Pre-made Martini mix!? What new witchcraft is this?
To make a fine martini:
Take 6 parts gin and one part vermouth, pour over ice cubes in a cocktail shaker.
Stir the mixture slowly with a cocktail stick
Pu the top on the shaker and strain into a straight-sided martini glass.
Squeeze a piece of lemon peel about 3 inches over the top of the glass (not the juicy part of the lemon, just the rind). Voila
This is obviously just my recipe, some people prefer it drier (more gin), with olives, or shaken rather than stirred (a la James Bond, flash git). If you stir it rather than shake it then the drink will still be cold but it will stay clear rather than turning cloudy. Some people will put lemon zest into it, but I prefer just to squeeze the lemon peel above the drink, this way some oil will settle on the top and you don't get large chunks of lemon peel in your drink.
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Sounds good. It reminds me of something. The butcher up the street from the old man's pub used to come in most mornings around eleven and order a "large gin and tonic, no ice, no lemon, no messin'" A bit of a purist I suppose.
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Posts: 1007 | Location: Dublin | Registered: November 29, 2006
Pre-made Martini mix!? What new witchcraft is this?
Indeed ... I've never heard of such heresy!
You're absolutely right about stirring the drink. Shaking it results in tiny ice crystals and a cloudy martini, rather than the crystal-clear drink that's so much more aesthetically appealing.
Some people like the slight dilution that occurs when the gin and vermouth are stirred in a shaker with ice. I, on the other hand, prefer to store my gin and martini glass in the freezer, and pour directly, using about the same proportions as you suggest. I also like to rub the inside and the rim of the glass with a bit of lemon peel before pouring.
I've never acquired much of a taste for olives, but my wife likes her martinis with a couple of them, stuffed with bleu cheese.
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Posts: 2503 | Location: Boston | Registered: April 16, 2005
I like what's commonly called a Mariner's Martini, which is a vodka martini garnished with four queen olives that have been stuffed with anchovy paste.
I use far less vermouth here than in a classic gin martini -- maybe a half teaspoon of that -- because I find that the olives and anchovy add a briny snap that is overwhelmed by too much vermouth.
It's a crisp, refreshing drink that I think is best served shaken -- and it really whets the appetite for a big dinner.
BTW -- I have some books on martinis that show ads from the 50s and 60s for pre-mixed martinis. One shows a machine (a Martini-matic!) that mixes them to order automatically. You simply dial in the ratio of gin to vermouth and press a button. There was even martini candy.
as someone who finds myself in and around establishments that serve beverages of the alcoholic persuasion, i find that more and more of the traditional martinis are going by the wayside.
an older demographic of drinker will still order a traditional gin martini or vodka martini or even a manhattan, but with juices and flavors and such becoming more popular... its more likely that you will have a woman ordering a cosmo or a pomegranate martini
(made with vodka, a splash of cointreau, and splashes of pom and acai berry juices... quite tasty and even moderately healthy due to the anti oxidant properties of the acai)
and the drink of choice for the males, fad driven IMO, is grey goose or belvedere dirty martinis
if you like gin, and are not a total purist, might i suggest a blue star sapphire martini?
2 ounces bombay sapphire gin 1 ounce blue curacao top with splash of lemon lime soda fresh lemon twist *ensure you twist the rind over the glass so when it sprays its oils, they land in the glass
i only drink scotch but have tasted this before and it was very good and i dont like the taste of gin at all.
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Posts: 90 | Location: north providence RI | Registered: February 21, 2008
I like what I call a Mexican Martini...I use jalapeño stuffed olives, which are not easy to find but give the drink an extra kick. I like mine with Bombay Sapphire, Noilly Pratt vermouth & the above mentioned olives & I prefer shaken to stirred but to each his own. What I don't care for at all are all this concotions called Martinis like appletinis, chocolatinis, etc.
Posts: 141 | Location: Mexico City | Registered: March 01, 2008
if you like gin, and are not a total purist, might i suggest a blue star sapphire martini?
2 ounces bombay sapphire gin 1 ounce blue curacao top with splash of lemon lime soda fresh lemon twist *ensure you twist the rind over the glass so when it sprays its oils, they land in the glass
Interesting recipe. I might fiddle with it and use the limey-undertoned Tanquerey Rangpur and Cointreau intead of blue Curacao.
Of course, I'd hafta call it something other than a "blue star" martini, huh?
'Question authority. Think for yourself. Filter out the spin. Engage elected officials critically. Make them defend what they're doing in your name. Derive the truth. Speak truth to power.'
Posts: 2503 | Location: Boston | Registered: April 16, 2005
"Three measures of Gordon's; one of vodka; half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it over ice, and add a thin slice of lemon peel." _________________________________________________
"It's the sense of touch. In any real city, you walk, you know? You brush past people, people bump into you. In L.A., nobody touches you. We're always behind this metal and glass. I think we miss that touch so much, that we crash into each other, just so we can feel something."
Originally posted by Toon_Tom: "Three measures of Gordon's; one of vodka; half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it over ice, and add a thin slice of lemon peel." _________________________________________________
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Posts: 141 | Location: Mexico City | Registered: March 01, 2008
"It's the sense of touch. In any real city, you walk, you know? You brush past people, people bump into you. In L.A., nobody touches you. We're always behind this metal and glass. I think we miss that touch so much, that we crash into each other, just so we can feel something."
'Question authority. Think for yourself. Filter out the spin. Engage elected officials critically. Make them defend what they're doing in your name. Derive the truth. Speak truth to power.'
Posts: 2503 | Location: Boston | Registered: April 16, 2005
Seems we all make it slightly different due to personal taste and preference. some good recipes.
I prefer vodka martini, shaken.
two recipes that I have used are: Vodka martini: 3 ounces of Russian Standart Vodka 1 ounce Dry Vermouth Shake with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist. ............................................................................................ Gin martini: * 2 1/2 oz gin * 1/2 oz dry vermouth * 1 lemon twist for garnish
1. Pour the ingredients into a mixing glass filled with ice cubes. 2. shake for 30 seconds. 3. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. 4. Garnish with the lemon twist. my problem was that didn't quite get the right measurements in the past, I made both last night using correct measurements. perfect, absolutely sublime.
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Just realized I left something out. In the above recipes I forgot to mention that I squeeze lime juice over the lemon twist just before I drop it in the glass. I find its more subtle, yet still noticeable.
''The only thing to be scared of, son, is tomorrow. I don't live for tomorrow. Never saw the fun in it.''