A Pentire twist on the classic dirty martini. The maple syrup and grapefruit are a gentle nod to Vermouth's bittersweet character. We know what you're thinking, because we thought it too. What's in the name "dirty" martini? So, let's clear that up first. A dirty martini is so-called because of its contrast with the classic martini. While the classic is clean and dry, made with only clear liquids, the dirty martini adds a little olive brine to make it cloudy. It also introduces an extra layer to the flavour.
Now we've cleared that up, let's focus on the Pentire Adrift dirty martini. We'll take a look at why we love it (hint: it's about more than just that olive brine). We'll look into the origins of the dirty martini beyond its name and suggest some rather fabulous food pairings. And of course, you can scroll down to the bottom of the post for the delicious recipe.
Why we love Pentire Adrift dirty martini
Pentire Adrift alcohol-free dirty martini takes hold of the drink's theme, adds its own touch and gives it a good old shake-up. Creating an alcohol-free version of a drink made from gin and dry vermouth is a challenge. Capturing those flavours AND going one-step further and enhancing them is a stroke of genius. This beverage uses grapefruit and maple syrup to replicate the flavour of vermouth. Meanwhile, gin is replaced with Pentire, adding far more botanicals than you would expect from boring old London Dry.
This dirty martini contains Pentire Adrift, the original formula from the iconic alcohol-free spirt brand. Its key botanical is rock samphire which is rich in vitamins C, E and K as well as carotenoids, flavonoids and iodine. The drink also contains omega 3, fatty acids and antioxidants. Far from making you feel groggy like a regular cocktail, this one is actively good for you.
Better still, the rock samphire that is so important to Adrift complements the salty taste of olive brine perfectly. It's as if Adrift was made for dirty martinis.
Pentire's distilled spirits are vegan, plant based and gluten free with no added sugar.
What are the origins of the dirty martini?
You may not be surprised to hear that the dirty martini is thought to have its origins in New York. It is credited to a bar tender by the name of John O'Connor, who was inspired by the olive garnish on a classic martini. First, he tried muddling the olive in the drink prior to serving. This developed in time to adding a little of the olive brine.
Unsurprisingly for something with such an off-putting name, it was a while before the dirty martini became popular. These days though, it has a bit of a marmite reputation. You either love it or you love to hate it. Many bar tenders will make it with vodka instead of the classic gin. But as long as you keep that olive brine and its iconic green olive garnish, it still counts.
If you're not a dirty martini lover, do spare a moment to try the Pentire Adrift alcohol-free dirty martini anyway. We're not saying it's going to convert you, but there's something about that samphire in the Adrift and the addition of grapefruit juice and peppercorns that gives it a real depth of flavour that you won't be expecting.
Food pairings for Pentire Adrift alcohol-free dirty martini
First off, let's state the obvious. Dirty martinis and olives are the perfect pairing. They also go really well with other salty snacks. The grapefruit juice in this version lends itself to various citrussy food pairings too.
Starters
- A selection of olives (obviously)
- Flatbreads with olive tapenade
- Feta and tomato salad
Mains
- Paella
- Fish and chips
- Spaghetti alle vongole with samphire
Desserts
- Cheese board with pickles and olives
- Grapefruit sorbet
- Grapefruit and black pepper vegan cheesecake
How to make Pentire Adrift alcohol-free dirty martini
Ingredients:
- 50ml Pentire Adrift
- 3 Nocellara olives in brine
- 5ml maple syrup
- 5ml olive brine
- 3 black pepper corns
- Wedge of fresh grapefruit
To Garnish:
- Green olive
Method:
- Chill your chosen glass.
- Cut the olives from their stones and add to a shaker
- Add the Pentire and gently muddle
- Add the remaining ingredients
- Squeeze the grapefruit edge skin side down to release all the precious oils before adding to the shaker
- Fill the shaker two thirds with ice and shake hard for a few seconds
- Strain into the chilled glass
- Serve over a large ice cube with the remaining nocellera olive
Do you have an alcohol-free creation to share with us? Tag us @ve_refinery on Instagram to be reposted!
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