In Search of The Perfect Martini

[wayout]

A while back I posed the question about finding a good scotch for an Xmas gift and the responses were very helpful to me and I ended up getting a gift for my brother that was greatly appreciated and enjoyed. So clearly many member here enjoy a nice drink or two (or more). I've recently been enjoying martinis, something I've never really tried before, and have been trying to discover the perfect way to make them. So I am wondering if anyone has a preference for making theirs (vodka, gin, dirty, appletinis, etc) and if they care to share their secrets for preparing them. Sometimes I like them dirty but always with an olive. Here is what I've currently settled on as my process that seems to work well, for me but I am open to trying other ideas:

 

1. Use a quality vodka. I prefer Grey Goose. Haven't tried any of the flavored ones yet.

2. Fill a shaker with ice and 1 part dry vermouth. Shake for 30 seconds, pour out the vermouth (keeping the coated ice in the shaker).

3. Pour 4 parts vodka in the shaker and do not shake but roll the shaker between palms for 90 seconds (apparently this is to prevent chipping of the ice and excessive dilution of the drink).

4. Pour (straining out the ice) from the shaker the martini into a chilled martini glass. Add 3 olives.

5. Consume with great pleasure

6. Repeat (if home already)

 

After a couple of these, all my troubles vanish and life is good

[rguer]

Wikipedia has an interesting article on martinis: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martini_%28cocktail%29.

 

I would describe your drink as vodka with an olive, not as a martini (unless you consider anything served in a martini glass to be a martini). Martinis should be made with gin. I like mine dirty and wet.

[maxwellissmart]

A while back I posed the question about finding a good scotch for an Xmas gift and the responses were very helpful to me and I ended up getting a gift for my brother that was greatly appreciated and enjoyed. So clearly many member here enjoy a nice drink or two (or more). I've recently been enjoying martinis, something I've never really tried before, and have been trying to discover the perfect way to make them. So I am wondering if anyone has a preference for making theirs (vodka, gin, dirty, appletinis, etc) and if they care to share their secrets for preparing them. Sometimes I like them dirty but always with an olive. Here is what I've currently settled on as my process that seems to work well, for me but I am open to trying other ideas:

 

1. Use a quality vodka. I prefer Grey Goose. Haven't tried any of the flavored ones yet.

2. Fill a shaker with ice and 1 part dry vermouth. Shake for 30 seconds, pour out the vermouth (keeping the coated ice in the shaker).

3. Pour 4 parts vodka in the shaker and do not shake but roll the shaker between palms for 90 seconds (apparently this is to prevent chipping of the ice and excessive dilution of the drink).

4. Pour (straining out the ice) from the shaker the martini into a chilled martini glass. Add 3 olives.

5. Consume with great pleasure

6. Repeat (if home already)

 

After a couple of these, all my troubles vanish and life is good

 

My favorite recipe is somewhat similar, yet different, and as follows:

 

1. Find some hot guy who likes vodka—or better yet, has some vodka.

2. Convince him to make a martini.

3. Suck his dick while he makes—and then drinks the martini.

4. Lick the remainder off his lips.

 

Repeat as necessary.

[jgoo]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martini_%28cocktail%29[/url].

 

I would describe your drink as vodka with an olive, not as a martini (unless you consider anything served in a martini glass to be a martini). Martinis should be made with gin. I like mine dirty and wet.

 

I tend to think of a martini as being with gin and most purests probably think that way. However, it is acceptable (even preferred by many) to have and enjoy a vodka martini.

 

My favorite recipe is somewhat similar, yet different, and as follows:

 

1. Find some hot guy who likes vodka—or better yet, has some vodka.

2. Convince him to make a martini.

3. Suck his dick while he makes—and then drinks the martini.

4. Lick the remainder off his lips.

 

Repeat as necessary.

 

Anytime you want a martini, made with either vodka or gin, just give me a call Max and I will ablige.

[+ sam.fitzpatrick]

A great martini needs olives stuffed with bleu cheese.

