This is why the Espresso Martini is so popular
This may well have been the drink of the past year, and there’s a very good chance you’ll be drinking one tonight too. I will, at least: someone already asked in the group chat how many shakers we have, and whether there’s enough ice — because we’re making Espresso Martinis.
Also known as Esmas, but as a 33-year-old I can’t bring myself to take that seriously. Is it just me, or is it mainly the younger generation that calls them that? According to NRC, it’s not about age, but something else: ‘The higher the oat-milk-drinker density, the more often you hear the abbreviation esma instead of espresso martini.’ The fact that they write it without capital letters but with a hyphen gives me an error too. Either way, and whatever you want to call them: this cocktail is more popular than ever. But why?
Suddenly, the Espresso Martini was everywhere
There are plenty of theories and rumors about how this cocktail came about, but we don’t know for sure; suddenly, it was just there. But secretly, it has actually been around for quite a few years, because people were already ordering Espresso Martinis in various cocktail bars in the 1980s. What’s remarkable is that this cocktail isn’t tied to a single brand and has still become hugely popular. With an Aperol Spritz, you obviously need that Aperol (and the brand is very happy about that), but even with mixed drinks like rum and cola or vodka with Sprite, people often have a preference for which spirit they use.
Not with the Espresso Martini; whether you make it with coffee beans or a Nespresso pod, it doesn’t matter. The same goes for the type of vodka you use — only Kahlua is often the go-to brand, but another kind of coffee liqueur works too. Yep, the Espresso Martini actually excels in simplicity.
So what is the secret? According to bartender Marie-Louise Taal, who has been behind the bar for years, that’s exactly the point: ‘It’s that kick of alcohol and caffeine that makes you just a little crazier. Ideal for skinny chicks who don’t want cheesecake but still feel like having something delicious. A smack in the face, and then you can really get going again.’ Trend watcher Gijsbregt Brouwer adds: ‘It’s a drink and a dessert at the same time.’ I couldn’t have put it better myself. And now I’m going to drink a whole lot of them. Cheers!
Read also:
- Espresso Martini move over; this is the latest Martini hit
- Divinely delicious: Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini (also alcohol-free)
- Recipe: Espresso Martini baked cheesecake
Source: NRC
