The idea of ordering a martini may seem like a daunting task: vodka or gin, shaken or stirred, dirty or straight-up, but it doesn’t have to be.
Sit back while we take some of the mystery out of the drink that is sometimes called, “the greatest thing to ever come out of the United States.”
The martini most likely originated in a bar called the Julio Richelieu Saloon in Martinez, Calif., sometime between 1862 and 1871.
Though it has gone through many changes in the last century and a half, one rule has been left unchanged: a martini is either gin or vodka and vermouth.
Gin is a liquor that has been distilled from juniper berries, giving it an almost floral taste. Vodka, on the other hand, is a clear almost odorless unaged liquor made most commonly from potatoes.
The original martini was made with sweet red vermouth, but as the drink evolved, dry white vermouth became the norm. White vermouth, which comes from France, is a fortified wine, meaning its has been enhanced with the addition of something such as brandy, and often times citrus and floral flavors are added.
Hearing that martinis are made with dry white vermouth may cause you think that a dry martini would have more dry vermouth, but that isn’t the case. Less vermouth means a drier martini, and the drier martini the better.
According to Alfred Hitchcock, the perfect dry martini is “five parts gin, and a quick glance at a bottle of vermouth.”
There is no standard for a martini recipe; it’s more of an interpretation of what a good martini should be. But again, a martini is gin or vodka and vermouth.
The original Martinez Martini is one ounce of Plymouth Gin, two ounces of sweet vermouth, one dash of Angostura Bitters and one dash of Maraschino. Angostura Bitters is a cocktail bitter with a cinnamon like flavor, and Maraschino is a liqueur distilled from Marasca Cherries that adds a taste similar to the taste of maraschino cherries, and garnished with a twist of lemon peal.
The recipe for a modern day martini is quite different. To make it, throw about five cracked ice cubes into a shaker with a splash of dry vermouth, shake lightly to let the vermouth coat the ice, then pour out the excess liquid. Next, add about four ounces of gin or vodka and shake. Shake long, and shake hard, about 20 seconds will do. If you want a dirty martini add between a tablespoon and an ounce of olive juice before you shake. Strain your delicious new beverage into a chilled martini glass, garnish with three olives and enjoy.
One of the most famous martini drinkers; Bond, James Bond, had a different recipe all together.
Bond’s drink was, “a dry martini, one in a deep champagne goblet,” but just to make sure the bartender got his martini right, he goes on to describe it, “Three measures of Gordon’s, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it’s ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel.”
Don’t’ be afraid to give the bartender a specific way you would like your martini made, I have found that most bartenders actually appreciate not having to guess what it is you want.
These are three very different drinks, but in the end they are all martinis. Why? Because they are all drinks made with gin or vodka and vermouth.
When you’re out having a martini or two, keep in mind that martini’s are like breasts, one is not enough, and three is just too many.
So until next time Rangers, I’m no expert, I’m just calling it how I see it.
For more about martinis, including recipes, more history and interesting martini facts along with other Knowledge from Nothnagle news, check out my blog here, and you can follow me on Twitter @joshnothnagle.
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