Gorgeous Grapefruit Martini

It took me a long time to warm up to martinis. And even then it was a slow start. I sipped Cosmos and made French Martinis, but an actual straight up vodka and vermouth martini was not something I ordered until I was almost forty. But now, this grapefruit martini is on of my faves!

Why You’ll Love it:

This drink is so easy to make. Just three simple ingredients: vodka, Cointreau, and grapefruit juice. And ice. But ice doesn’t count. Does it?

Some people like to rim the glass of their grapefruit martini with sugar. And you can certainly do that. But one of the things I love about this drink is it isn’t too sweet. As much as I love sweets, I don’t like sweet drinks. I drink my coffee with just cream, my tea black, my wine dry. And I prefer my cocktails to be on the less-sweet side.

The ruby red grapefruit juice gives it just a hint of sweetness and cuts the alcohol flavor. So even if you aren’t a fan of traditional martinis, give it a try. You might like it. And if you prefer sweeter drinks, go ahead and rim the glass with sugar. Some pink dusting sugar would be beautiful on this glass.

Speaking of beautiful – look how pretty it is in the glass. (You all know I am a sucker for pretty looking foods and drinks). I just think the grapefruit martini is a perfectly sophisticated drink.

How to Make a Grapefruit Martini:

When it comes to cocktails, it doesn’t really get an easier than a grapefruit martini.

Speaking of cocktails . . . do you know the difference between a cocktail and a mixed drink? A cocktail is shaken. And a mixed drink is . . . well, mixed. A martini can actually be either. In fact, while most of us think of a cocktail shaker as synonymous with martinis, the traditional (and arguable correct) way of making a martini is stirred.

At least according to some cocktail gurus: “Martinis, Manhattans, Old-Fashioneds — basically any booze-forward drink should be stirred. Stirring these drinks produces “a silky mouth-feel with precise dilution and perfect clarity,” says Elliott Ball

Shaking adds texture and aeration to a drink which changes the mouth-feel. It also helps to bind ingredients that would easily separate if they were just stirred. Okay, I won’t bore you anymore with a cocktail history, but if you are interested you can read more here.

So, feel free to stir this martini if you desire. But I make it easy on myself and use the cocktail shaker.

First, add the ice to a stainless steel cocktail shaker. Then add the vodka, Cointreau, and grapefruit juice. Put on the lid. Make sure it’s tight, and then shake vigorously while singing Taylor Swift’s Shake It Up. Okay, the singing is optional, but fun.

Then simply strain into a martini glass (sugared rim optional), and garnish with a wedge of grapefruit. Don’t have a martini glass? No big deal? Any rocks glass will do. We don’t get hung up on details here.

Enjoy It!

I’m not sure you really need instructions to enjoy a grapefruit. Simply sip and enjoy.

But this would be a beautiful lunch for a bridal shower. Or a garden party. Because everyone has those. Girls’ night in? Summer dinner al fresco.

You can also mix up a big batch in a pitcher. I usually shake individual servings to chill when I do this, but you could also just add ice and stir.

Prefer gin? No problem. Feel free to substitute your favorite gin for the vodka. Just remember, the better the alcohol the better the drink.

P.S. Check out more drinks recipes here.