Get ready for New Years Eve with ‘Martini Madness’, the new Free MixMentor app!

With New Years Eve just around the corner, we decided to pull out all the stops and create a martini-themed application to get you in the proper celebratory spirit! To celebrate the launch of ‘Martini Madness’ (a link to the app is at the bottom of the post), a few of us decided to test out the app in the most pleasant way possible, by drinking our way through 4 of the 80 or so martinis in the app. Oh the hardships…..

Here we go!!!

Balalajka

11/2 oz. vodka

11/2 oz. triple sec

11/2 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice

orange wedge

Shake all liquid ingredients over ice, strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with the orange wedge.

Comments: A squirt of simple syrup takes out some of the zippiness from the copious amounts of lemon juice (it was a necessity for my palate)

Tasting Notes: definitely for hard lemonade drinkers; strong, but good; 2nd sip better than the first; “makes my eyes squirt” (Mom, what the heck does that mean??)

Beauty Spot

1/2 oz. sweet vermouth

1/2 oz. dry vermouth

1 oz. gin

1 tsp. orange juice

dash grenadine

Put the dash of grenadine in the bottom of a cocktail glass. Pour remaining ingredients over ice in a shaker, shake and strain into the prepared glass.

Comments: This is really for two types of people, those that like the idea of a classic martini but find them too ‘ginny’ or those that are working their way up to the classic martini.

Tasting Notes: attractive; the small amount of grenadine and OJ tempers the gin flavour nicely

Cosmopolitan

2 oz. vodka

1 oz. triple sec

1 oz. cranberry juice

juice of 1/4 lime

Shake all ingredients over ice, strain and serve in a cocktail glass. Garnish with a flamed orange zest (Jamie Boudreau demonstrates here: http://www.smallscreennetwork.com/video/227/ssn_raising_the_bar_flamed_orange_zest_640x360/)

Comments/Tasting Notes: Cosmo’s aren’t just for Carrie anymore, they’re for everyone!! No need to say more :).

Girl Scout

1 splash crème de menthe

1 oz. crème de cacao

1 oz. vodka

1 mint stick (e.g. After Eight) (garnish)

Shake the vodka and crème de cacao with ice, then pour into a cocktail glass. Add the crème de menthe and garnish with the mint stick.

Comments: I actually made this quite some time ago for my ‘Girl Scout’ post, but it was so tasty that I had to re-post it! It has also been repinned numerous times, so that’s gotta count for something :).

Tasting Notes: ‘warm afterglow’; reminiscent of fireside cocktails after a day of skiing; almost too sweet (borderline); minty aftertaste, with the mint tempering the sweetness

Get Martini Madness here!