The Ingredient Swap That Will Instantly Upgrade Your Next Martini
Whether you are a fan of a dirty martini, like your cocktail shaken, not stirred like fiction's greatest spy, or are stone-cold sober, odds are you are familiar with one of the world's most translucent and savory alcoholic beverages. It feels like the martini has been around for as long as we can remember, and it's strange to imagine a world without it. But according to Columbia College of Arts & Science, it seems to have been created in the mid-to-late 19th century, though who invented it remains a mystery.
The martini we know and love today is not the product our great grandparents were indulging in. Old cocktail books list the martini's ingredients to include ice, bitters, gin, sweet vermouth, and a touch of lemon, which sounds more akin to a Martinez than a modern martini (via Liquor.com). Our simple modern martini involves only gin (or vodka), vermouth, and olives to be considered complete.
Though there are quite a few variations on this cocktail's recipe, one particular option has piqued our curiosity.
Olives aren't the only option
Calling all fellow martini lovers: If you haven't heard about Esquire's new briny addition to the cocktail, listen up. Next time you mix yourself a martini, try replacing olives with caper berries and olive juice with caper berry brine. You may not have even heard of them before, but caper berries are a salty and earthy mouthful that you'll absolutely want to try. Masterclass describes this lovely little Mediterranean fruit as a caper that has been allowed to mature into a larger, stemmed but still not fully ripe berry. You've probably tried a caper before, on a salmon and cream cheese bagel or in a chicken piccata, now imagine a larger version of that in your martini.
Meatless Makeovers recommends making your caper berry martini by mixing vodka (or gin, whatever you prefer) with caper berry brine, and dry vermouth. The brine of the berry will add a natural salty flavor that is less harsh than the traditional olive juice martini recipes use. Then settle a pretty caper berry inside your glass for a crunchy, boozy little snack in between sips.