This is an easy Italian take on the classic martini by our team from Lo Bar Cocktail Services. Sometimes simplicity cuts through the noise of the world like a sharp blade. The clarity of flavor here came from Ridge Runner Gin, rosemary- and lemon-infused dry vermouth, bergamot liqueur, and charred lemon peel garnish. Stunning and sippable.
How to Infuse the Vermouth
If you want to make this exactly as the team at Lo Bar did, you’re not going to be using vermouth straight out of the bottle, you want to infuse it with rosemary and lemon zest. There’s a couple of ways to do this most effectively. You can pour a small growler of your favorite vermouth and sprinkle a few sprigs of rosemary in it. Then, leave it for a few days. The higher the alcohol content, the better the infusion, so the longer you let the herb sit in low proof spirit, the better infusion you’ll get. You can also heat the herbs up in a sauce pan beforehand with a little bit of water and then pour them in. Of course, for your own take on the cocktail, you can just use regular old vermouth, but the infusion takes it an extra step.
Ingredients
- 2 oz Ridge Runner Gin
- ½ oz rosemary- and lemon zest-infused dry vermouth
- A splash of Il Calabrese Liquore al Bergamotto Numero 05
- Fresh rosemary and charred lemon peel for garnish
Instructions
- Add ice to a glass, pour in gin, infused vermouth, and bergamotto.
- Stir to combine.
- Strain and pour into a coupe glass.
- Garnish with fresh rosemary and charred lemon peel.
What Makes This a Martini?
The ingredients that separate a martini from any other kind of drink are the gin, vermouth, and garnish. The garnish A “dry” martini has less vermouth in it, so this Italian spin on a martini could be made dry with a little bit less vermouth. What makes this Italian-inspired is the use of Il Calabrese bergamot liqueur to enhance the flavor. Pair this with an Italian rice salad recipe for a refreshing Mediterranean meal, or try a martini at any of Pittsburgh’s Italian restaurants.
Recipe by Lisa Considine and Aubrey Halliburton / Story by Emma Riva / Photography by Dave Bryce
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