Make Martinis

The martini cocktail is a drink associated with power, class, and of course James Bond. But its roots go much further back than that, to a drink very different from what's commonly found in today's 'Martini Bars'. The term 'martini' seems to be replacing 'cocktail' in common usage, so now there are hundreds of 'martini' recipes from classic martinis, flavored vodka martinis, dessert martinis to modern/trendy varieties that resemble the classic martini only in the type of glass used.

This article describes how to make a classic martini.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 to 2 ounces (45 to 60 mL) of gin
  • 1 drop to 1 ounce (up to 30 mL) of sweet and/or dry vermouth depending on taste
  • A dash of orange bitters (optional)
  • Ice
  • Garnish – olives, lemon wedges, etc. (adding a pearl onion makes this a Gibson)

Steps

  1. Add ice to the shaker. Don't skimp; ice is a necessary component to chill and blend the other ingredients.
  2. Add your desired amount of gin.
  3. Add your desired amount of vermouth. The amount and type of vermouth varies according to taste (from a splash to a shot). Some people like their martinis "perfect"—that is, made with 50% red (also known as "Italian" or "sweet") and 50% white (also known as "French" or "dry") vermouth. Note: "perfect" in this context is a bit of cocktail terminology referring to the vermouth mixture, and is not a value judgement regarding the flavor of a martini made this way. In a similar vein, one could order e.g. a "perfect" Manhattan.
    • Optional: Shake and pour into glass. Roll vermouth in glass to form a film or coating then dump out. This will make for a drier martini.
    • If you are using vodka, you can use a cocktail shaker, or mix the martini by stirring. You can use the shaker bottom for mixing and stirring, if you'd like. Some people insist that gin should never be shaken, but rather always stirred to avoid "bruising" the gin. This is a personal preference. Try them both and see which you prefer!
    • Optional: Add 1 – 2 dashes of orange bitters. Be careful when adding bitters because a little goes a long way. You will be able to taste the difference by adding even 1 drop because it is highly concentrated. Start with less and add more if desired.
  4. Stir or shake. Melted water from the ice is a necessary ingredient to a proper martini to mellow the "burn" off the alcohol.
  5. Strain the ingredients into a well-chilled martini glass.
  6. Garnish and drink up.
  7. Finished.

Tips

  • A 'vodka martini' is properly called a Kangaroo.
  • For a "smoked" martini, follow recipe for a dirty martini and add a dash of single malt scotch to give it a nice smoky taste.
  • Formally, a different garnish creates a different drink. For example, a Gibson is created by using a cocktail onion or two instead of olives.
  • For a dirty martini add a small splash of olive juice and extra olives for garnish. Try by adding one part olive brine from the jar or you can buy specialty “Dirty Martini Olive Juice” from an Internet retailer.
  • The balance of vermouth to gin is a matter of great controversy among martini connoisseurs. Try differing amounts of vermouth for yourself and make up your own mind. Your preferences are not wrong.
  • James Bond prefers his martinis 'Shaken, not Stirred'. For added authenticity, add a lemon twist. His original drink was a Vesper, which contained gin, vodka and Lillet, an aperitif wine (usually white).
  • Chill crystal martini glasses in the freezer. Alternatively, fill with cubed ice to chill the glass then discard before straining the martini into it. Caution – this option can lead to a more watered drink.
  • For garnishes, choose from a variety of stuffed olives – pimento stuffed, bleu cheese stuffed, jalapeño stuffed, onion stuffed, almond stuffed, citrus stuffed, caper stuffed, and even anchovy stuffed (Goya canned at supermarket). Each type of stuffed olive has a different brine and a different taste.
  • Use top-shelf gin if possible. Boodles, Bombay Sapphire and Tanqueray 10 gin make extraordinary, clear-as-a-diamond martinis. Don't be afraid to try exotic and sometimes hard to find gins like Plymouth (England), Hendricks (Scotland) or Desert Juniper (Oregon).
  • Vermouth is a necessary component of a martini. A glass of cold gin without vermouth is just that – cold gin. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's not a cocktail and it's certainly not a martini.
  • The olive and the cocktail onion are both later (though undoubtedly still classic) variations on the traditional martini, the sole garnish of which was a bruised/rubbed lemon peel.
  • Drink with someone who appreciates the martini as an art form.
  • Shaken or stirred? It's a matter of personal preference. Some martini drinkers prefer stirring, objecting to the cloudiness that forms when the drink is shaken and claiming that shaking "bruises" the gin and creates a more bitter taste. Other connoisseurs claim that shaking releases the flavor of the gin, and they point out that the cloudiness induced by shaking goes away pretty quickly. I
    • Note: There is indeed a paper, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), claiming that shaken martinis contain more antioxidants than stirred, and are hence more healthful. However, a dose of context is in order: it was the December 1999 issue. The BMJ traditionally reserves the last issue of the year for humorous and spoof articles, not unlike the "April Fool's Edition" of some American periodicals. The fact that the popular media has taken the paper seriously and considers its conclusions as truth only serves to further the hilarity.

Warnings

  • Never drink and drive.
  • Always drink responsibly.
  • Remember – properly made martinis can be highly addictive.

Things You'll Need

  • Martini shaker
  • Martini glass
  • Gin
  • Vermouth
  • (Green)Olives

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

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