Shaken, stirred, dirty or dry: there are many ways to make the perfect Martini, and just about as many opinions about which method is the best. It seems that everyone – from master bartenders to amateur mixologists, from Martini business lunchers to casual after-work drinkers – think they’ve got the magic formula deciphered.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe only American invention as perfect as the sonnet.\u201d<\/em><\/strong> \u2014 H.L. Mencken<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The Popularity of the drink could also be vested with Ernest Hemingway<\/em><\/strong> in his A Farewell to Arms<\/em><\/strong> \u201cI\u2019ve never tasted anything so cool and clean…They make me feel civilised<\/em>,\u201d Marlene Dietrich, David Niven<\/em><\/strong> and Humphrey Bogart<\/em><\/strong>, who were seen drinking martinis in public or on-screen, and everyone wanted to drink them as well. But perhaps no real or fictional character has done as much for the martini as James Bond<\/em><\/strong> has with his famous \u201cShaken and not stirred\u201d <\/em>line.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe word Martini is a nostalgic passport to another era \u2014 when automobiles had curves like Mae West, when women were either ladies or dames, when men wore hats, when a deal was done on a handshake, when boxing and polo were regular pastimes, when we lived for movies instead of MTV, and when jazz was going from hot to cool. It was a time when a relationship was called either a romance or an affair, when love over a pitcher of Martinis was bigger than both of us, sweetheart, and it wouldn\u2019t matter if the Russians dropped the bomb as long as the gin was wet and the vermouth was dry. That was Martini Culture<\/em>.\u201d\u2014<\/em><\/strong>The Martini, Barnaby Conrad, III<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
As is the case with most of the classic cocktails, no one seems to know the exact origins of the Martini. Historically, when it came to cocktails, things weren’t always written down.<\/p>\n
There are several different myths and stories surrounding the birth of the Martini.<\/p>\n
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- One theory is that it was invented in Martinez<\/em><\/strong>, a Californian city during the gold rush around 1849. Apparently, a gold miner who had recently struck gold decided to celebrate at a local bar. He ordered Champagne, which of course the bar was out of, so the bartender concocted another cocktail from ingredients he had on hand: gin, vermouth, bitters, maraschino liqueur, and a slice of lemon. And so, \u201cThe Martinez Special<\/em>\u201d was born. However, it is impossible to verify as there seem to be no documents to support this claim.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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- This theory is not supported by many who assert that the actual birthplace of the Martini was the Occidental Hotel<\/em><\/strong> in San Francisco. Jerry Thomas<\/em><\/strong> who was the bartender at the Occidental Hotel is said to have invented this drink after a miner requested a pick-me-up before catching the ferry to Martinez. This claim is supported by the appearance of the Martinez in the 1887<\/u> edition of Jerry Thomas\u2019s The Bar-Tender\u2019s Guide<\/em>. The only problem with this theory is that the 1887 edition was published two years after Thomas\u2019 death and Jerry Thomas<\/em> never mentioned or referenced the Martinez in any interviews. Also, the Martinez in this book has caused a lot of confusion since there is little resemblance to a Martini as it calls for sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur & old tom gin.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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- There is also another story about a bartender called Martini di Arma di Taggia<\/em><\/strong> at Manhattan’s<\/em> Knickerbocker Hotel<\/em><\/strong> who is said to have whipped up a concoction that blended\u00a0London dry gin, Vermouth, and orange bitters in 1912 for John D. Rockefeller<\/em>. Even though this recipe is very much like the Martini we know today, rather than the earlier sweeter versions, there is written proof that Martinis had been mentioned years before he mixed them. Also, we do know that the Heublein Company<\/em> had been selling pre-mixed Martinis since 1892, nearly a decade before this event occurred.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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- Many have also argued that it was a clever marketing ploy by the vermouth makers \u201cMartini & Rossi\u201d<\/em><\/strong> in 1863 for customers asking for a Gin & Vermouth.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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- The English have claimed that the drink was named for the Martini & Henry<\/em><\/strong> rifle which was used by the British Army between 1870 to 1890. According to them, both the rifle as well as the cocktail deliver a kick!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
