The Substance-Inspired Activator Martini Recipe

If you're an avid horror movie aficionado or simply a film lover with one eye on the latest releases, you'll likely have come across the divisive and rather grotesque surprise hit from Cannes, "The Substance." Demi Moore bagged a Golden Globe for her portrayal of an aging starlet who turns to a neon-hued serum in hopes of regaining her youthful beauty.

While we can't promise you that this "The Substance"-inspired Activator martini will bring forth an entirely new and youthful you, we can guarantee a dangerously delicious cocktail with plenty of added drama. From the kitchen of recipe developer Jennine Rye, this neon martini is as fruity and fun as it is garishly-colored, with banana liqueur, melon-flavored Midori, pineapple juice, and lemon coming together for a tropical, zingy cocktail that will leave you feeling rejuvenated. (As an interesting aside, the name of the melon liqueur Midori means "green" in Japanese, and the color itself signifies youth and vitality in Japanese culture, making it an ideal addition to this youth serum–based recipe.)

This Activator martini uses a gin base and is stirred to keep the drink ultra smooth before being served up in a martini glass with a filled syringe to complete the styling. The perfect accompaniment to a movie night, rustle up this Activator martini yourself to enjoy alongside a viewing of the Oscar-nominated movie "The Substance."

To begin this "The Substance"-inspired Activator martini recipe, you will first need to gather the ingredients. You will want gin, banana liqueur, Midori, pineapple juice, and lemon juice. To complete the styling, you may also want to use a food-safe syringe.

Add the gin, banana liqueur, Midori, pineapple juice, and lemon juice to a martini glass.

Stir gently to combine the ingredients.

Fill a food-safe syringe with some of the cocktail.

Serve immediately.

There are few more oft-quoted movie lines about food than the classic James Bond quip on how he likes his martini, but should a martini really be served shaken rather than stirred? As with basically everything relating to food and drink, the answer will ultimately boil down to personal preference. However, the experts make some pretty convincing arguments toward stirring rather than shaking.

The steps for assembling a martini are generally simple, so getting the details right really matters. The key to mastering the drink are all in the temperature and texture. If the recipe includes ice (this one purposefully doesn't), then shaking the martini will more quickly chill the drink and add more melted ice cube into the mix (potentially along with shards of ice). Stirring will cool the drink more slowly and water it down less. Shaking the liquids will also introduce air bubbles to the martini instead of keeping the elements silky smooth. While there is no hard and fast answer — and you can shake this martini with a handful of ice if you really want to — if you want to keep things as smooth and clear as possible for this Activator martini, a gentle stir is all you need.

One of the key elements of the Activator serum is its vibrant yellow-green hue, which, in this recipe, is reproduced using a combination of the green melon-flavored liqueur Midori, and a rich yellow banana liqueur. However, if you can't get your hands on either of these products, you may still be able to rustle up an Activator-worthy martini for yourself. 

Sour apple liqueur is another zingy and fruity option with a vibrant green coloring. It works well with the other flavors in this martini and will give you a suitably neon-hued cocktail. For a slightly sweeter and more mellow finish to the beverage, swap the pineapple juice out for clear apple juice. If you'd like to keep things zingy but lean further into the tropical flavors, lime makes a great, equally sharp replacement for the lemon juice.

Finally, we are not here to gatekeep and offer our unsolicited opinions regarding whether a proper martini should be gin- or vodka- based. Both spirits work well in this cocktail, and if you prefer your martinis to be made with vodka rather than gin, go for it.