It started this whole mess.  Sure, we all need another blog like we need another member of congress.  But, what the heck.  Throw back one of these great drinks, perhaps another while the ice crystals are still floating in the viscous mix, peruse a few blue cheese oil slicks, get warm and really smart and something good has to happen.  “We should have a blog, you know, to share all of these ideas and thoughts and opinions and recipes…”  We are adrift, heading somewhere, and there is no turning back.

The Smartini

Ratio: 4 to 1 (If you want those crazy sniffs of vermouth, just hammer a vodka or gin rocks)

Ingredients:

Vodka (we use Skyy) or Gin, yes, some flexibility in this chilled oil spill

Dry vermouth

Garnish:

Large green olive stuffed with blue cheese and toasted almond.

Directions:

Fill glass pitcher with ice, stir in the liquor and vermouth. Cover top of pitcher with plastic food wrap; place in freezer for at least 2 hours.

Fifteen minutes before serving, make the side dish of stuffed olives.  Using large green olives—Costco has some of the largest jars and olives—remove the pimento and reserve for your next chili or seafood chowder.  Stuff each olive with blue cheese and push in a pan-roasted unsalted almond.

Remove the pitcher of martini mix (which will be the consistency of Prince William Sound near shore in winter) and stir the slurry with the handle of a wooden spoon.  Then pour the resulting clear martini mixture through a slotted spoon into the martini glass and there should come along some small, floating ice formations, crystal-like.

Plunge a toothpick into one or two of the plump olives and place into the martini glass, creating a wonderful type of oil slick that has no environmental downside.  After a few sips, close your eyes and savor the wonderful olive pickled in a great martini.  The experience is memorable.