Lorri & Normie's MARTINI HOMEPAGE

Martini: King of Cocktails I To Vermouth or Not to Vermouth? I Gin or Vodka? I How to Make a Modern Dry Martini I Garnishing the Modern Dry MartiniI Classic & Modern Martini RecipesThe last word: Infusions I Martini Quotes

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MARTINI HOMEPAGE

The Martini: King of Cocktails

A chilled crystal glass; the purest gin; a touch of dry vermouth - vigorously shaken, not stirred - and a plump green olive. The Martini was and still is more than just a cocktail.

"The word Martini is a nostalgic passport to another era - 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 we lived for movies instead of MTV, and when jazz was going from hot to cool, that was Martini Culture." -- Barnaby Conrad III, author of The Martini; Chronicle Books.

Although the Martini prototype is fabled to have appeared as early as 1862, the drink came of age in the twentieth century, and by the First World War it was the American cocktail. If you were drinking Martinis, you had either arrived or you were well on your way to where you were going.

During the late seventies, America turned briefly away from the Martini. The days of the 'three-Martini' lunch disappeared, thanks to breathalyzer tests, changing health habits, and the demands of the work place. Yet in the late eighties the Martini made a strong comeback, particularly with the baby-boomer generation's shift in taste from gin to vodka.

The city of Martinez, California, claims to be the birthplace of the Martini. They claim in 1874, a bartender served up the first martini when a miner came into his saloon with a fistful of nuggets and asked for something special. He was served a "Martinez Special" . The drink consisted of 2/3 gin, 1/3 vermouth, a dash of orange bitters, poured over crushed ice and served with an olive. After three or four drinks, however, the "z" would get very much in the way.

To Vermouth or Not to Vermouth?

Although traditional Martini recipes call for the 2/3 and 1/3 formula, many people prefer a dry Martini. The less vermouth, the "drier" the Martini. Some merely coat the shaker or glass with vermouth, either by pouring it in and pouring it off - a method called "in and out" - or by using a nifty spray bottle. Some go further. Sir Winston Churchill, by his own account, made Martinis by pouring gin into a pitcher with ice and glancing briefly at a bottle of vermouth across the room.

Gin or Vodka?

Old-timers prefer gin but vodka Martinis, or "Vodkatinis", are just as popular. And if you want to go beyond the Modern Dry Martini and start experimenting with flavors and fruits, Vodka is more frequently used as the base ingredient.

How to make a Modern Dry Martini

1. Pre-chill your Martini glass in a freezer, or fill it with ice and add water and let sit on the counter for a few minutes. Empty the glass and spray it with a few squirts of dry vermouth, or use the "pour in pour out" method.

2. Fill your shaker half way with ice, add three ounces of good-quality gin or vodka, and agitate vigorously until your hands nearly stick to the frost glazing the outside - about eight good shakes. Don't worry about bruising the gin / vodka.

3. Strain the ice-cold results into the Martini glass and garnish.

Garnishing the Modern Dry Martini

High tradition calls for a twist of lemon. This does not mean a twist of lemon with pulp. It should just be a sliver of peel about 1-1/2 inches long trimmed to a quarter inch in width. Deftly twist it over the Martini's surface, allowing for a few drops of fragrant lemon oil to dapple the surface. You may also wish to use a spare peel to run around the lip of the glass for extra flavor. Then drop the twist into the cool depths.

Putting traditions aside, these days most choose a green olive as a garnish. Most bars use green olives stuffed with a pimento, but you may prefer olives that are stuffed with anchovys, a garlic clove, an almond, or nothing at all. You may also select a drunken olive, which means it has already been marinating in vermouth.

When garnished with a pickled pearl onion, the Martini is known as a Gibson, endearingly called "onion soup".

Whatever your preference, skewer one, two, or three on a festive pick and drop it in and enjoy.

