidecar Martini

1 part Hennessy Cognac
1 part Cointreau
1 part Orange juice (2 parts works ok if you dont want the martini's as strong)

Sugar rim martini glasses, shake as you would any martini.

We love these martini's!!!!

I have recently rediscovered the joy of a nice Manhattan. Jim doesn't care for them, but I find that they are delicious. I was always a sucker for a maraschino cherry.

I understand that a true "martini" is gin and vermouth.

However, I am fine with "designer" martinis, too.

Holiday “Pom”tini

Ingredients
Makes 1 cocktail
1 ounce freshly squeezed pomegranate juice
1 1/2 ounces vodka
1 1/2 ounces freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 ounce Simple Syrup
Ice cubes
Orange peel, for garnish

Directions
In a cocktail shaker, combine pomegranate juice, vodka, grapefruit juice, lime juice, simple syrup, and ice; shake until well combined. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Twist orange peel over cocktail and add to glass; serve.

Okay....Just one more....

Blueberry Martini

2 parts blueberry infused vodka
1 part raspberry schnapps
splash of fresh lime juice

Linda

OK OK I know. These aren't real martinis. I'm a heathen!! LOL I just want a fun cocktail that I can serve in a martini glass. I'm going to do a test run tonight and try a couple of different kinds to see what I like best. Thanks for the ideas, keep 'em coming!

Can I come over and help you taste? I promise I won't vent about that pet peeve!

LOL, c'mon over!!! I'll be happy to have you, pet peeve & all!

I'm just sharing this cause it's fun to serve..

Bloody Mater Bites
1 pint cherry tomatoes
vodka, to cover
coarse kosher salt

Directions:

The day before, peel the tomatoes by dipping in boiling water for 10 seconds then plunging into ice water. The skins will easily slip off. Place peeled tomatoes in a plastic container with a tight snap-on lid. Cover with vodka and refrigerate overnight.

Serve with a small dish of coarse, kosher salt for dipping. Don't toss the leftover vodka. It is flavored with the tomatoes and tastes delicious!

I've used celery salt instead of kosher salt.

May, for the holidays I've made a simple version of a Pom tini. One part pomegranate juice to two parts vodka. Keeps it strong enough to still be called a vodka martini, and has a nice color. It's also not sweet, which I like. If I'm going to mess with a martini, I don't like to mess with it too much. But then, I actually like vodka, it's my alcohol of choice, if I ever get around to drinking. Then you just take three or four pomegranate seeds and put in each glass. The fairly light color lets the seeds show nicely. For display, the bowl of seeds looks pretty, and I've just put glasses on a tray with some more seeds scattered around the tray, on the serving table. Funny, but those extra seeds always disappear.

I have about 50 in a word document I can send you if you like. I'll check the thread here, or send me an email through GW and let me know that you'd like me to send them to you (including Lindac's Hawaiian)!

My favorite is very sweet, and not what you are looking for... (2/3 orange vodka 1/3 white creme de cacao or 2/3 raspberry vodka 1/2 white creme de cacao optionally rimmed in cocoa powder with a hershey's kiss dropped inside).

My less sweet 2nd is regional... We call it Antifreeze for the color, but it's an apple martini made from Polar Dry Orange Soda (not sure if you cn get it where you are), Citron Vodka and Apple Pucker.

Just let me know if you want the other recipes...

...and I'm one of those ok with martini= any drink in a martini glass... wonder if that's my age? though I really do love both a Hendrick's extra dry Martini as well as a Bombay Sapphire Dry... gin with a whisper of vermouth. yum.

Good luck with your party!

Live my dirty grey goose martini but for a festive drink we like a Ke Ke Beach KeyLime martini.

If you can get KeKe Beach in your area, try it. A bit sweet, but a great taste. Can't find our recipe but they're on the Internet. Pick one with cream and pineapple juice. Yum.

bizzo,
thanks! Yes, I would like the recipes and I have emailed you.
:)

Annie1992, the mental image you painted: a martini that will have you singing "Tiny Bubbles" with your imaginary monkey friend Cecil. Too Funny!!!

recipes on their way...

