This 2-Ingredient Cocktail Was Julia Child’s Favorite

Julia Child's "reverse martini" or upside-down martini is a lower-proof drink perfect for holiday entertaining, and it's easy enough that guests can make their own.

Dec 18, 2024 - 04:00
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This 2-Ingredient Cocktail Was Julia Child’s Favorite
Julia Child next to a martini with a lemon twist
Simply Recipes / Adobe Stock

Still working on your holiday dinner menu? First, same. Second, if you’re specifically in need of a special cocktail to incorporate into your holiday meal, I’ve got a great opportunity for you to pay homage to chef, author, and TV personality Julia Child—and don’t worry, it’s nowhere as complicated as some of her famous recipes. 

Apparently, when Child hosted around the holidays, she served a boozy drink she created called a “reverse martini.” In case you need a primer: A classic martini is typically made with a healthy pour of gin or vodka as a base, a bit of vermouth, and an olive or lemon twist garnish.  

What Is a Reverse Martini?

Child flipped the classic martini proportions upside-down. Rather than gin or vodka with a little vermouth, she used vermouth as the base of the drink and topped it with a gin float, which just means a little bit of gin poured on top of an already-made drink. The reverse martini isn’t as strong as a true martini, which is nice for anyone at the holiday gathering who doesn’t love an extra-boozy drink. 

Two martinis in martini glasses with lemon twists
Simply Recipes / Adobe Stock

How To Make a Reverse Martini

If you’re hosting this year—or if you’ve been tasked with running the bar—consider following in Child’s footsteps and reversing your own martinis. The drink is super easy to whip up. You just flip the proportions of your go-to martini recipe.

Into a mixing glass filled with ice cubes, pour five parts (say, two-and-a-half ounces) dry vermouth. Stir the vermouth well, then strain it into a cold cocktail glass. Pour one part (one-half ounce) gin on top of the vermouth as a float, then garnish the drink with your choice of olive or lemon peel. 

If you’d like a bit more alcohol, or you’re not a huge vermouth fan, then you can also make a 50-50 gin martini (as you can guess, it’s equal parts gin and vermouth). Either way, everybody at the table is sure to enjoy your variation on this classic cocktail.