We went to a nice place for dinner tonight. When the waiter asked my gin or vodka preference for my martini, I had to set him straight: a martini is made with quality gin and dry vermouth. Anything else is a “ martini-like drink” at best.
A martini is the quintessential cocktail. Simple, elegant, delicious, and guaranteed to make the world a better place. Never mind all this pretentious bullschit about “just dip the olive in vermouth “ or “ rinse the glass with vermouth” or “just pass the cork from the vermouth bottle over the glass.” Make it with 3 ounces of gin and a splash to a half ounce of vermouth, shake the sombitch till it’s good and cold, and pour it over at least one, better yet two (three if you’re hungry) really good really big olives. I love beer and wine, I love good whiskey and I love classic cocktails, properly made with quality ingredients. The martini, properly done, is the pinnacle.
I must
very slightly disagree... there is one variation of a martini that is worthy of note - the
Sir Winston Churchill martini.
You take chilled gin, stir into ice
while glancing at an unopened bottle of vermouth present in the room.
Strain into a chilled glass, and garnish with an olive.
If it was good enough for Churchill Himself, it is good enough for me. God knows he had enough of them!
Happy cocktails to all,
John
