Selecting the oh-so-classic Manhattan as July’s martini recipe was an easy choice– especially with Alexandra and Amanda traveling to New York City this weekend to attend some great events (more details to follow!).  With its sophisticated status, frequent cameos in AMC series Mad Men, and overall tough urban appeal, the Manhattan is a standby cocktail, even if you’re not in a New York State of Mind.

Ingredients:

• 6 Parts Rye Whiskey
• 2 Parts Sweet Vermouth
• 1 Dash Angostura Bitters
• Maraschino Cherry

Preparation:

1. Combine whiskey, vermouth and bitters in an icy cocktail shaker
2. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass
3. Garnish with a maraschino cherry
4. Enjoy!

For comprehensive directions and tips from a cocktail master, watch the video below:

It’s no surprise that the dirty martini, a symbol of refined revelry and exceptional taste, is also Gibson Design Management’s chosen symbol for a reward of member excellence. Each month, the Dirty Martini award is presented to one of our members, honoring the innovative, devoted and impressive achievements of the people we are so fortunate to work with.  What better way is there to applaud a job well done than by unwinding with a cocktail?

This month, we’d like to congratulate Lane Elisabeth Oliver of LEO Interior Design for her recent media recognition, which praised her skilled design sense and innovative approach when it comes to transforming an interior.  Although Lane’s work has been featured in many publications, last month’s Denver Life Magazine highlighted an LEO Interior Design project in a lengthy spread (“Tidy Transformation”)– describing Lane’s ability to “add life” to an outdated home interior by combining traditional elements with light colors, bold patterns and some impressive faux finishes.  (To read the full article and see pictures of the final interior, visit the LEO Interior Design website and download a PDF version.)

After a job well done, we think Lane deserves to put her feet up and enjoy a refreshing martini.  Congratulations again to Lane Elisabeth Oliver of LEO Interior Design–cheers!

If you aren’t able to travel this summer, the French Martini might be a winning substitute for any foreign culture cravings (or, at least it will satisfy your taste buds).  This particular recipe was served as a part of last week’s Denver May Market at the Grange Showroom where Alexandra spoke about the importance of company blogs while the audience enjoyed delicious French fare and martinis. Wish you had been there? Luckily, you can create your own French martini and enjoy it wherever you might be on the globe.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Vodka
• ½ oz Chambord
• 2 ½ oz Pineapple Juice

Preparation:

1. Back a shaker full of ice and add all ingredients
2. Shake or stir (Note: the pineapple juice makes the drink cloudy anyway, so the shaking gives a nice light texture because of pineapple juice’s tendency to froth!)
3. Strain into a martini glass.
4. Garnish with a lemon twist.
5. Enjoy!

If you haven’t already signed up for our monthly newsletter, The Gibson, add yourself to the list and a new martini recipe will be yours every month.

Those of you on Twitter will understand the prolific Fail Whale that tells us that Twitter is overloaded.  For those of you not on Twitter, get to it and sign up here!  Drink this martini while you’re setting up your profile.  You may be much more charming and intelligent.

This martini is featured in our February e-newsletter, The Gibson.  If you don’t receive The Gibson, click here to sign up!

Ingredients:

• 1.5 ounce vodka (top shelf)
• 1.5 ounce Cointreau
• 1.5 ounce Blue Curacao
• Lime slice

Preparation:

1. Chill martini glass.
2. In a large cocktail shaker, combine the ingredients with ice.  Shake until mixed and chilled.
3. Strain the cocktail into the chilled glass and garnish with the lime.
4. Tweet to your heart’s content.
5. Enjoy!

Mmm…bacon.

Thanks to primermagazine.com for the suggestion on this artery clogging, liver pickling glass of goodness.

This martini is featured in our January e-newsletter, The Gibson.  If you don’t receive The Gibson, click here to sign up!

