Traditionally, a martini is made with gin and dry vermouth. These days, however, popular drinks with “martini” in their names are often made with a combination of vodka and a fruity and/or sweet ingredient. There are chocolate martinis (chocolatinis or chocotinis), apple martinis (or appletinis) and even pomegranate martinis (or pomatinis). In this article, you’ll learn make a melon martini.
Instructions
1. There are three major types of melons: watermelon, honeydew melon and cantaloupe. There is no cantaloupe liqueur or cantaloupe juice commonly available, so your melon martini will be either a honeydew martini or a watermelon martini.
2. If you want to make a honeydew-flavored melon martini, you’ll want to use a melon liqueur. Midori and DeKuyper are the most common brands, but you may be able to find less expensive non-name brands as well. For a watermelon martini, you’ll need watermelon schnapps or fresh watermelon juice (available at stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joes). For either drink, you will also need vodka.
3. The quality of vodka you use will have a significant impact on the flavor and smoothness of your drink. Cheap vodkas can smell like rubbing alcohol and leave a burning sensation in your nose when you drink them. With alcohol, price is strongly correlated to quality, so to get a better vodka you’ll have to spend more. Don’t overspend, though—a good vodka is meant to be enjoyed on its own, not mixed with a fruity concoction that masks its true flavor. There’s no need to buy top-of-the-line vodka for a melon martini, but using a mid-priced vodka like Ketel One or Stolichnya will give you a smoother drink than a cheap vodka would.
4. While you’ll want to adjust the quantities of each type of alcohol depending on your tastes, a good starting point is to use one part vodka to one part liqueur. A cocktail glass holds about six ounces, so try to use about two and a half ounces of each ingredient because when you shake the ingredients with ice, some of the ice will melt, increasing the amount of liquid in your drink. Pour 2.5 ounces of vodka and 2.5 ounces of melon liqueur into a martini shaker with three to four ice cubes. A metal shaker is preferable because it will help the drink get colder.
5. With the cocktail shaker lid on tight, shake vigorously about 40 times. This will both cool the drink and introduce tiny air bubbles that make the drink more refreshing. After shaking, strain into a martini glass and enjoy.
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