Classic and Modern Martini Recipes

In the last ten years, flavored vodkas have become very popular by themselves or as an ingredient in Martinis. You can find lemon, orange, pepper, coffee, peach, raspberry, strawberry, vanilla and cinnamon vodkas on the market today, and several flavored gins too. Don't be fooled: these aren't sweet spirits. . . .they have a hint of flavor and still pack a punch if you drink too many of them.

~ The Blue Martini ~

Gin

splash of Blue Curacao

garnish with a lemon twist

~ The Silver Bullet ~

Gin

Vodka

garnish with an olive

~ The Vodkir ~

Vodka

splash of Creme de Cassis

garnish with a lemon twist

~ Metropolitan ~

Equal parts of Gin and cranberry juice

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

garnish with a lemon twist

~ Cosmopolitan ~

2 oz. Gin or Vodka

1 oz cranberry juice

1 oz orange liqueur

1 splash fresh lime juice

garnish with a lemon twist

~ The Iceberg ~

Gin or Vodka

Splash of Creme de Menthe

garnish with a mint sprig

~ Cajun Martini ~

Pepper Vodka

Dry Vermouth

garnish with a jalapeno pepper or olive stuffed with jalapeno

~ The Scotland Yard ~

Gin

Splash of Scotch

garnish with a lemon twist

~ The Mellon Martini ~

Vodka

Splash of Midori

garnish with a lemon twist

~ The South Beach ~

Orange Vodka

Splash of White Creme de Cacao

garnish with an orange twist

~ The Kentucky Martini ~

Maker's Mark Bourbon

Splash of Amaretto

garnish with an orange slice

~ The Hazelnut** ~

Vodka

Splash of Frangelico

garnish with an orange slice

** you can make a flavored martini using regular Vodka and a splash of most any kind of liqueur. The most popular liqueurs for Martinis include: Amaretto, Midori, Poire William's Eau-de-vie (pear), Chocolate, and 99 Bananas. Flavored schnapps can also be used but they do have their own distinctive taste, different than a flavored liqueur.

~ Neon Martini ~

2 oz Orange Vodka

1 oz blue curacao

1 oz orange liqueur

1 oz white Creme de Cacao

garnish with an orange twist

~ Toasted Almond Martini ~

2-1/2 oz Vanilla Vodka

1 oz Coffee Vodka

Splash of Amaretto

garnish with an almond or a hazelnut

The last word: Infusions

Infusions are vodka-based with herbs or spices or fruit steeped in the mix to impart flavor. The recipe is fairly simple but will take some experimentation on your part to come up with what tastes best to you.

We have done some experimenting ourselves but mostly enjoy Infusions made by local bartenders. The most popular ingredients include: Red and Green Bell Peppers; Hot/Spicy Peppers; Watermelon; Oranges; Cinnamon Sticks; Blueberrys; Cantalopes. Most anything will work as long as you add enough of it to allow the flavor to come out. Take it easy with the Hot/Spicy Peppers, though!

~ Aiello's Pineapple Martini ~

Peel and dice one whole pineapple and put into a deep container.

Pour 750 ml. Skyy Vodka over the fruit; cover and put in refrigerator.

Let sit two days before pouring off the Vodka to drink.

You can squeeze the Vodka out of the pineapple but the fruit itself does not taste good after soaking. Use fresh pineapple to garnish or other fruit.

martini thoughts...

I like to have a Martini. Two at the very most - After three I’m under the table, After four I'm under my host.-- Dorothy Parker

"When I get to St. Peter, I'm going to ask him to take me to the man who invented the dry Martini. Because I want to say, "Thanks". -- unknown

"One is alright, two is too many and three is not enough." -- James Thurber

"I should never have switched from Scotch to Martinis." -- supposedly Humphery Bogert’s last words.

"What hit me?", asks Nora after six Martinis. "The last Martini," Nick replies. -- Nick and Nora Charles, from The Thin Man series.

email queries can be sent to: lorriaiello@licencedtokill.com