Simon Martel

This is my fetish Dry Martini made with tequila. The vegetal notes marry very well with the Dolin dry’s oxidized character. I complement it with the summer flavors of the Mastiha Greek liqueur.
Ingredients: 3cl Tequila, 3cl Dolin dry, 1cl Mastiha liqueur, lemon zest and orange bitters.
Method: mixing glass, then served in a cocktail glass.

The starter is very basic, a whole cooked artichoke from which you pluck the leaves and dip them in a vinaigrette based on the very aromatic Greek alcohols, such as ouzo or mastiha.

The structure of the artichoke reminds us of the raw material of tequila, the agave. In this pairing we are playing around with the herbaceous aromas.

For those who love bitterness, I offer a reinterpreted Americano using Dolin bitter with a fat wash of olive oil (a house specialty), Dolin red and our own tomato water. This is a refreshing, low-alcohol long drink, easy to enjoy throughout a meal.
Ingredients: 2/10 Dolin bitter in a fat wash of olive oil, 4/10 Dolin red, 3/10 tomato water with 1/10 soda.
Method: build directly over ice in a tumbler glass.

I pair this cocktail with a typical Greek salad made with heirloom tomatoes and feta cheese from Lemnos, drizzled with our own Kalamata Kalios olive-oil-based vinaigrette, pickled onion juice and roasted almonds.

The bitter, vinous profile sets off the slightly saline flavors of the feta cheese. The tomato water adds freshness while the Dolin red and Dolin bitter act as a bridge to all the ingredients of the dish.

This is a White Negroni made with Greek gin, Dolin dry, Castro juniper-flavored wine, a touch of Greek honey liqueur and thyme bitters. This cocktail is characterised by its subtle bitterness and suppleness on the palate.
Ingredients: Old Sport Greek Gin, Dolin dry, honey liqueur and Castro Junique, thyme bitters.
Method: build directly in an Old-Fashioned glass over a large piece of ice

Directly in an Old-Fashioned glass over a large piece of ice.

Create a contrast between a very fatty cheese and a cocktail with pronounced dry notes

I played around with the texture in a frozen cocktail based on two bitter vermouths, Dolin red and Suédois Dolin, which give the perfect kick to this cocktail. It is complemented by the Mediterranean ingredients such as thyme, fig jam and lemon. This is a dessert cocktail prepared in a wine glass.
Ingredients: Dolin red, Suédois Dolin, a sprig of thyme, lemon, a spoonful of fig jam.
Method: A measure of each ingredient is placed in a “sous-vide” with just a little water so that the result is not too watery despite the large amount of ice. All the ingredients are then blended together with the lemon and ice.

I went for a refreshing, airy dessert, a Greek yoghurt mousse using Kalios olive oil from the last harvest (fruitier). The yoghurt is whipped up with the olive oil. It is mixed with the fig and thyme, then sprinkled with homemade caramelized hazelnuts. This dessert also has the advantage of being very easy to digest.

Two types of light, airy material are showcased in this pairing: a granita for the cocktail and a mousse for the dessert. The ideal summer-time pairing.