Give the Classic Martini a Modern Twist

Brandi Milloy: Hey, we are here with Jim Meehan; owner of PDT and Mixologist for all of the American Express Interior Lounges and today he is debuting his latest cocktail. What are we making today? Jim Meehan: I am going to make a classic martini but I am going to make something that's very special and that's very local which is what we are going to put on the menu this summer avalanche. Brandi Milloy: And this is the martini number-3. Jim Meehan: I am calling it the third martini, it's kind of a play on the notion of the three martini launch; and it's really just going to be the first martini. Brandi Milloy: And so tell us how we make this cocktail; what do we need?

Jim Meehan: It's a super simple, two-one martini. So it's actually what we call red martini because it has a lot of vermouth in it. It's going to be one ounce of Channing Daughters Ver-Vino. Second ingredient, I am a gin martini guy, so this is going to be a sort of martini after my heart, it's a gin and Ver-Vino martini. This is Barber's gin, this is Dan Barber's new gin just came out, super delicious and actually like more of a classic one and dry style. Brandi Milloy: All right so we are going to stir this. Jim Meehan: We are going to stir it, unlike James Bond, I believe a stirred martini not a shaken martini. So put a bunch of ice in there. I have already chilled my glass and I have my lemon twist ready. Obviously, you could have this with an olive or lemon twist whatever you prefer, I prefer lemon twist. So I am going to give it a kind of a quick and gentle stir. Brandi Milloy: Who is this cocktail for, who would order this or who would you recommend this cocktail to?

Jim Meehan: All martini drinkers will order it and I think mocha lovers will order this, so that's where you go. Brandi Milloy: So strain in to a coupe glass. Jim Meehan: Strain in to a chilled coupe, get a little bit of room 1:36 and let me put lemon twist on and that's it. Brandi Milloy: Oh my God! I can't wait to try this. Jim Meehan: I think, I am going to jump in right out to this. Brandi Milloy: Please do. Wow! The vermouth is spectacular. Jim Meehan: It's super powerful. Brandi Milloy: You can really tell the difference, it's great herby, fragrant. Jim Meehan: Super herby. Brandi Milloy: Wow! This is delicious; last question. What's next for cocktails, do you see new tends that are coming out? Jim Meehan: For me, I have been making cocktails like this for a very long time so they are not trendy to me but there are still so many people who have never had a martini like that or have never had a hand shaken Daiquiri or never experienced cocktails with fresh ingredients. Fresh ingredients are still something that's new to a lot of my guests. So I feel like until we kind of have brought everyone along, I want to sort of slow down and bring as many people in to this sort of cocktail trend. Brandi Milloy: You are fantastic such a pro, I think I am just going to finish drinking a glass of this. Jim, thanks so much for having us. Jim Meehan: Cheers. Thank you.