One must admit that we\u2019ll probably never know the true origin of this king of cocktails as most of the stories are impossible to verify. However, the following are the order of the first few written references to this cocktail:<\/p>\n
But just to clarify things first, the Martini is made with Gin and not Vodka. Also, it has been widely accepted that the Martini evolved from a Martinez<\/em> which in turn is said to have emerged from a Manhattan.<\/p>\n
The first recipe for the Martinez appears in The Modern Bartender\u2019s Guide by O.H Byron<\/em><\/strong> in 1884 – \u201cMartinez Cocktail<\/em><\/strong>: Same as Manhattan, only you substitute gin for whisky\u201d.<\/p>\n
Thursday, 18 February 1886<\/em><\/strong> issue of The Rock Island\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Argus<\/em><\/strong> mentions a Martini Cocktail \u201cA Martini cocktail is served at our fashionable club houses, and consists of one-half of orange bitters, same quantity of Old Tom gin, and made the same as an ordinary cocktail with a drop of absinthe added<\/em>.\u201d Obviously, whoever wrote this recipe messed up!<\/p>\n
Sunday, 13 February 1887<\/em><\/strong> issue of the New York\u00a0Sun<\/em><\/strong> article called \u201cNew York\u2019s Day of Rest<\/u><\/strong> \u2013 They are most interested in experimenting with the latest cocktail. There always is a latest cocktail in Upper Broadway. The last one was the \u2018green tea cocktail\u2019, the one before that was the already ancient \u201cManhattan\u201d, and now they are coquetting with a subtle compound of gin and vermouth, which they call \u2018the Martini,\u2019 though its name is spelled \u2018Martinez.\u2019 It is one of those drinks that give the worth of their cost, and necessitate a man\u2019s standing under a pile driver to have his hat put on next morning.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n
The first known recipe for a Martini appears in the 2nd<\/sup> edition<\/em> of Harry Johnson\u2019<\/em><\/strong>s Bartender<\/em><\/strong>\u2019<\/em><\/strong>s Manual <\/em><\/strong>of 1888 <\/em>in which he calls for Gum Syrup, Bitters (Boker\u2019s genuine only), Curacao, Old Tom Gin & Vermouth.<\/em><\/p>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 50\/50 MARTINI<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 INGREDIENTS<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
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- 1 \u00bd oz. Gin<\/li>\n
- 1 \u00bd oz. Dry Vermouth<\/li>\n
- 2 dashes Orange Bitters<\/li>\n
- Garnish<\/em>: Thin cut lemon Peel<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 DIRECTIONS<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
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- Stir all ingredients over ice in a mixing glass.<\/li>\n
- Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.<\/li>\n
- Twist a lemon peel on top of the drink and garnish with it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
What is the proper ratio of Gin to vermouth in a martini?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
Ever since the cocktail was created, the ratio has changed over time.\u00a0 As discussed earlier, the Martini predecessors made it with sweet vermouth. But the first thing one needs to understand here is that \u201cdry<\/em>\u201d does not mean that vermouth is omitted from the drink. The \u201cDry Martini<\/em><\/strong>\u201d was a moniker that was originally used to indicate that the cocktail is made with dry vermouth and NOT<\/strong> sweet vermouth. Currently, it has nothing to do with the style of vermouth being used and everything to do with the quantity<\/u> of vermouth in the glass. Today: the lesser the vermouth, the drier the Martini!<\/p>\n
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- At the turn of the 20th<\/sup> Century, the ratio of 1:1 was commonly used<\/li>\n
- By 1930s it became 3 parts gin:1 part Vermouth<\/li>\n
- By 1940s the ratio was 4:1<\/li>\n
- Going forth, the ratio of Gin doubled and then doubled again until the vermouth was just an afterthought. An era of super dry martinis!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
A Martini is an elegant simplicity at its best where the taste of the spirit shines through like a diamond and all other ingredients are harmoniously synced. Most Martini drinkers have their own preferred ratio, style and garnish!<\/p>\n
Martini Variations:<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
\u201cLet me fix you a Martini that\u2019s pure magic.\u201d<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 – Frank Sinatra<\/p>\n
Aged\u00a0Martini:<\/strong><\/em> One can use either a barrel-aged gin or create any of the Martini variations mentioned below and age them in a barrel for about three weeks. The result is a smooth deep flavor.<\/p>\n
Burnt\u00a0Martini:<\/strong><\/em> This fairly unknown and interesting variation calls for a splash of smoky single malt to be added to your drink. Complex and layered.<\/p>\n
Bone Dry:<\/strong><\/em> Wherein just a whisper of vermouth (almost none) is used. The same thing as an Extra Dry Martini<\/u><\/em>.<\/u> Usually made with rinsing the glass with vermouth and discarding the leftover liquid.<\/p>\n
