Ingredients:
1-3/4 oz Vodka (the best you can afford. I prefer Stoli)
1/8 oz Dry Vermouth
olive(s). I LOVE Blue-Cheese-Stuffed Olives.
Preparation:
- Chill a scrupulously clean martini glass by filling with ice and water and set aside.
- Fill a shaker tin with ice.
- Add vermouth first and then vodka.
- Cap tin with mixing glass.
- Shake vigorously (to break off little shards of ice).
- Dump ice and water from martini glass.
- Strain liquor mixture into your properly chilled martini glass.
- Garnish with olives and SWING! 😉
Popular variations:
- “Dirty” Martini: means to add olive juice in Step #3 (with the vodka and vermouth. This is how I prefer it.)
- Cosmopolitan: Prepare as above with equal parts of Vodka, Triple Sec, Lime Juice and JUST A SPLASH of Cranberry Juice. (It should just blush, like a young school girl).
- Gin Martini: Prepare as above, substituting Gin for Vodka.
- For more variations, try the Webtender website.
History:
Martini’s were originally made with gin, although no one is sure when the drink was invented. In the early 60’s, vodka became a popular variation which has persisted until today. Martini-drinkers are very particular about how their little slice of heaven is prepared. As such, it is the most frequently returned drink. Due to their high alcohol content, this is a costly mistake.*
Most are prepared “straight-up” (such as above), but can be served “on-the-rocks” (on ice). The term, “dry” means with just a dash of vermouth. “Perfect” means a dash each of Sweet and Dry Vermouth.
*In all my years of bartending, I’ve only had 2 returned.
