by Jordan Catapano

A lot of care goes into brining a turkey. It takes about twenty-four hours of soaking time in a salty bath of herbs to bring out the flavors of the bird while it’s roasting. To compliment this process of preparing the most important menu item of Thanksgiving dinner, serve a sage martini as an aperitif. It has just enough saltiness, a hint of herbs, and a fantastic gin to create a savory, November cocktail.

Sage Martini
3 ounces London Gin
¼ Martini & Rossi dry vermouth
½ ounce olive juice
Fresh sage to muddle
Sage leaves for garnish

Directions
In a martini shaker, pint glass, or measuring pitcher, muddle 1-2 sage leaves in three ounces of gin. You will only need to press this potent herb a few times to release the flavors. Once you’ve gently coaxed some flavor out, strain the gin and sage mixture into a martini shaker filled with ice. Add the dry vermouth and olive juice, and shake for a few seconds until well mixed. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with fresh sage leaves.