[robberbaron4u]

Regretfully, perhaps, I have never mastered the "appreciation" of a martini; I am an old-fashioned whiskey cocktail man. Good whiskey and branch water are, of course, the necessities of the thing.

[+ deej]

A great martini needs olives stuffed with bleu cheese.

 

Olives stuffed with anchovy are great, too.

[BgMstr4u]

For a gin martini, apart from using the best gin you can get, here's a trick I learned from a friend a long time ago.

 

Just before pouring the martini into the glass, splash a bit of good scotch in the martini glass, just enough to cover the glass, roll it around, pour the drops remaining into your mouth without touching the glass if you can, pour and serve. Very smooth.

[KMEM]

Most any alcohol drink concoction tastes "better" on the second and succeeding days. I first found that out about beer. Few beers that I have never tasted before are "wonderful" the first bottle but the next day and the next they get better and better until they are about as good as it gets. I found that out while "stuck" in foreign countries many years ago. San Miguel, which at the time was brewed in Hong Kong and Manila (and some claimed they could tell where by having a swallow), comes to mind as an example of this.

 

Some friends of mine a few years back decided to have a martini "club" and I attended for a few days. On the first day, I thought the drink mildly interesting but not particularly good. By the 3rd day, they were excellent.

 

Best regards,

KMEM

[gallahadesquire]

My introduction to martinis went thusly:

 

"I like them dry. VERY dry," I proclaimed.

Said drink arrived.

"No, this is too WET. I need it dry!" I exclaimed.

Second drink arrived.

"No, no, we're going in the wrong direction. It needs to be MUCH drier than this."

Third concoction arrives.

"What is going on? This is the wettest of the three!"

"Sir, I can't make it any drier. It's straight gin."

 

Turns out, I like them, Bombay sapphire and vermouth, about three to one.

 

And for those who don't like olives, let's remember the humble gibson: Cocktail onion instead of olive. My mother always liked Gibsons, and was surprised that I remembered.

[+ nycman]

My "martini" isn't a Martini at all. It's straight vodka, frozen in the freezer.

Served with a twist of lemon in a martini glass, with a side of ice.

The colder the better.

 

The only problem is when you drink on every night, it's glaringly obvious

when a restaurant has watered down their vodka.

 

My vodka of choice is Belvedere, followed by Kettle One, then Smirnoff.

 

I only drink Absolut when it saves me from having to swallow that swill they

call Grey Goose. I would rather drink dog piss or even a dreaded “Cosmo”.

 

I can't stand flavored vodka, unless it's in some goofy cocktail on the beach.

 

When I was a child in my 20's I was a hard core Gin Martini drinker.

My gin of choice was Bombay Sapphire, very dry, and I drank it with olives.

Funny how our tastes change.

[gallahadesquire]

My "martini" isn't a Martini at all. It's straight vodka, frozen in the freezer.

Served with a twist of lemon in a martini glass, with a side of ice.

The colder the better.

 

The only problem is when you drink on every night, it's glaringly obvious

when a restaurant has watered down their vodka.

 

My vodka of choice is Belvedere, followed by Kettle One, then Smirnoff.

 

I only drink Absolut when it saves me from having to swallow that swill they

call Grey Goose. I would rather drink dog piss or even a dreaded “Cosmo”.

 

I can't stand flavored vodka, unless it's in some goofy cocktail on the beach.

 

When I was a child in my 20's I was a hard core Gin Martini drinker.

My gin of choice was Bombay Sapphire, very dry, and I drank it with olives.

Funny how our tastes change.

 

Agreed on frozen vodka. I think that's how the Russians prefer it.

Smirnoff used to make a red-pepper Vodka, that was hot and cold, simultaneously.

 

In favour of flavoured vodkas, Absolut Citron goes well with Fresca.

 

Not being much of a vodka drinker, I'm never heard of Belvedere.

[jankeedaddy]

I have to put the old Dorothy Parker poem here:

 

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.

