Martini with Friends

Anytime I get to slow down, connect with the people I love and share a couple of drinks and a meal these days is truly a gift. I mean, it’s always been a gift but of course, the past year has heightened the feelings of gratitude. Which is why I was so excited to partner with the folks at Martini Vermouth for an evening of #MartiniWithFriends. 

To mark the occasion, I received the most beautiful Italian spread from Livia which paired perfectly with the Milano-Torino and Blood Orange Negroni included in our meal kits. We started with some fresh bread and citrus and fennel marinated olives- a lovely compliment to the Americano-inspired cocktail. Vermouth-based aperitivos bring me right back to Italy where I first experienced the pre-meal tradition. They remind me of communal gatherings, open air cafes and laughter reverberating on a warm evening breeze. In a year spent imagining all the places I wish I could go, it unlocked the doors to some of my favourite memories of travel. 

We sipped slowly as we savoured each bite of a fresh baked ricotta cannelloni with pomodoro accompanied by a Zaklans Heritage Farm salad. The evening finished with a chocolate ganache and hazelnut tart but we lingered at the table, resisting the urge to rush or tidy or wrap up, instead resting in the moment of good cocktails and good company. 

The beautiful thing about Martini Vermouth cocktails is their delicious simplicity. Both cocktails arrived pre-batched but are easy enough to make at home for yourselves with a few simple ingredients.

Blood Orange Negroni 

1oz Bombay Sapphire Gin

1 oz Martini Rosso Vermouth

1 oz Martini Riserva Speciale Bitter

1 oz blood orange syrup

Dash of Scrappy’s orange bitters

Combine all the ingredients and stir w/ ice. Strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass. 

For the blood orange syrup:

Make your simple syrup by combining 60% water to 40% organic raw sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer just until sugar has dissolved and then remove from heat and let cool. Peel oranges and infuse them in simple syrup at a very low temperature for 2-3 hours. Strain through cheese cloth x 2.

Milano Torino

1 oz Martini Rosso Vermouth

1 oz Martini Riserva Speciale Bitter

Topped w/ soda water

Garnished w/ and orange

Combine the first two ingredients over ice, in a Collins glass. Top w/ soda water and stir. Garnish w/ and orange.