It’s Gingerbread Martini Time!

 

Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, it’s time to raise a glass of holiday cheer! For many years my wife Joy and I have held an annual Christmas party at our home. This of course has given us the excuse to meet with our friends Ken and Kelly down the street in order to try out new cocktail recipes in advance of the party.

One drink that has become an annual tradition is my Gingerbread Martini. My brother calls me every year and asks me for the recipe again…so now I will just direct him to this blog post where it is posted for everyone.

Ginger-infused simple syrup is the main ingredient. A simple syrup is typically made by bringing equal amounts of water and sugar to a boil and then letting the mixture cool. My ginger syrup is a little more work, but worth the effort. I usually double this recipe:

• ¾ cup water
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped into about five pieces
• 2 sticks of cinnamon
• 3 whole cloves

Simmer all the ingredients together for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, and let them reduce. Then strain the syrup through a sieve to remove the ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Chill the syrup before use.

I serve this martini very straightforward: simply mix ½ oz. of gingerbread syrup with 2 oz. of vodka and lots of ice in a martini shaker, then serve in a chilled martini glass with your choice of garnish.

A cinnamon stick pairs well with the drink, but if you really want to take it to the next level you can mix up some raw sugar and ground cinnamon and use a flambé torch to caramelize it on the martini glass rim!

Now these drinks tend to go down easily and some people find it hard to sip them over time, so my wife has come up with a tasty version that has less alcohol (i.e. “less calories”) which you may prefer. For this version, substitute 1 oz. of diet ginger ale for 1 oz. of vodka.

While we are on the subject of holiday martinis, let’s go ahead and offer up a White Christmas Cosmopolitan—another proven favorite that looks and tastes appealing this time of year.  For this one, mix 1 oz. of vodka with 1 oz. of white cranberry juice and ¾ oz. of Peach Schnapps in your ice-filled martini shaker. After shaking, strain the drink into a chilled martini glass. Get creative with your garnish! You can add a small candy cane or a spring of rosemary and cranberries to add a touch of holiday color.

Try making your own holiday martini and let me know how you make it fit your celebration!