# No olives?!? What goes in the Martini, then? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 3, 2016, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-olives-what-goes-in-the-martini-then/761601 "2016-08-03T01:53:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2016, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-olives-what-goes-in-the-martini-then/761601/21 "2016-08-04T14:49:50Z")
My first choice of martini garnish is always a pickled mushroom. Blue cheese stuffed olive is second. But I have had a very nice martini garnished with a black olive stuffed with salmon mousse. That was good! ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2016, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-olives-what-goes-in-the-martini-then/761601/22 "2016-08-04T15:10:13Z")
I’d think any pickled veggie would do in a pinch, it’s the vinegary whang that the olive brings to the drink that you’re after, right? ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2016, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-olives-what-goes-in-the-martini-then/761601/23 "2016-08-04T15:20:01Z")
How about a cherry? In one old magazine cartoon a hostess tells her shocked guests, some of whom have already started sipping their martinis, “I was out of olives, so I used clams.” ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2016, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-olives-what-goes-in-the-martini-then/761601/24 "2016-08-04T15:37:00Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Best bet is a vodka martini, hold the vermouth and the garnish. We call that “straight vodka”. There’s no martini there. It’s like “a margarita , hold the triple sec and lime, no salt”. aka straight tequila. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2016, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-olives-what-goes-in-the-martini-then/761601/25 "2016-08-04T15:37:44Z")
Actually, a gin sour is a different drink than a gimlet. Similar, sure, but not the same. If I ask for a gimlet and get gin and sour, it’s getting sent back. Gin and Rose’s for me, or Roses cut with lime juice if you’re feeling fancy. I’ve made it with homemade like syrup, but I just need the Rose’s for it to taste right to me. ---
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2016, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-olives-what-goes-in-the-martini-then/761601/26 "2016-08-04T16:07:21Z")
I have no idea but I got an olive in my manhattan when I ordered one at a craft beer bar because I just couldn’t choke down another bitter craft beer. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2016, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-olives-what-goes-in-the-martini-then/761601/27 "2016-08-04T16:55:25Z")
If you use a black olive it could be an Althea Gibson. Though that name is likely too old for most of you. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2016, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-olives-what-goes-in-the-martini-then/761601/28 "2016-08-04T16:58:48Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > One I remember is to use some hot sauce instead of vermouth and garnish with a shrimp. A Treiftini. ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-olives-what-goes-in-the-martini-then/761601/29 "2016-08-05T00:58:02Z")
A friend of mine would make martunis with a pickled tomato. I never really liked martunis, but I loved those pickled tomatoes. They were about the size of a nickel. Delicious. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-olives-what-goes-in-the-martini-then/761601/30 "2016-08-05T01:06:40Z")
Too bad I just threw out an old jar of pickled jalapeno slices. I’d experiment and let you know. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-olives-what-goes-in-the-martini-then/761601/31 "2016-08-05T01:07:05Z")
> [@Duke\_of\_Rat](#): > > I’d think any pickled veggie would do in a pinch, it’s the vinegary whang that the olive brings to the drink that you’re after, right? Good point. You want a lashing of salt and vinegar as you sip the last of the drink. Still, you want to avoid certain flavors. I have some cornichon-sized garlic-dill pickles that are extremely delicious, but I don’t think I want garlic or dill in my _aperitif_. The piparra, though, was delightful. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-olives-what-goes-in-the-martini-then/761601/32 "2016-08-05T01:13:45Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Yeah…you can have a Martini with a twist of lemon or a Martini with an olive, but you have to call a Martini with a pickled onion a Gibson. So If you made one with an olive half and an onion half stuck together you’d have a Martison? ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-olives-what-goes-in-the-martini-then/761601/33 "2016-08-05T15:01:51Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Too bad I just threw out an old jar of pickled jalapeno slices. I’d experiment and let you know. I love using jalapeno stuffed olives, something about the heat/booze just does it for me. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-olives-what-goes-in-the-martini-then/761601/34 "2016-08-05T15:10:59Z")
If you come to my house and there are no green olives in my fridge, bake a casserole because I am dead. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-olives-what-goes-in-the-martini-then/761601/35 "2016-08-05T16:16:30Z")
That came off as rather macabre on first reading… ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-olives-what-goes-in-the-martini-then/761601/36 "2016-08-05T16:46:43Z")
> [@TYphoonSignal8](#): > > Pickled ginger. No need for name-calling. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-olives-what-goes-in-the-martini-then/761601/37 "2016-08-05T16:46:48Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Too bad I just threw out an old jar of pickled jalapeno slices. I’d experiment and let you know. About the only martini I’ve had in 30 years is a Cajun martini made with a jalapeno. It was part of a special Cajun menu set up by Paul Prudhomme to educate New Yorkers about real Cajun food. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-olives-what-goes-in-the-martini-then/761601/38 "2016-08-05T16:53:42Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > No need for name-calling. Maybe Ginger SHOULD lay off the sauce. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-olives-what-goes-in-the-martini-then/761601/39 "2016-08-05T16:58:00Z")
Do you like limes? A twist of lime peel, a small slice of key lime, or a bit of meyer lemon peel also does the trick. My wife doesn’t like lemons at all, but she does like limes and meyer lemons so that’s what goes in hers. I get three jalapeno or blue cheese stuffed olives in mine. I’ve also been playing around with bitters and [Dillon’s](http://dillons.ca/what-we-make/bitters) wormwood bitters was really good for a change up. I like using Tanquery 10 or Hendrick’s for gin. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-olives-what-goes-in-the-martini-then/761601/40 "2016-08-05T18:39:14Z")
Blue cheese stuffed olives seem to be a Chicago thing. I’m frequently offered them when I’m in the Windy City. My preference is anchovy-stuffed, but I like anchovies. Francesca’s on Taylor Street has a barkeep that will stuff an anchovy into a naked pitted olive just for me. I tip him well. Here in New York, custom olives don’t happen to me in bars. I keep my eye out for anchovy-stuffed olives in fancy-food stores, although I have also found them in ordinary groceries. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-olives-what-goes-in-the-martini-then/761601.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-olives-what-goes-in-the-martini-then/761601.md?page=3)