The cocktail Espresso Martini used to be called Vodka Espresso and was created at the Soho Brasserie in London. The legendary bartender Dick Bradsell created it for a client who asked for “something that’s going to wake me up, then f**k me up.” When we found this out, we were not surprised that we hadn’t tasted it before this summer.
A beautiful presentation of Espresso Martini convinced us we have to experience this “potion” at least once. We didn’t dare drink the whole cocktail (yes, we were sharing it) because it was just the beginning of the party, and we didn’t want to miss it.
Espresso Martini Recipe
1 1/2 oz vodka
1 oz espresso freshly made
2/3 oz Coffee Liqueur
2 drops of saline solution
Garnish: two coffee beans
As you can see, judging by its ingredients, it is far from being a proper Martini because it doesn’t contain vermouth. Also, as we always insist, the quality of ingredients is essential.
There are many variations of the drink and ingredients that might improve the balance. Sugar, for example, helps balance the espresso, but it highly depends on your preferences.
Interestingly, Dick Bradsell suggested if a cocktail looks brown and not black, it is done wrong. We think if a person falls asleep after drinking it, it is certainly not the right kind of Espresso Martini. The party people we danced with stayed up all night, so we concluded the cocktail was crafted just fine!