This simple shot starts with two parts gin (the more floral the better), ½ part fresh squeezed lemon juice, ½ part good olive oil (for this one I’m using Butte View Olive Co. Lemon Infused Olive Oil), and a dash of salt. (I’ll be adding a pinch of salt to most of these recipes. It amplifies the olive oil flavors.)
In a small mason jar, mix lemon juice and salt until dissolved. Add olive oil. Shake vigorously to combine into a poor-man’s emulsion. Add the gin and do the same—shake to combine. The better you can make the “emulsion” here, the better the chances it stays together for the lifetime of the beverage. Next, fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in the emulsion. Cap, and shake vigorously. Strain into chilled martini glass. Serve (and drink) immediately.
Variations:
(1) vodka instead of gin. Loses the bracing booziness, but does make the olive oil more pronounced.
(2) Muddle celery into the emulsion. Shake with ice. Strain through a sieve and serve with a long celery leaf. (Same recipe works great with parsley, too!) (3) For the third variation, make your most beloved martini and garnish with briny olive oil balls and a few drops of EVOO on top.
Stephen David Caldes is a writer, home cook, and assistant professor in the Journalism and Public Relations Department at CSU, Chico. He has many hobbies, but eating with friends is his favorite.