How's the testing going??? Love to be there to help you out pal...LOL! It is a work night though..... : )

No recipes to share but I like mine dirty.

David

They all sound good. But seriously, on an empty stomach, half a martini of any kind and I don't really care. :-)

These were a hit last Christmas. I plan on making them again this year.

Gingerbread Martinis

1 ½ oz vodka
½ oz frangelico
½ oz baileys
1 oz gingerbread syrup (recipe below)...

Shake with ice, strain into a martini glass

*************
Gingerbread syrup

½ cup water
½ cup sugar
2” piece of fresh ginger, diced
½ tsp cinnamon (or 1 cinnamon stick)
3 whole cloves

Bring all to a boil, reduce to a simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and add ½ tsp vanilla. Strain and cool

Just a tip I use HONEY instead of water to dip into rim sugar

"But seriously, on an empty stomach, half a martini of any kind and I don't really care. :-)"

Sorta the whole point, isn't it. ;-o

bbstx, that wasn't my explanation, that came from the secret recipes website where I got the recipe, but I liked it so much, I kept it!

gingerbread martinis....hmmmm.

As for light weight drinkers, my Dad used to tell me that if I had one drink I could feel it. Two drinks and ANYONE could feel it. And that would be why I seldom drink. (grin)

Annie

Whenever I go to Las Vegas, I have to go to Todd English's Olives and have an Espresso Martini! It's not too terribly sweet and very good. I don't have the exact recipe, but it is made with vanilla vodka, with a splash of light Crème de Cocoa and Kahlua. When my hubby makes them, he also adds a splash of Baileys.

All my favorites have been mentioned (actually, I've gotten to where I just leave the cream de cacao out of the Godiva one; it's fine without it (just add more chocolate liqueur)).

I thought language was a fluid thing,so what should they be called? I figured they're callled that to warn the consumer that they might look like a fruity umbrella drink, but pack a wallop with mostly liquor in them.

;)

Be careful May! Remember what Dorothy Parker said about martinis:

I like to have a martini,
Two at the very most.
After three I'm under the table,
after four I'm under my host.

LOL Cookbook and Annie's Dad too! Great lines!

I'm a purist. I like my Martini's in a glass.

LOL Coookebook!!! After the martinis we have a couple of husbands drive us to & from the restaurant. That way we can be carefree about imbibing. Taking into account that poem, I guess we still have to be a LITTLE careful!!

Well, due to my limited stock, I was able to test two different drinks yesterday. One, I had found on the internet on a vodka company website (smirnoff I think). It was very simple, a combination of vodka, frangelico and a twist of lemon. I put several drops of lemon in it and it tasted really good! Then I decided to try the exact same recipe only with Creme de Menth instead of Frangelico. Bingo! It was delicious and GREEN so it fit in as a holiday drink. I think the lemon adds an extra tang and dilutes the alcohol just a little bit.

I'm going to do that same martini again tonight except I'm going to pay attention to proportions so that I can make a pitcher full for the party.

I do REALLY appreciate all the recipes because I have a Martini Party every year or year and a half where we drink four to five different kinds of martinis along with munchies. I've saved all these recipes because I try to have different kinds every year.

I know the recipe I've picked is as far asay from a real martini as it gets, BUT it's green, it's good, and it will look so cool in a martini glass with a red cherry!!

Thanks everyone!!

Here's another, which we make a lot.

Pomegranite Martini

• 1 1/2 cups pomegranate juice
• 2 oz. Absolute Citron vodka
• 1 oz. Cointreau liquor
• Cup of ice
• Optional: Splash of sparkling water
• Optional: Squeeze of lemon

Shake ingredients in a shaker and put in chilled martini glasses. Put pomegranate fruit into glass as garnish.