The greatest cocktail of all time? Possibly. The most famous cocktail of all time? Quite probably. A drink that everyone should be able to make and know how to order? Absolutely!
“I don’t like them though…” Not true! You’ve just had a bad experience or you haven’t found the right one for you…yet. There’s a near infinite number of ways to drink it. It’s out there, just waiting for you. So, let’s go find it.
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How to make it
- 1 – Before you make a Martini (or order one for that matter, you need to ask yourself 4 key questions: What Gin (or Vodka) do I want. What Vermouth or other Fortified wine do I want? How dry do I want my Martini? (The less Vermouth you use, the drier the Martini. The more Vermouth you use the wetter the Martini is. What garnish? Twist (probably lemons, but lemon and orange work great together and grapefruit works well too) or olives (usually green, and never in oil!).
- 2 – Now, pour however much you have decided of your preferred vermouth into your mixing glass then add your choice of Gin (Vodka).
- 3 – Fill the mixing glass with ice and stir to chill and dilute. Remember to use your nose and palate to find the perfect moment of dilution. This is the key to a great Martini. You can get everything else perfect, and use the best ingredients, but if you don’t add the right amount of dilution it will all be for nothing and your Martini will be undrinkable! Remember, a Martini should be easy and enjoyable to drink.
- 4 – When the perfect dilution is reached, strain into your chilled cocktail into the glass, garnish and serve.
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Get nerdy with it
GIN – That’s right, you heard us…Gin! A long time before Vodka was ever mixed with Vermouth and put in a cocktail glass, Gin was being stirred into this most delicious of concoctions. With that being said, the joy of the Martini is the freedom you have to make it, and drink it, to your exact specifications.
So, whether you choose Gin or Vodka, pick the one you love to drink. There are few cocktails that show off the base spirit more clearly, so it’s important you love the character of the Gin or Vodka you choose.
DRY VERMOUTH – Joyfully there are many to choose from these days. However, that does make it even more difficult to choose one. Dolin Dry or Noilly Prat Dry are both excellent choices that are easily available. The Dolin being a little fruitier than Noilly which is rested in a wooden barrel, the flavour of which comes through in the final product.
There is a whole wide world of alternatives out there, so make sure to read more about others variations such as the off-dry Lillet Rosé or the nutty dryness of Amontillado sherry.
Why we chose this recipe for you
There’s so much that can be written about this amazing drink. The history, culture and influence of the Dry Martini, surely the most famous cocktail in history, cannot be overstated. We’re not diving into those depths here, we’ve focused on the basics, but you can nerd out by reading this more in depth guide if you want to become a Martini aficionado.
While we’re here, let’s clear up the most important misunderstanding around this drink. The simple fact that there’s no magical ‘Perfect’ or ‘Best’ Martini.
Unless you’re making a specific historical version which has set ratios and ingredients, the Dry Martini is a drink that’s made to your specific requirements. So, if you walk into a bar and order a “Dry Martini” with no further specifications, you’re telling the bartender you have no idea what you’re talking about. You might as well stride into a fancy coffee shop and, with completely misjudged confidence, order “a coffee” or “the best coffee you can make” or indeed “the perfect coffee!”.
First things first, if this is all new to you then don’t feel bad, no one is born with this knowledge, someone has to open up these possibilities to you. Secondly, and very happily, you need to take your palate on a journey of discovery to taste and test different ingredients, ratios and garnishes to be able to answer those 4 important questions we mentioned earlier – what Gin (or Vodka), what Vermouth (or Fortified wine), what ratio of those ingredients (how ‘Dry’ you want your Martini) and finally what garnish (and maybe Bitters) you want.
As you try out all these different variations you will start to be able to make, or order, Martinis that perfectly suit you and your mood. Finally, don’t forget that there’s no rush. Your opinions will change, new ingredients, new ideas, unearthing old classics. This is a journey that evolves over a whole lifetime, so enjoy!
As always, don’t forget to show us what you made by tagging us!
@Candra_Drinks #MakeBetterDrinks #CandraDrinks
