Bacon Martini - House vodka infused with pork. Double Down Saloon, 14 Avenue A., $7

Heee Heee!!!!  I LOVE this!!!  This article in the NY Post is ACTUALLY a rather negative write-up on the evolution of the Martinin (damn purists!) but I happen to love a creative cocktail.

Witness: the Bacon Martini!! :
   

Ladies and gentlemen, introducing a binge too far, the final olive-covered straw, the drink that leaves us shaken, anger stirred: the Bacon Martini.

Considering that the world's most famous martini drinker hits movie theaters this week, perhaps it's time to take a look at how perverted the drink has become. And the Bacon Martini, unappetizing and unkosher, may be the best place to start.

"Nowadays if you pour straight liquor into a martini glass, it's called a martini," admits Double Down owner P. Moss, whose bacon creation is made by marinating three strips of fine-cured Tennessee bacon in vodka for 24 hours, then straining it through shaken ice. It's served in martini glass, with a piece of bacon on the bottom like a tequila worm.

MENU SAMPLE FOR TASTING MENU NINETY-SEVEN POUNDS AND SEVENTY-FIVE PENCE

NITRO-GREEN TEA AND LIME MOUSSE OYSTER, PASSION FRUIT JELLY, HORSERADISH CREAM, LAVENDER POMMERY GRAIN MUSTARD ICE CREAM, RED CABBAGE GAZPACHO JELLY OF QUAIL, LANGOUSTINE CREAM, PARFAIT OF FOIE GRAS

SNAIL PORRIDGE Joselito Ham, shaved fennel

ROAST FOIE GRAS Almond fluid gel, cherry and chamomile

SARDINE ON TOAST SORBET Ballotine of mackerel ‘invertebrate’, marinated daikon

SALMON POACHED WITH LIQUORICE Asparagus, pink grapefruit, "Manni" olive oil

POACHED BREAST OF ANJOU PIGEON PANCETTA Pastilla of its leg, pistachio, cocoa and quatre épices

MRS MARSHALL’S MARGARET CORNET PINE SHERBET FOUNTAIN

MANGO AND D0UGLAS FIR PUREE Bavarois of lychee and mango, blackcurrant sorbet

CARROT AND ORANGE TUILE BEETROOT JELLY

SMOKED BACON AND EGG ICE CREAM Pain perdu, tea jelly

HOT AND COLD TEA VIOLET TARTLET

No food is intrinsically disgusting; if it were, then nobody would eat it. With this in mind, the question begging to be asked is what causes such a wide range of likes and dislikes when it comes to the food that we put in our mouths?

So, think about that.  The NY Post writer clearly has a disgust for anything which is not familiar to him.. but, who's to say that the Bacon Martini is not, in fact, a work of genius?

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I'll leave you with a list of "Wacky Martinis!" which offend the writer.

Sampling the city's wackiest 'martinis'

These popular cocktails have everything but what a real New York martini has - gin and vermouth.

* Strawberry Martini - Strawberry vodka, muddled strawberry and balsamic vinegar. Shebeen, 202 Mott St. $9

* Cucumber Martini- Orange vodka, Cointreau lemons, limes, cucumbers and cranberry juice. 3 Steps, 322 Second Ave. $13

* Pumpkin Dream Martini - Bacardi and pumpkin spiced cream. Parea, 36 E. 20th St. $14

* Salt and Pepper Martini - Imperia vodka, tabasco, pepper, served in a salt-rimmed glass. Four Seasons, 57 E. 57th St. $20

* Dirty Bird Martini - Vodka with blue cheese stuffed olives. STK, 26 Little W. 12th St. $14

* Hawaiian Saketini - Pineapple infused sake, citron, pineapple. Bao 111, 111 Avenue C. $10

* Hanoi Lychee Martini - Vodka, lychee syrup and pineapple juice. Verlaine, 110 Rivington St. $8

* El Duque - Anejo tequila, Malaga Moscatel, bitters, pineapple wedge seared w/vanilla sugar. Dos Caminos Third Avenue, 825 Third Ave. $20

* White Chocolate Martini - Vodka, Godiva white chocolate liqueur, Kahlua, Chocolate sprinkles. 212, 133 E. 65th St. $10

* Tropical Sambatini - Coconut rum, Nigori sake, pineapple and lime juices, simple syrup and a lime twist. Sushi Samba, 245 Park Ave. South, $11

* Volstead Martini - Wild Turkey, rye, muddled cranberries and apricot infused Taylor-Fladgate 20-year Port. Blue Owl, 196 Second Ave. $12

* Tea Time Martini - Gin, Yuzu, maraschino liquor, fresh grapefruit and lime juices. Pegu Club, 77 W. Houston St. $15

* Sex in the Bathroom Martini - Three Olives Chocolate Vodka, Frangelico hazelnut liqueur, creme de cacao, vanilla sugared rim. Madame X, 94 W. Houston St. $10

Hey, you know what?  Maybe James Bond drank gin martinis, but he's also, like, a FICTITIOUS character!  Soooo.. maybe real people like to mix things up a bit!  OKAY, New Yorkers??!!!  These martinis are in your town   Go, drink, and be merry!!

And for those of us in MIAMI!!!!:

November 14, 2006 Miami Ice The Ice Hotel: It’s cool (no pun intended) in theory. But who wants to guzzle spiked Swiss Miss just to stay warm? We’ll take our climates toasty and our beverages cold. To satisfy the thrill of the chill, Barton G has opened Below Zero Nitro Bar, where cocktails are infused with liquid nitrogen, which is colder than dry ice. For those ditched chem 101, this means the alcohol freezes, and your drink gets progressively stronger as it melts. Ask mad scientist/chef/bartender Richard Blais for a Classic Nitro-tini, which includes Ciroc Snap Frost vodka, a nitrogenized vermouth swizzle stick, a frozen olive, and frostbitten blue cheese pearls. Satisfy your sweet tooth with a Pink Elephant, a combo of Absolut Ruby Red vodka and ruby red grapefruit juice. It has a popsicle-like consistency. Only three nitro cocktails are available so far, but more are in the works. Cool, huh? And this time, not just in theory. Below Zero Nitro Bar at Barton G, 1427 West Avenue, Miami Beach (305-672-8881 or bartong.com).