5 Ingredients or Fewer

Feta-Brine Martini

by:
July 26, 2021
4.5
4 Ratings
Feta-Brine Martini
Photo by Rocky Luten. Prop Stylist: Molly Fitzsimons. Food Stylist: Ericka Martins.
  • Prep time 5 minutes
  • makes 1 martini
Author Notes

What I make when I’ve had a long day. (And by make, I mean, what I make my husband make for me—same thing.) An almost-classic dirty martini, except instead of olive brine, we’re using feta brine. This, too, is salty and savory. But it is also milky and soft, a mellow liquid that I would happily sip straight. It also invites the opportunity to stuff an olive with feta, for a built-in, cheesy snack. Now, about the other ingredients: I almost always order a gin martini. But! In certain scenarios, vodka reigns supreme. Say, a pickle-brine martini, which is even more pay-attention-to-me than olive brine. Or, as we’re making today, a feta-brine martini. Without the botanicals, vodka is happy to stand back and let someone else steal the show. I opted for a 2:1 ratio of vodka-to-vermouth. But I’m also a big fan of the 50-50 formula. Play around with the ratio, depending on your mood. Just don’t skip the feta brine. It makes the drink, reminding me of a vacation, or the ocean, or a vacation by the ocean. —Emma Laperruque

What You'll Need
Watch This Recipe
Feta-Brine Martini
Ingredients
  • 2 to 3 pitted Castelvetrano olives
  • 2 to 3 pieces feta
  • 2 ounces vodka
  • 1 ounce dry vermouth
  • ¾ ounces strained feta brine
Directions
  1. Stuff the olives with feta, then spear them on a cocktail pick and plunk into your glass of choice. (Or if you don’t have a cocktail pick, just drop the olives into a glass.)
  2. Add the vodka, vermouth, and strained feta brine to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake the living daylights out of it. Strain into a glass and taste. More vodka, vermouth, or feta brine? Adjust if needed. Add some bonus ice cubes if on-the-rocks is your thing.
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  • Christine Camley
    Christine Camley
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    Emdoctor
  • Carol S
    Carol S
  • kenchel6
    kenchel6
Emma Laperruque
Emma was the food editor at Food52. She created the award-winning column, Big Little Recipes, and turned it into a cookbook in 2021. These days, she's a senior editor at Bon Appétit, leading digital cooking coverage. Say hello on Instagram at @emmalaperruque.

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4 Reviews

Emdoctor
Emdoctor December 2, 2023
Surprisingly pleasant. I was skeptical as I have tinkered and drank many olive and caperberry dirty martinis over the years. I’ll make it again.
 
Christine C.
Christine C. November 13, 2021
I am in love with the quinoa and feta patties and the castelveltrano and feta stuffed olives! They look so delicious and they blend beautifully with a feta brine dirty martini. Lovely balance. If I really wanted a gin martini with these snacks, do you have an idea or two of a good gin where the botanicals won't overtake the flavours of the feta brine? I am definitely a gin person here in Vancouver, Canada! Love this video! Thanks so much!
 
Carol S.
Carol S. July 29, 2021
I'm a 1 to 1 gin martini drinker, tonight will be a feta dirty! Thanks for this suggestion
 
kenchel6
kenchel6 July 27, 2021
a dirty vodka martini is the best! i can wait to try this with feta. thank you you for sharing emma!