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How to Make a Martini
James Bond might always get the girl, but he doesn't know shit about making a martini.
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| These days just about anything can pass for a martini. Take, for instance, the Cosmopolitan: Vodka, cranberry juice, lime juice, Cointreau. I'm not sure what that is, but it's not a martini. Martinis are made with gin, and are never shaken. Below are the two acceptable methods of making a drink that can bear the name "martini." |
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Method 1: Stirred
What You'll Need:
> Dry Gin
> Noilly Prat Vermouth
> Large hand-blown glass pitcher
> Hand-blown martini glasses
> Lots of clear, hard ice
> Lemon
1. Fill the glasses with ice water
2. Wait 5 minutes (have a conversation with your guests)
3. Fill the pitcher with the clear, hard ice
4. Pour the gin into the pitcher. It must be carefully poured along the sides of the pitcher so it's not bruised by crashing into the ice cubes.
5. Pour the Noilly Pratt on top of the ice. Be sure to maintain the required 36½ parts gin to 1 part vermouth ratio.
6. Let the drink cool down by slowly stirring clockwise (counterclockwise if you're south of the equator). Each full turn of the pitcher's contents should take 2.5 seconds.
7. Watch the ice in the pitcher carefully. When it looks like it's starting to melt, stop stirring and empty the glasses.
8. Take a large strainer and pour the drink slowly into the glasses.
9. Add a lemon twist.
10. Serve.
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Method 2 (the
dack.com method): Poured courtesy of greq
What
You'll Need:
> Bombay Sapphire
> Noilly Prat Vermouth
> Medium-sized stainless steel
shaker
> Hand-blown martini glasses
> Lots of clear, hard ice
> Lemon
1. Fill the glasses with
ice water.
2. Wait 5 minutes (have a conversation with your guests).
3. Fill the strainer with the
clear, hard ice.
4. Pour the Bombay Sapphire into the pitcher. It must be carefully poured along the sides of
the strainer so it's not bruised by crashing into the ice cubes.
5. Close the shaker.
6. Wrap the
shaker in a linen cloth (50% cotton / 50% linen is ok, but not preferred. Any lower percentage of linen is
unacceptable.).
7. Let the drink cool down by slowly stirring the contents clockwise (counterclockwise if
you're south of the equator) until the linen cloth freezes to the shaker.
8. Pour the Noilly Pratt on top of
the ice. Be sure to maintain the required 36½ parts gin to 1 part vermouth ratio. Do not move the shaker once the
Vermouth has touched the gin.
9. Take a strainer and pour the drink into the glasses.
10. Add a
lemon twist.
11. Serve.
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feedback:
Noooooooo.....NO self respecting martini would ever, EVER be dressed with a lemon peel. That is only for pussy vodka drinkers. Olives are the ONLY acceptable condiment garnish for the classic martini.
That said, you hit the nail on the head in every other respect. As a martini aficionado, I applaud your attempt to educate the uncivilized world about the attributes and correct preparation of this delightful potable.
Sent by Dale Turner on September 16, 2002
I realize this is purely a matter of taste, but I must take exception to your recipes in the following areas.
Gin:
Acceptable – Tanqueray (10, if you can get it), Gordon's, Beefeater
Not acceptable – Bombay, and any other "flavored" gin
Vermouth:
Martini & Rossi is at least as good as Noilly Prat
Garnish:
Acceptable – Spanish olives (pimento optional)
Not acceptable – Lemon, olives stuffed with anything other than pimento, jumbo olives of any kind
Acceptable flourish:
Freshly cut garlic clove rubbed once around rim of martini glass (this is actually from a martini recipe that won a prize at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair)
Sent by Lars Hoel on October 17, 2002
The Driest Martini:
3 shots of Bombay Sapphire Gin
1 shot of olive juice (No vermouth!!)
strain and serve with 3 large olives
Sent by Daniel Roland on November 8, 2002
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