Ingredients:

• 1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger vodka (top shelf)
• 1 ounce Applejack brandy or apple-flavored liqueur
• 1/2 ounce amaretto liqueur
• 1/2 ounces good-quality maple syrup
• 1/2 slice bacon, halved crosswise

Preparation:

1. Candy the bacon.  Prepare a baking sheet with foil.  Coat each bacon slice in brown sugar.  Arrange on foil-covered baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes.  Use tongs to transfer to a cooling rack or clean plate and allow to cool.
2. Chill martini glass.
3. In a large cocktail shaker or pint glass, combine the vodka, brandy/apple liqueur, amaretto and maple syrup with ice.  Shake until mixed and chilled.
4. Strain the cocktail into the chilled glass and garnish each with half a slice of candied bacon.
5. Place bottle of Lipitor at arm’s reach.
6. Enjoy!

This martini was featured in our December e-newsletter, The Gibson.  If you don’t receive The Gibson, click here to sign up!

Many of the Christmas and holiday martinis that I found sounded very sweet and thick.  This one, however, is a perfect marriage of class and elegance to add to a holiday night.

Ingredients:

• 1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger vodka (top shelf)
• 1/4 ounce Grand Marnier
• 1-1/2 ounces fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp cinnamon water (boiled water with cinnamon and sugar)
• 1 ounce blood orange juice
• 1 fig slice garnish

Preparation:

1. Place liquid ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice.
2. Shake to blend and chill.
   
3. Strain into a chilled martini glass, and garnish with a fig slice.
4. Enjoy!

This martini was featured in our November e-newsletter, The Gibson.  If you don’t receive The Gibson, click here to sign up!

Before Thanksgiving dinner I made these martinis for our party.  Let me just say that I am not an amateur drinker and these are POTENT (yet outrageously delicious).  You might want to limit yourself to one unless you plan on being “that guy/girl” with your underwear on your head at the family reunion.

Ingredients:

• 1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger vanilla flavored vodka
• 1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger Irish cream liqueur
• 1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger pumpkin flavored liqueur
• 1 cup ice cubes
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 cinnamon stick for garnish

Preparation:

1. Pour the vanilla flavored vodka, Irish cream liqueur, and pumpkin flavored liqueur into a cocktail shaker over ice.
2. Cover, and shake until the outside of the shaker has frosted.
3. Strain into a chilled martini glass, and garnish with a sprinkle of ground nutmeg and a cinnamon stick to serve.
4. Enjoy!

In case you have not yet noticed, we like martinis around here…a lot.  I believe that my forefathers enjoyed a martini or two during prohibition when a martini–the Gibson–was named after us.  While some of us prefer the dirty variety and others like our drinks a little frutier, we are all raising a glass to this day–National Martini Day.

Let us know which martini is your favorite on our Facebook page at www.gibsondesignmanagement.com/facebook.  Better yet, post a photo of you and your favorite martini.  If you don’t have a favorite yet, look at our Facebook page for some great recipes.

Chin chin!  Cheers!  Salud!

Time to officially welcome in summer and enjoy a refreshing Watermelon Crawl Martini!

Ingredients:

v  1 ½ oz. Southern Comfort

v  ½ oz watermelon

v  2 oz sweet -n-sour

v  Ice

v  Sugar for rim

v  Mint for garnish

Preparation:

v  Use watermelon to wet glass and dip in sugar.

v  Mix watermelon with southern comfort and sweet-n-sour mix.

v  Add ice.

v  Shake well and pour into cocktail glass.

v  Garnish with a sprig of mint.

Enjoy!

With both of our offices (Charlottesville and Portland) in the throws of some lovely spring weather – we felt like a tropical martini was in order this month.  This tropical martini is like a sophisticated pina colada, with an extra vodka kick! 

Coconut Martini

Ingredients:

-         1 ½ oz Citron Vodka

-         ½ oz Malibu Rum

-         ¼ oz Coco Lopez, cream of coconut

-         2 lime wedges

-         Ice

-         Sugar for rim

Preparation:

1.      Use lime wedge to wet glass and dip in sugar

2.      Muddle lime wedges

3.      Add Citron, Malibu Rum, and Coco Lopez over ice in a cocktail shaker

4.      Shake well and pour into cocktail glass

Enjoy!