I was originally planning a trip to Greece this summer, until the global pandemic changed everyone’s plans. I was last there a few years ago and have been dying to go back pretty much ever since – I’m a bit of a history buff, and a true Philhellene, so it’s always an obvious choice.  

Anyway, I was recently promoted at work, and I felt like celebrating at home. I’m a big dirty martini fan, but I was all out of green olives. I did have plenty of Kalamata olives though (which I prefer for cooking/snacking), so I figured, why not? And guess what – it was delicious!  

If you like your martini dirty, give it a try! The flavor is great, and with the Kalamata olive juice, the color takes on this beautiful light purple/pinkish hue.  

I couldn’t have been happier; it looks like I got a little taste of my summer trip to Greece after all.  

Στην υγειά μας! 

Ingredients:  

• 1/2 cup vodka or gin (my preference is gin) 

• 1 teaspoon dry vermouth 
• 1 tablespoon olive juice from the Kalamata olives 
• 6 Kalamata olives 

Preparation  

Combine the spirit, vermouth, and olive juice in a shaker with ice. Shake it up really well to break up the ice into shards. Strain into 2 martini glasses and garnish each drink with 3 Kalamata olives. Poke the olives with toothpicks as if you’re bobbing for apples.