Toronto’s new dirty martinis are easy, breezy and literally cheesy
Slice of Life is kicking up a stink with its blue cheese martini
Last year’s it drink, the dirty martini, calls for just a few simple ingredients: gin or vodka, vermouth, and olive brine. But, at Slice of Life, a modernist bar on the outskirts of Kensington Market, the off-menu cocktail gets an added kick from a left-field ingredient: blue cheese—one of the more divisive dairy products.
“Recently, blue cheese–stuffed olives have become a popular dirty martini garnish,” says owner Eric Pan. “We decided to take the cheese out of the olive and permeate its pungent aroma throughout the drink. It’s a very polarizing cocktail—but if you like blue cheese, you’ll love this martini.” Related: What’s on the menu at Slice of Life, a kooky new cocktail bar with a laboratory in the basement
They start by adding Ramsbury gin and blue cheese to a vacuum-sealed bag, which they cook sous-vide until the flavours are integrated. Next, the mixture is frozen and run through a centrifuge—so even though it’s significantly punchier than before, it’s still crystal clear. After that, things get even weirder: the infused booze is stirred over ice with dry vermouth and Pernod, then garnished with shiitake oil, caramelized onion oil and an olive.
This drink isn’t just dirty—it’s filthy with funk. They dubbed it Tom’s Martini because it’s inspired by cartoon cat-and-mouse duo Tom and Jerry. “Tom often used cheese to catch Jerry,” says Pan. We’d take that bait.
Three Ontario-made martini mix-ins at the LCBO
Tawse Dry White Vermouth This hyper-local vermouth starts as a white wine made from Niagara riesling grapes, which is infused with 14 Ontario botanicals and amped up with a neutral spirit. Try a splash in a dry martini with a few drops of orange bitters. $20.55, 750 mL, lcbo.com
Vodkow Vodka No potatoes were harmed in the making of this vodka. The Almonte-based distillery upcycles sugars left behind after the milk-making process into a creamy (but crystal-clear) spirit. $35.95, 750 mL, lcbo.com
Spring Mill John Sleeman & Sons Gin Red winter wheat and 11 different botanicals, including sea buckthorn and orange, form the base of this Guelph-made gin. It’s bright, approachable, and full of very Ontario notes of pine and wintergreen. $40.70, 750 mL, lcbo.com
Related: Canadian-made substitutes for American beer, wine and spirits
More places to say cheese
Civil Works: The Bluetini at this Waterworks bar stirs gorgonzola-washed vodka with dry vermouth and a house-made brine. It’s garnished with a Cerignola olive and a few drops of olive oil.
Doc’s Green Door Lounge: This Junction cocktail and wine bar’s DIY martini service includes the option to add a blend of olive and blue cheese brines as well as blue cheese–stuffed olives.
Kate Dingwall is a writer, author and photographer covering spirits, business, culture, fashion and travel. By night, she’s a working sommelier. She has worked with Flare, Food & Wine, Wine Enthusiast, Maxim, People, Southern Living, Rolling Stone, Eater, Elle, Toronto Life and the Toronto Star, among other publications. She frequently appears on both CTV and NPR, has co-authored a book on gin, judges Food & Wine’s Tastemakers and has strong opinions on the city’s best martini.
