The City of Middletown, known for its charming downtown and historic architecture, has something new to brag about. It now has a signature cocktail bearing its name – the Middletown Martini. The specialty drink is comprised of ingredients that embody the essence and spirit of the area.
“When the Middletown Chamber was getting ready to celebrate their 10-year birthday, the creation of a chamber drink came to my mind,” says Laura Wright, executive director of the Middletown Chamber. “A cocktail exclusive to the Middletown Chamber was an idea that no other chamber, to my knowledge, had created. Hence, the Middletown Martini was created by Tim Laird, who is an authority on wines and spirits with more than 25 years’ experience as the chief entertaining officer of Brown-Forman, a major producer of fine wines and spirits in Louisville, Kentucky.”
Now retired from Brown-Forman, Laird has not slowed down. Besides continuing to do appearances on behalf of several brands, he also volunteers his time to promote the city and philanthropic causes. He has authored three books including “That’s Entertaining! with Tim Laird”, “That’s Entertaining! Cocktails and Appetizers” and “The Bourbon Country Cookbook” with co-author David Danielson. In addition, he hosts a weekly television show, “Secrets of Bluegrass Chefs”.
“Creating a great cocktail is all about getting the right balance; you don’t want it too sweet or too dry,” he says. “An example would be the old fashioned, and that’s why old cocktails are coming back. If you like a certain ingredient, go with that. Properly measure, but experiment. Keep testing and trying to get the right proportions. If you take a sip and it invites you to take another, you have a good cocktail.”
Laird says he develops cocktails in his “libation lab,” which is his kitchen, and his wife, Lori Laird, tastes and critiques his creations. For the Middletown Martini, which is loosely based on a French Martini, he knew he wanted to use bourbon, but still wanted it to appeal to people who aren’t bourbon drinkers. When his wife liked his final creation, he knew he had achieved his goal.
“This martini represents Middletown, Jefferson County and the state of Kentucky’s French heritage,” he says. “The pineapple represents welcome, and so pineapple juice is included since Middletown is welcoming to all. There is also a bit of cranberry juice for balance. It had to be bourbon-centric. Middletown is in Jefferson County, so Jefferson’s Bourbon is used. Another ingredient is the black raspberry French liqueur, Chambord.”
“It’s meant to be made in a shaker and shaken vigorously because Middletown likes to shake things up,” he continues. “The pineapple juice makes it foamy on top, and when you take a sip it’s just perfect. It’s nice and refreshing even if you aren’t usually a bourbon drinker. When I did a demonstration for the Middletown Chamber, they said, ‘Wow, that’s it!’ I got their approval and I knew we had a winner.”
Laird enjoys teaching audiences around the world how to make entertaining fun and easy, and how to make delicious cocktails. He has been featured on just about every major television network in the United States. The Middletown Martini isn’t the first specialty drink he has developed. He is also the creator of the Oaks Lily, the second-best seller at the Churchill Downs Derby week after the mint julep. The Oaks Lily is the official cocktail of the Kentucky Oaks horse race, which takes place the day before the Kentucky Derby.
Now that he is retired, Laird feels he is at a great point to give back to the city and the surrounding area. He volunteers his time co-hosting “Secrets of Bluegrass Chefs”. Every week the chef of an independent restaurant is featured, and it can be viewed on five channels throughout the state.
“The premise is that the chef of the restaurant featured shares his secrets so people can make the recipes at home,” he says. “But the real secret is that it makes people want to go to that restaurant. People go to the same places out of habit. Once they see a chef of a restaurant serving its food, it becomes a place they want to go.”
Laird’s go-to advice for entertaining is enjoy it, and don’t stress. He feels the secret is to plan and make a timeline. Do as much as possible ahead of time and check off tasks as preparation is done for an event. An easy-to-prepare cocktail such as the Middletown Martini makes hosting enjoyable.
“The Middletown Martini will be on the menu at cafe Lou Lou, which is on Shelbyville Road,” Laird says. “It would pair well with anything tropical, or salads. Sweet and floral offsets spicy, and it would be perfect for something spicy and balance it out. The Middletown Martini is fun for the city.”
Follow Laird on Facebook, Instagram and X @timlairdcheers.
Middletown Martini
Ingredients:
1½ ounces Jefferson’s Bourbon
½ ounce Chambord
2 ounces pineapple juice
1 ounce cranberry juice
Directions:
Place ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into martini glass. Garnish with blackberry or pineapple wedge.
