California Citrus Martinis

There are times in life when nothing else will do but a really good martini. A celebratory dinner. Girls’ night out. A promising date. A reunion with a much-loved friend. The latter was the impetus for a recent exploration of martinis made with local ingredients, so just before my pal Karen came to visit from Maine, I made a batch of simple syrup, picked an armload of blood oranges from the tree in the garden, and put a bottle of vodka in the freezer.

Depending on what’s available, you can make martinis with any kind of citrus that is in season. I figure I’m in good shape because I can select from blood oranges, Valencia oranges, tangerines or Meyer lemons -- all of which are abundant where I live from early spring to summer. All I have to do is pick what's ripe.

Karen was enchanted with blood oranges so that’s what we used for our martinis, and after five or six nights of experimenting, we agreed that we’d perfected the recipe. After exchanging congratulatory toasts, down the hatch they went. We wanted to test our recipe on another discriminating palate, so we asked Sonia to join us one evening. While I squeezed, mixed and shook, Karen and Sonia arranged a platter of cheese and crackers. We raised our glasses, toasted our good fortune and Sonia declared the recipe a winner. Now we'd like to share it with you.

California Citrus Martini

¾ - 1 Cup of fresh squeezed citrus juice

2 Jiggers vodka (I prefer Grey Goose Citron)

1-2 Tablespoons simple syrup, depending on the sweetness or tartness of the citrus

Fill a martini shaker about half full with ice cubes. Pour the juice, the vodka and the simple syrup over the ice cubes. With the cap securely fitted on the shaker, shake a few times to blend the liquids (but not longer than about 30 seconds), and decant into chilled martini glasses. This recipe serves two, but my martini glasses are on the small side, so I usually have a little bit left over for topping off each glass after the first few sips.

If you decide to make a Lemon Drop Martini, remember that lemon juice can be too tart to drink unless you start with Meyer lemons which are milder. I like to add a half-ounce of triple sec along with the lemon juice and the syrup to the shaker, then rub the rim of the martini glass with a strip of lemon rind to moisten it and dip the glass in superfine sugar. It takes the sting out of a too-sour lemon.

All martini recipes can be fairly flexible, so experiment a bit to see what is the best combination for you. This gives you an excuse to whip up a batch of martinis night after night until you get it just right. That’s what Karen and I did.

Cheers!

Chives: A Tonic for the Sagging Spirit and Most Recipes

Rounding the bend in the garden the other day, I cheered out loud when I discovered a chive plant thriving in a neglected corner. How it survived this winter's vigorous pruning activity that brought in a horde of tree trimmers who trampled every inch of the garden, I'll ever know. But there it was, no worse for the wear, its cheery purple heads bobbing in the warm spring air.

The smallest of the edible onion family, allium schoenoprasum is a cousin to the garlic, leek and shallot. They are grown mainly for their leaves that have a mild onion-y, garlicky flavor, but the flowers are edible too, either chopped up or served whole as a dramatic garnish.

Traditional Chinese medicine holds that chives restore the energy balance in a body worn down by winter. I'm sure it's true: There's nothing more revitalizing to the spirit than discovering a bunch of chives in the spring garden.

Chives are an easy-to-grow perennial in pots, or in the herb garden either as individual plants or in large clumps. You can keep the season going right up to the first frost by cutting the leaves down to about 2 inches above the ground which encourages new growth. It's best to harvest chives when the leaves are young, as they start to get chewy and fibrous as they age. And don't wash the leaves until you're ready to use them because prolonged moisture will cause decay.

In the kitchen, I love chopped chives on a baked potato, a plate of scrambled eggs, or mixed in with risotto. It's mild enough to serve with fish without overwhelming the fish. I like to mix chives into egg salad, tuna salad or chicken salad for a little extra flavor. I make an herb butter that is terrific slathered over corn on the cob, or simply smeared on French bread. Another favorite: a summer fruit and lettuce salad dressed with a light vinaigrette and minced chives.

Here's a really simple recipe for a dip that is divine with grilled lamb chops or lamb burgers.

Green Goddess Dip with Chives

3/4 Cup sour cream
3/4 Cup mayonnaise
2 Cloves garlic, mashed
1/4 Cup fresh parsley leaves
2 Teaspoons fresh tarragon, chopped
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 Anchovy fillets
1/4 Cup fresh chives, minced
Salt and ground pepper to taste

Toss the first seven ingredients into a blender (save the chives and salt & pepper for adding later). Transfer to a bowl and gently stir in the minced chives. Season with salt and pepper. Chill in the refrigerator at least an hour before serving to marry the flavors.

While we're at it, here's a wonderful dip that's great with raw veggies, crackers or pita chips.

Feta Dip with Chives

3/4 Cup Greek yogurt
1/2 Cup crumbled feta cheese
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1-2 Cloves garlic, depending on the size of the cloves
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 Tablespoons each: chopped fresh parsley, chopped fresh dill, chopped fresh chives and chopped fresh mint
1 Teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Put the first five ingredients in the food processor or blender (save the herbs and pepper for adding after). Blend until smooth. Now add the herbs and ground pepper and pulse gently until they are combined. Transfer to a serving bowl and chill overnight. The flavors will fully develop and the dip will thicken to a nice consistency.