Without question, this is my favorite cocktail. Why? is the question. I love powerfully flavored, herbaceous, sweet-sour, complex cocktails. But I think it's precisely the oppositeness of all those qualities that draws me ever back to the Martini. Bone dry (just a capful of cold vermouth for torque and contrast), minimalist, powerful, finished with a shimmer of lemon. (An olive makes it almost a different drink.)
I love the brutal straightforwardness of it. Akin to the flinty minerally nature of a great Chablis, the Martini's appeal lies in it's stoney spareness. Also, it packs a punch—a good measure of its pleasure.
I asked Laura Lippman, venerable crime novelist (this one features some excellent kitchen/cooking scenes), former newspaper reporter, essayist, and one of the few friends for whom the martini is The Choice, why. She wrote back without a definitive answer, uncommon for this most definitive of intellects: "Maybe the martini is my little black dress?" Indeed. (Laura has a book of essays out this August, highly recommend.)
In the video I read her personal convictions on the martini; I mix my own very personal martini—not shaken, ever (I loathe a Martini with an ice floe atop), and this one is not even stirred; and I conclude with Dorothy Parker's venerable ditty.
Happy Friday one and all!
The Martini
Ingredients
- 3 ounces gin (as close to frozen as possible)
- 1 frozen martini glass
- 1 capful chilled dry vermouth (see notes below)
- 1 capful cold water
- 1 lemon twist
Instructions
- Remove the gin and the glass from the freezer.
- Combine the gin and the vermouth in the glass. Add the water and the twist.
You seem to have left out the ditty, but martini drinkers probably all know it by heart anyway. In fact, it probably was what led some of us to the martini in the first place.
My wife and I used to have a martini before dinner nearly every night. We used what amounts to your recipe but I am sorry to say that she preferred vodka. We kept it and my gin in the freezer and they both came out with with the viscosity of motor oil. No need to add water if the capful of vermouth is at room temperature. I personally prefer a lower-proof gin (like 80) for an up drink. Gordon's or Seagram's is fine.
But I'd appreciate any vermouth recommendation you might have.
Perfect!
the ditty's in the video. I usually go for noilly prat though there are some delicious vermouths like the one in the photo. thanks for the comments.
A martini is a cocktail containing unequal portions of GIN and DRY VERMOUTH. I like a 3:1 ratio, with orange bitters, and a lemon twist. But Find your ratio. A truly well mixed Martini will have a "bright" taste.
• If there's too much gin (in relation to vermouth and water), the drink will taste a bit "thin".
• If there's too much vermouth, it will taste "soggy".
• If it has been stirred too long, and has too much water, it will taste "flat".
The stir is important as the water melt adds to the drink. This also means use ice made from good water. A shaken martini will be an ice chard mess.
Now referred to as a VODKATINI, the original nomenclature for that drink is a KAGAROO.
https://www.absolutdrinks.com/en/drinks/kangaroo/
Keep the barbarians at the gate.
The next question: “Olive or Twist?” – Charles Dickens, barkeep
I did a side-by-side comparison with friends, and the results were unanimous.
A lemon twist in a Vodkatini is too bright. The herbaceousness and spice of a favorite gin is missing, making the Vodkatini with a twist uninteresting. But the clean vodka seems to handle the umami of a olive garnish much better, especially if a bit of brine is going to be added.
By comparison, gin and the briny goodness of the olive seem to conflict. So to each cocktail, its own! I’m not trying to add so much brine that it becomes the drink. I don’t want to overpower the vermouth. Two bar spoons works for me, But even just one is preferable to overdoing it. I’m not trying to add alcohol to a jar of olives.
You corrupted me with the perfect martini years ago:
Use a f’n scale.
18 gr of vermouth, measure for perfection, 100 grams gin, lots of ice and let it “commingle” frosted martini glass The wait...
Why you be messin with perfection? That’s blasphemy goddamit
On vacation and trying frozen gin, a contradiction to your post from years ago, when you used a scale - which I’m a fan of. The wait to commingle with the ice give you time to prep and is perfect for diluting the gin & makes you feel like your not a lush.
F’ it, I’ll be a lush & give it a try. We’re having chicken liver pate, the perfect companion to a gin martini in my opinion.
Cheers, happy whatever the hell day it is & good health all!
it's certainly convenient, be sure to add a little water to replace what's normally there from the ice. and yes, excellent with chix liver pate!