Turn A Classic Dirty Martini Into Savory Boozy Bites With This Tried-And-True Method

There are more than a few ways to taste the essence of a dirty martini, the classic cocktail that adds a dose of olive brine to gin or vodka and vermouth, without sipping it from a glass. Vodka stuffed olives truly cut to the chase, while snacks like dirty martini potato chips and dirty martini popcorn incorporate the flavor without the higher ABV (alcohol by volume). But you can also have the best of both worlds — a bite-sized snack with all the notes of a dirty martini and a nice, punchy kick — via dirty martini Jell-O shots.

Should Jell-O shots remind you of youthful indiscretions, they've jiggled their way to some august culinary institutions in recent years. A lot of those contemporary preparations aim to approximate the iconic libations sipped in the finest bars all over the world. In doing so, today's wiggly treats largely eschew the paper cups, radioactive colors, and indiscriminate ingredients of yesteryear in favor of more carefully considered constructions like this dirty martini contribution. And they're still just a lot of fun. So gather your liquor, favorite jar of olives, and a bit of gelatin, and start wiggling your way to one of the cutest drinks you can eat.

If you already have a hard alcohol Jell-O shot recipe that you love, you can more or less swap its spirit with the dirty martini's vodka or gin and vermouth, replace a few tablespoons of water with olive brine, and continue apace. If you're new to the form, you can expect to combine a cup of vodka or gin with a splash of vermouth, tip of the brine, package of unflavored gelatin, and hot water, then pour into the containers of your convenience, and refrigerate for a few hours to set.

Getting these babies into molds is half the (eventual) amusement and almost all the (potential) mess. But dirty martini Jell-O shots need not necessitate a dirty martini mess. A pancake batter dispenser can keep your Jell-O shot portioning nice and tidy. You can dispense the liquid into proper shot glasses to serve with petite spoons or into silicone ice cube trays that will release them more easily and even come in some clever shapes. Mini martini glasses would also make for a darling dirty presentation. Being that most dirty martini lovers also prefer them with whole olives, too, you can drop one in each shot for an even more impressive finish.