[instudiocity]

my favorite recipe is somewhat similar, yet different, and as follows:

 

1. Find some hot guy who likes vodka—or better yet, has some vodka.

2. Convince him to make a martini.

3. Suck his dick while he makes—and then drinks the martini.

4. Lick the remainder off his lips.

 

Repeat as necessary.

hey max! Over here!

[LookingAround]

Its not a real martini if its made with vodka. True martinis are always made with gin. And they are stirred.

[Guest huntersmith]

leichi martini with one or both of hot asian or hot aussie guys sipping it. while i sip him...refills for all as often as needed/possible:)

[jankeedaddy]

Its not a real martini if its made with vodka. True martinis are always made with gin. And they are stirred.

 

I agree entirely: the only "martini" is made with gin (the amount or presence of dry vermouth is a matter of debate and taste) de gustibus non est disputandum.

 

And yet there is another drink : "The Vodka Martini".

 

All others are fauxtinis.

[rguer]

Its not a real martini if its made with vodka. True martinis are always made with gin. And they are stirred.

 

I agree. But I was surprised to read that the classic James Bond martini is made with both gin and vodka, and Kini Lillet instead of vermouth. In the books, what he drinks most often is a scotch and soda. http://cocktails.about.com/od/history/tp/jamesbond_cocktails.htm

 

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"Bond insisted on ordering Leither's Haig-and-Haig 'on the rocks' [a quality Scotch whiskey] and then he looked carefully at the barman.

 

'A dry martini,' he said. 'One. In a deep champagne goblet.'

 

'Oui, monsieur.'

 

'Just a moment. Three measures of Gordon's [an English gin], one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. [this is NOT vermouth] Shake it very well until it's ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?'

 

'Certainly, monsieur.' The barman seemed pleasant with the idea.

 

'Gosh that's certainly a drink,' said Leiter.

 

Bond laughed. 'When I'm ... er ... concentrating.' he explained, 'I never have more than one drink before dinner. But I do like that one to be large and very strong and very cold and very well-made. I hate small portions of anything, particularly when they taste bad. This drink's my own invention. I'm going to patent it when I can think of a good name.'

 

He watched carefully as the deep glass became frosted with the pale golden drink, slightly aerated by the bruising of the shaker. He reached for it and took a long sip.

 

'Excellent,' he said to the barman, 'but if you can get a vodka made with grain instead of potatoes, you will find it still better.'

 

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The original martini was supposedly 1 part sweet vermouth to 3 parts gin. That is not one anyone would expect when ordering a martini today. I'll have to try it.

[rguer]

While we're at it:

 

http://www.bmj.com/content/319/7225/1600.full

 

An article from the British Medical Journal discussing the anti-oxidant properties of shaken vs. stirred martinis. The experiment used an unusual ratio of 2 parts gin to 1 part vermouth.

[raulgmanzo]

While we're at it:

... The experiment used an unusual ratio of 2 parts gin to 1 part vermouth.

 

I think recipes historically used that ratio and some even equal parts vermouth to gin and they probably used older styles of gins such as Old Tom which nearly disappeared from from use but have seen a revival. I know a bunch of people into making local liquor and some of them have given me samples of various spirits made according to old recipes and obscure gins from yesteryear. Very interesting and quite different than gins of today.

 

Hmmm, when I get home later today I'll have to consult my library. In my stacks are some old formularies and somewhere on one of my shelves a book specifically about the Martini.

 

Also perhaps a good reason to go to Martinez, CA, or any number of places that claim to be the birthplace of the Martini.

[gallahadesquire]

While we're at it:

 

http://www.bmj.com/content/319/7225/1600.full

 

An article from the British Medical Journal discussing the anti-oxidant properties of shaken vs. stirred martinis. The experiment used an unusual ratio of 2 parts gin to 1 part vermouth.

 

This deserves an IgNoble Prize. http://improbable.com/ig/

Or it should have been published in the Journal of Irreproducible Results, http://www.jir.com/