In the golden age of Martinis (1950s and 1960s), a number of fantastic gadgets were invented to help preparing Martinis, typically aiming to make sure Martinis were as dry as possible (at that time the quest for the driest possible drink had started already). Some of these gadgets exist still today, such as the Vermouth …
Legendary Bars: The Hemingway Bar at the Ritz Hotel, Paris
This is the first of a series of posts dedicated to the most legendary martini bars on the planet. No surprise I'll start with what is now called "The Hemingway Bar" at the Ritz Hotel in Place Vendome in Paris. Bar Hemingway Photos At The Ritz Hotel To understand why this bar is a legend, …
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Martini drinkers: James Salter
American writer James Salter is a Martini hero. He used to enjoyed an exquisitely made martini cocktail every night and, long before he died in 2015 at the age of 90, estimated he had drunk 8,700 martinis in his life. In his book Life is Meals: A Food Lover’s Book of Days, Salter lays out …
Casa Martini, Pessione, Torino
Close to Torino, Casa Martini is the museum of Martini & Rossi, with great historical pieces, artwork, and memorabilia. You can take a tour of the factory, which is the only place where all the Martini vermouth sold globally is produced! And, after the museum and the factory tour, you can attend a cocktail training …
Foscolo Bar, Matino
A Martini in Matino is a Matini? Foscolo is a cocktail bar and a restaurant in Matino, a beautiful tiny village in Salento, Puglia, Italy. If you don't know what Salento is, that is one of the greatest spots in Italy (tip: avoid going in August) with plenty of old villages, great seaside, and all …
Bar Boheme Mixology, Catania
Ice cube engraved with the bar logo The Bar Boheme has no cocktail menu, by choice. A very smart and cocktail-educated waiter starts by asking about your tastes and preferences, and designs the cocktail on the spot with you. And the result is simply perfect! On the classics side, things are equally good: I dared …
Quiz: are you a Martini expert?
Casa Mago, Torino, Italy
Casa Mago, the cocktail lounge of the Michelin-starred Mago Rabin restaurant in Torino, is simply one of the best cocktail spots in town. The place is small and cozily elegant, with a few confortable tables and a great atmosphere. The cocktail menu, inspired by the concept of Origami (that you can actually create by using …
Slippbarinn, Reykjavik, Iceland
When searching for a Martini bar in the northern capital of the world, a place where you can get booze only in special liquor stores, I opted for what seems to be the oldest cocktail bar in town (which actually is not even 10 years old...). The Slippbarinn is located on the ground floor of the …
Spirits Botique, Olbia, Italy
The Spirits Boutique bar is a small gem in Olbia, on the nort east Sardinian coast. The place is something between a bar and a liquors shop, created by bartender Emilio Rocchino with the idea of becoming a reference for the many bars and restaurants of the nearby Costa Smeralda (or at least for those …