It’s wild garlic season, and the herb is making its way from the kitchen to the drinks trolley. Matthew Wakeford, sommelier at Crazy Bear in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, shares a recipe for a wild garlic martini that captures the pungent, honeyed notes of the season.
For the wild garlic gin, take a big handful of wild garlic leaves, wash and roughly chop them. Place in a large jar and pour over a 750ml bottle of gin – Wakeford recommends Tanqueray No 10 for its citrussy flavour. Seal the jar and refrigerate for 24 to 72 hours, tasting daily to ensure the flavour doesn’t become too strong or bitter.
Once infused to your liking, strain the gin through a fine-mesh sieve or coffee filter twice to remove all solids and sediment. Pour into a clean bottle and store in the fridge, where it will keep for up to three months.
To make the martini, chill a martini glass in the freezer for an hour. In a mixing glass, combine 60ml of the wild garlic gin, 20ml dry white vermouth (Scarpa Extra Dry is suggested), and 10ml pure honey. Fill with ice and stir until the glass feels cold – no shaking. Strain into the chilled martini glass and serve.
