Rudbar Olive
A dry, savory martini with Gilan's famous marinated olives.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | ml | oz |
|---|---|---|
| Gin | 55 ml | 1.8 oz |
| Dry vermouth | 15 ml | ½ oz |
| Green-olive brine | 7.5 ml | ¼ oz |
| Zeytun parvardeh olives · homemade, G01 | 2 olives |
Ounces are rounded; measure in ml for accuracy. Homemade items link to their own page.
chilled coupe
stirred with ice, served up
two zeytun parvardeh olives on a pick
The story
In the valley of the Sefid Rud, the “White River,” the town of Rudbar is surrounded by silver-green olive groves, the heart of Iran’s olive country. Gilan’s signature olive dish is zeytun parvardeh: olives coated in ground walnuts, sour pomegranate molasses, garlic, herbs and golpar, served with bread at every Gilani table. This dry, briny glass lets those olives be the star.
Method
- Chill the coupe.
- Stir the gin, vermouth and olive brine with ice for 25 seconds.
- Strain into the chilled coupe.
- Spear two zeytun parvardeh olives on a pick, wipe off excess paste, and lay it across the glass.
How it tastes
Crisp, dry and savory, with a briny edge; the olives add a sweet-sour, nutty bite between sips.
Persian taste: shoor (salty)
Pair it with
- Food: Mirza ghasemi, Gilan’s smoky eggplant with garlic and egg, with warm bread.
- Sweet: Skip the sweet; this drink wants salty bites.
- Snack: Zeytun parvardeh
Variations
Drier Rudbar
Reduce the brine to 5 ml for a cleaner martini.
Vodka Rudbar
Use vodka instead of gin.
Mild garnish
Use the garlic-free version of zeytun parvardeh for a cleaner aroma.
Balancing tips
- Keep the walnut paste out of the drink, or it will cloud.
- Use brine from good, mild green olives; harsh brine makes a harsh martini.
Allergens
- Walnut (tree nut) in the olive garnish
- Garlic
- Sulfites (vermouth)
- Contains alcohol. Please drink responsibly.
Development notes
- Status: draft recipe, not yet taste-tested.
- Decide whether the brine comes from plain olives or the parvardeh jar.
- Inspiration: Original house recipe.
Watch it mixed
Follow along
Steps light up as the animation plays. Tap a step to jump to it.
Heads-up: this animation was rendered from an earlier draft, so the amounts on screen differ slightly. Follow the ingredient table above.
Gilan (Rudbar), imagined
