The Caesar Martini
Makes 1 drink · Components yield ~10 drinks · Stirred, not shaken
The make-ahead components
Parmesan-washed vodka — makes ~700 ml · ~10 drinks Tip 80 g finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano into a clean jar and pour in 700 ml vodka (most of a bottle). Seal and let it soak overnight at room temperature — 12 to 24 hours — giving it a shake whenever you pass by. Then move the jar to the freezer for at least 4 hours, until the cheese fat firms up on top. Strain through a coffee filter set in a sieve until it runs crystal clear, and rebottle.
Roasted-garlic vermouth — makes ~200 ml Roast 1 head of garlic at 400°F (200°C) for about 40 minutes, until the cloves are soft and sweet. Squeeze them into 200 ml dry vermouth (Dolin Dry is ideal), steep in the fridge for 24 hours, then strain. Keep it cold and use within two weeks — roasted-garlic infusions are perishable, so this one lives in the refrigerator, never on the counter.
Black pepper tincture — makes ~100 ml · keeps indefinitely Crack 2 Tbsp black peppercorns and drop them into 100 ml vodka. Let them steep for 3 to 5 days, shaking daily, then strain into a small dropper bottle. It's a quiet workhorse — just a few drops give the drink a warm peppery lift without any grit.
Caesar brine — makes ~100 ml · the "dirty" splash Whisk together 2 Tbsp colatura di alici (a clear Italian anchovy sauce), 2 Tbsp Worcestershire, 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp fish sauce, ½ tsp Dijon, and a pinch of pepper. Pour through a coffee filter so it runs clear, then bottle and refrigerate; use within two weeks. No colatura on hand? Blend in 4 oil-packed anchovy fillets and strain well, or simply lean on a little extra fish sauce.
To build one drink
2 oz (60 ml) Parmesan-washed vodka
½ oz (15 ml) fino or manzanilla sherry
½ oz (15 ml) roasted-garlic vermouth
1 tsp (5 ml) Caesar brine
3 drops black pepper tincture
3–4 drops good olive oil, to float
1 lemon twist
Garnish: a french fry, an olive stuffed with blue cheese or Parmesan, and a caper berry — or, for a simpler finish, a Parmesan crisp with a small garlic crouton
Chill the glass. Pop a coupe or Nick & Nora glass in the freezer while you build — a cold glass keeps the oil float from spreading too fast.
Stir. Combine the vodka, sherry, vermouth, brine, and pepper tincture in a mixing glass full of ice. Stir 25–30 seconds, until cold and silky. Stir, don't shake — you want it glassy and clear.
Strain. Double-strain into the chilled glass. Taste as you pour, and add a touch more brine if you'd like it dirtier.
Finish. Float the olive oil on the surface, express the lemon twist over the top (a firm pinch to spray its oils), and perch it on the rim. Lay the chosen garnish on a pick across the glass, and crack a little pepper over everything.
