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Friday Cocktail Hour: Key Lime Martini

Published: Jan 30, 2015 · Modified: Mar 20, 2021 by Michael Ruhlman · 11 Comments

Key-Lime-Martini-2

Photo by Donna Turner Ruhlman

 

 

So cold, so much snow, can’t get Key West off my mind.

I must, but before I do, one final post and a cocktail, the Key Lime Martini (shot with my iPhone in a dark bar). Donna and Abby (of Spaceman Spiff) once tried to recreate this but couldn’t get it right; we all got too drunk trying and had to give up. I thought it impossible to make outside Key West, but one of the boys, Jason, said he makes these for himself and his wife Kristi every weekend. His recipe is below. Or you can watch below as the wonderful Ramsey pours one at the White Tarpon, a beloved watering hole in Key West, if you don't mind the poor lighting.

The sweet and sour mix Ramsey uses is Daily’s, Jason tells me. Jason uses Mr. T’s. I know, I know. There’s also that Rose’s lime juice in there as well. But it is what it is. For a homemade sweet and sour mix, combine lemon and lime juice with an equal part of sugar. That said, the drink only tastes the same with the pre-made stuff. I love to make potato chips. But I also love Pringles. So shoot me.

OK, time to get back to winter, but will be having one last one of these at the end of the day, dreaming of Key West, a year away.

 

Key Lime Martini from Michael Ruhlman on Vimeo.
If you liked this post on the Key Lime Martini, check out these other links:

  • My recent posts on the Key West Reflections, Importance of Family Meal, and The Key Sunrise.
  • Learn how to make your own sour mix.
  • Licor 43 is a Spanish vanilla-citrus liqueur; here are a few more recipes using this unique product.
  • My favorite bar in Cleveland is the Velvet Tango Room.

© 2015 Michael Ruhlman. Photo © 2015 Donna Turner Ruhlman. All rights reserved.

Key Lime Martini

Print Recipe
Course Cocktail

Ingredients
  

  • 2 graham crackers (optional)
  • 2 teaspoons sugar (optional)
  • 2 ounces vanilla vodka
  • 1 ounce Licor 43
  • 1 ounce sweet and sour mix
  • 1 ounce Rose's sweetened lime juice

Instructions
 

  • In a ziplock bag crush the graham crackers with the sugar and shake it up. Then place the crushed graham cracker–sugar mixture on a plate.
  • Dip the rim of the martini glass into water, then dip it into the graham cracker sugar mixture.
  • Add the fluids to a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake 10 to 15 times.
  • Strain into the chilled glasses.
« A Cocktail! The Key Sunrise
Cooked Marinade »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Carole

    January 30, 2015 at 1:59 pm

    Jesus Christ NO!!! Crush graham crackers? I know they are optional but still.

    Reply
  2. Michael Ruhlman

    January 30, 2015 at 3:49 pm

    Carole, that's kind of harsh, don't you think?

    Unless you're my mom in which case, of course you're right and what was I thinking.

    Reply
  3. James O.

    January 30, 2015 at 10:38 pm

    You talk about 'pre-made' stuff as if it was worse than ... worse than ... er ... something really bad.

    Of course the pre-made stuff is the defining taste; many drinks were developed by the big marketing firms to sell the stuff.

    You might as well deny the appeal of McDonalds' fries, or Hostess Twinkies, or Cheez-Doodles, or Pop-Tarts; there's a time and place for all of these things.

    Even Pringles.

    Reply
  4. Judy

    January 31, 2015 at 6:03 pm

    A former friend of mine would give you a lecture for calling it a 'martini'. But semantics aside...and the fact I'd use fresh lime juice...this sounds delicious.

    Reply
  5. ryan

    February 02, 2015 at 4:59 pm

    Would it be a faux pas to use bottled key lime juice?

    Reply
  6. BobC

    February 02, 2015 at 10:05 pm

    Right on Michael, reading your post last week about the regatta I was thinking about Key West and wondering if the White Tarpon was still there. Their martini is the best and I got the recipe from them a few years ago when we had a Key West West party for the crew here in LA. They don't taste quite the same as they do sitting in that great little bar though.

    Reply
  7. JimmyJ

    February 03, 2015 at 11:25 am

    i am with Judy above, i wouldn't call it a "martini", but it doesn't mean i wouldn't make one and drink it.

    Reply
    • Marty

      February 06, 2015 at 12:42 pm

      I thought the same thing. Then again, I have had traditional martinis made with gin, vermouth and an olive that should not have been called a martini either.

      Reply
  8. M.A. Kropp

    February 06, 2015 at 12:05 pm

    Yeah- how do you allow calling this a martini, given past rants, Mr. Ruhlman? I want no further grief about my vodka martinis, sir! (I had to, sorry! 😉 )

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Cooked Marinade | Michael Ruhlman says:
    February 4, 2015 at 11:49 am

    […] recent posts on the Key Lime Martini, Key West Reflections, and Importance of Family […]

    Reply
  2. Friday Cocktail Hour: The Boulevardier Returns | Michael Ruhlman says:
    February 6, 2015 at 11:51 am

    […] My recent cocktail posts are the Key Sunrise and Key Lime Martini. […]

    Reply

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Hi, I'm Michael Ruhlman, an award-winning author and cook who writes about chefs, food and cooking, among other things.

More about me →

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram

See my books!

Ratio App for iPhone

After I wrote my book Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking, a colleague and I built a ratio calculator for iPhones that allows you to cook without recipes. For doughs, batters, custards, sauces, stocks and more, simply plug in the amount of one ingredient and the amounts of the other ingredients are instantly calculated. It's also a handy reference for dozens of our most common preparations. ($4.99 in the app store.)

Collaborate

I’ve collaborated on a dozen books, including cookbooks and a memoir. If you'd like to collaborate on a project, please contact my agent, Gail Hochman, [email protected], at Brandt & Hochman Literary Agents, Inc.

For speaking engagements contact, Kip Ludwig, [email protected].

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