Dry Martini:<\/strong><\/em> Usually a 6 parts gin to 1 part dry vermouth ratio is used.<\/p>\n
Dirty\u00a0Martini:<\/strong><\/em> Popularised by President Franklin Roosevelt<\/em>, in the 1930s. An equal amount of olive brine (usually from the jar of the cocktail olives) to vermouth is used. Extra Dirty<\/u><\/em><\/strong> or Filthy Martini<\/u><\/em> <\/strong>just means that more olive brine. It transforms the drink into a savoury cocktail and is garnished almost always with an olive.<\/p>\n
Desert\u00a0Martini:<\/strong><\/em> often known as a Churchill\u00a0Martini<\/em>: No vermouth just straight gin diluted with ice.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would like to observe the vermouth from across the room while I drink my martini.\u201d<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 – Winston Churchill<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Gibson\u00a0Martini:<\/strong><\/em> Made with Pickled onions in lieu of an olive or a citrus twist. Usually served dry. Not very common these days, but those who like it, swear by its briny umami flavour.<\/p>\n
With a Twist:<\/strong><\/em> Just specifies that you would prefer the martini garnished with a strip of citrus peel that should be twisted across the top of your drink so as to release aromatic oils into the cocktail before garnishing the drink with the peel.<\/p>\n
On the Rocks Martini:<\/strong> <\/em>Any of the variations of the Martini served in a rocks glass over ice. This is slightly uncommon as the melting ice in the glass would dilute the Martini.<\/p>\n
Perfect\u00a0Martini:<\/strong><\/em> Equal parts of both sweet and dry vermouth are used for this variation. A Perfect Martini is usually sweeter than the average Martini.<\/p>\n
Straight Up:<\/strong><\/em> The Martini is chilled with ice by either shaking or stirring and then strained into a chilled glass. This is the style for most Martini variations and one that is assumed while ordering it<\/p>\n
Wet\u00a0Martini:<\/strong><\/em> The opposite of a Dry Martini. It simply means MORE<\/u> vermouth is added to the drink.\u00a0 Usually, the ratio is 3 parts Gin to 1 Part Vermouth. Extra Wet<\/em> means a heartier portion of vermouth. The ratio can go up to 1:1 which is also called the Fifty-Fifty\u00a0Martini.<\/p>\n
Vesper\u00a0Martini:<\/strong><\/em> Made famous by the James Bond book and movie Casino Royale. It is named after the double Agent Vesper Lynd in the franchise. It comes with strict instruction on how to make it:<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u201cThree measures of Gordon\u2019s, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it\u2019s ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?\u201d<\/em> – <\/em>Casino Royale, Chapter 7<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Shaken or Stirred<\/em><\/strong><\/span>: This comes down to individual preference.<\/p>\n
Shaken:<\/strong> This method has been made famous by James Bond\u2019s<\/em> famous line \u201cshaken, not stirred<\/em>.\u201d In fact, it has now become clich\u00e9d. If you ask any Bartender worth their salt, they would tell you that Bond is doing this all wrong. Many argue that Harry Craddock\u2019s 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book<\/em> in which nearly every cocktail, including the Martini, are shaken may have given Ian Fleming the idea for this style. Shaking a Martini has a diluting effect on the drink as tiny ice shards get broken when agitated by shaking the drink, thereby making it colder but more dilute. Maybe Fleming knew about this science and wanted to keep Bond\u2019s head clear even when he sipped a stiff drink.<\/p>\n
Stirred:<\/strong> This style is what most bartenders typically prefer. Stirring ensures that the drink is properly chilled, smoother and the consistency velvety. A lot more flavour of the spirit is retained.<\/p>\n
As per Robert Vermiere<\/em><\/strong> in his 1922 book\u00a0Cocktails and How to Mix Them<\/em> \u201cthe Martini Cocktail should be prepared in the mixing glass and stirred up. In America, however, it has been the fashion, since a few years, to shake this cocktail until thoroughly cold<\/em>.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
A stirred cocktail will be clear versus a shaken cocktail that will be cloudy in appearance especially if any kind of wine or vermouth is used.\u00a0 So if you like a muddy looking Martini, go ahead and shake it!<\/p>\n
\u201cThe important thing is the rhythm.\u00a0 Always have a rhythm in your shaking.\u00a0 Now, a Manhattan you shake to fox-trot time, a Bronx to two-step time, a dry Martini you always shake to waltz time.\u201d<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 – William Powell, The Thin Man.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Shaken, stirred, dirty or dry: there are many ways to make the perfect Martini, and just about as many opinions about which method is the best. It seems that everyone – from master bartenders to amateur mixologists, from Martini business lunchers to casual after-work drinkers – think they’ve got the magic formula deciphered. \u201cThe only … <\/p>\n