Recently on Facebook, a good friend was searching out boutique olives for the bar. Olives are a very special ingredient in any bar for the classic gin or vodka martini. There are plenty of quality olives in classic brines out there and in this day and age of boutique brands, there is a steady stream of house brines with or without the olives.

But what happens if these aren't available or your bar manager or owner doesn't want to drop the dosh on them? Making your own is simple, gives your establishment an edge and making a mean dirty martini. And that brings me to the point of the dirty martini, having a cloying dirty martini is only pleasant for one or two but a martini that taste like lovely briny olive with that sometimes nasty aftertaste is heaven.

First recipe calls for Itallissima Olives or the ilk, green queens are a good preference and what people expect to a degree.

2L Dry Vermouth

100mL original brine
20g Salt
5g cracked black pepper
6 bay leaves
7 sprigs of curry plant
8 sage leaves
5 sprig thyme
20 juniper berries
15 peppecorns
5g caraway seeds
3 sprigs of rosemary

• Put on induction burner on MED-LO heat for 25-30 mins.
• Let cool, strain and pour over olives.
• Add a few cooked bay leaves etc. to the jar of olives for further infusion.

This recipe is for a punched up addition to what you can get on the market called "drunken olives" or olives already soaked in vermouth. If you have a herb garden for your bar or restaurant, this give a definite step up from the regular.

24oz Olive Vermouth Mix
6g Dried Curry Leaves

10g Juniper Berries

6g Coriander Seeds

4 g Cardamon Pods

5 dried bay leaves

2g cubeb berries

• Simmer on number 2 on the induction burner for 1/2 hour

• Pour over olives warm in the bucket, add 4 barspoons of herbs on top

The secret to it all, is to pour the liquid back over the olives warm. This shocks the olives and has them release a little of their natural oily essence into the aromatic mix. Anyway you do it, making your own olive brine is just as important as the olives you choose to use.