Total Number of Ratings: 7
My Favorite Martini
Monday, April 13, 2009 2:15 PM
I have a mighty sweet tooth. Always have. It's likely due to the childhood allergy to chocolate that forced the sugar-spun treats like jelly beans and marshmallows into my hands when other kids were feasting on chocolate rabbits and candy bars. It was no surprise, then, when I started drinking that I went towards the sweet stuff. Strawberry margaritas, mudslides, and amaretto sours were the order of the day. Anything dry or made mostly of alcohol with just a splash of flavor was avoided like the plague.
Until recently.
A couple summers ago I learned to appreciate olives, and it opened the door to the harsh and savory section of my liquor cabinet. Vodka, red wine, shots of every taste and hue, were all welcome to try their luck against my new palate. To be fair, a few spirits still linger on the outskirts. I still don't "get" beer. I appreciate scotch well enough to leave the room when my husband opens the more pungent bottles, which is a courtesy I also extend to scotch's close friends whiskey and bourbon.
But then there's gin. What started as an accident last summer when a waitress brought me a gin gimlet instead of a vodka one has turned into a full-on love affair, culminating in my favorite drink: the martini. From my investigations, the martini is a very specific, yet very customizable drink. I suspect that you could tell a lot about a person based on how they like their martini prepared, or simply if they've bothered to find out how they like it. With the help of an article I found online, a great Good Eats episode , and countless, back-breaking hours of testing, I've figured out the ratio, the embellishments, and the methods that works best for me. I share it with you in hopes that it inspires you to find your own.
You Need:
- Gin (Bombay Sapphire)
- Vermouth (Gallo's Extra Dry)
- Olives in Brine (giant and garlic-stuffed)
- Ice (6-8 cubes)
- Glass (to drink out of)
- Shaker (metal)
You could substitute other brands, types for pretty much anything on the list, but then it wouldn't be my martini. Beefeater gin works pretty well. I know very little about vermouth brands and quality, but i know that sweet vermouth does not work for me. At All. Using olives stuffed with different stuff (especially cheese) affects the mixture, but not much (except cheese), and is occasionally welcome (especially cheese). A classy joint might put the olives on a skewer or something but I find they don't soak in the gin enough that way because they're suspended instead of chilling in the good stuff.
You Should:
Start by putting the ice in the glass to chill it up while you assemble the drink in the shaker. My "golden ratio" is 1 part vermouth to 2 parts gin (note to self, actually try the golden ratio). That's a bit on the high side, but it's where I've found the drink is the smoothest for me. Depending on how much I plan on drinking, this is usually 1 oz of Vermouth and 2 oz of Gin. Shot glasses make the math easy, but bump it up to 1.5 and 3 oz respectively. After the hard stuff, add a splash of brine from your olive jar. How much is a splash? About as long as it takes to say "splash" while you're slowly pouring the brine in. This of course, depends on how salty you like it and how intense your brine is. Also, make sure it's brine, and not olive oil. That might taste good, but it's not what we're after.
Next, drop your ice from you chilled glass into the shaker. Let it melt in there just long enough to drop 2-3 olives into your glass. How many usually depends on how many drinks I think I'll have that night. I confess to making myself a martini, just to get the gin-soaked olives. Sad but true. Once the olives are down, cap the shaker and start shaking. Shake so the ice is moving towards the top and bottom of the shaker (opposed to side to side). Like Alton says, not only does it make you look cooler, but it's better for dispersing the chill.
How long do you shake? I shake until my hands hurt too much because there's frost on the outside of the shaker. You can also listen for that slushy sound, if you've got one of those unnecessarily insulated jobs. How do you know you've done it right? Pour it into your glass. If ice crystals form on the top (different than ice that's made it through the strainer) you've done a great job. If not, man up and hold out a bit longer next time.
Wait for the fog to clear (or don't), and enjoy. Save at least one olive until after the drink is gone for tastiest results.
If the drink isn't perfect for you, try adjusting the Vermouth/Gin ratio, the brine, or even the brand of your main ingredients. After a few nights of experimentation, you should be armed with a tweak-able recipe and ready to take on the world, or at least your aunt's liquor cabinet next Christmas.
Love this article. I had the perfect martini on my birthday. It was called the White Cosmo. I had white cranberry juice, cointreau and lime. Here's the link on how to make it.
http://www.ehow.com/how_4904830_white-cosmo.html
I like mine dryer than you do. But yours is a classic "dirty martini" nice!
For my martini.
You only need a capful of vermouth - pour over a good handful ice in a glass pitcher, to coat the ice cubes and pitcher... there should be just enough. If there is excess, pour out.
Then pour 2-3oz the gin of choice (I love Hendricks, but usually drink Bombay sapphire) over the ice, and give it a stir (or a gentle shake if you must, don't want to bruise the gin making it harsh and bitter). Go put on some music (Cole Porter?). Stir again. Go get the lemon peel and chilled glass (not a fan of olives in my drinks). Wipe the lemon peel around the rim of the glass, then drop it in the middle. Pour the martini(s) slowly and enjoy with good company.
Next,
so i looked up the whole "bruise the gin" bit, and the internet explains it with big words like "oxidation" and such. i tried just tossing the mixture back and forth a couple of times. not sure if it's the flavor of the olives or the shakey-shake, but this is a hella tasty martini. thanks for the tip!
I've only ever had a martini once. It was at my friend's wedding and I was desperate for some strong booze because the drinks were not free-flowing as they really need to be at all weddings. My friend Patrick suggested we get martinis. It took me the better part of an hour to finish mine. It was rough. Perhaps it was just badly made?
i'd guess cheap gin and probably not enough vermouth. there's a popular martini method called an "in and out" which just means rinsing the glass or the ice cubes with vermouth and discarding the rest. i find that to be way too harsh, unless the gin is hella good and i've already had a drink or two.
you might not be "used to" the flavor of gin. a gin gimlet (gin+rose's sweet lime juice) is a good gateway drink to get familiar with gin. and remember, brain cells are too precious to waste on cheap alcohol ;)
I agree with Kelly. Most likely poorly made and cheap ingredients. Not uncommon at a wedding either.
Respond
That is how a Martini is made.