Tuesday, May 30, 2006

A Good Martini


A Martini is the perfect drink. It's not messy. It does not involve coconut milk. You can order it in Harry's Bar (Venice).

Here is how to make one.

Get Vermouth (Martini and Rossi: Dry). Pour it over the Ice. Then pour the Martini away. That is what is meant by a dry Martini. Do not order Martinis in England: you will get 1/3 vermouth, 1/3rd Lemonade (i.e. Sprite), and 1/3rd Gin. Avoid at all costs. [If you are in a British Pub, drink beer - everything else is awful beyond belief. If you need a Martini, say you want an American Martini.]

Add the Gin. There are three types - Bombay Sapphire (the best); Tanquery (stronger, but still second best) Gordon's (you are slumming). Add nothing else. There is no such thing as an "Apple Martini." To enjoy a Martini you to be able to take hard liquor straight.

If you add olives there must be 1 or 3. Even numbered olives are bad luck. A twist is better: the twist is to add citrus oil to the drink. You do not want a wedge of lemon (This can be a problem in Indian restaurents).



2 comments:

Another Damned Medievalist said...

I know that M&R is canonical, but I prefer Noilly, myself. English Martinis sound horrid, but the martinis served by my grandparents (who lived the era of serious cocktail parties -- in their house, one drank martinis or Manhattans, unless it was breakfast, in which case, Bloody Marys were acceptable) were always about 20% vermouth. It won't kill the taste of the Bombay (there is no other -- despite some people's claim that Beefeater and Boodles are nice), and it reminds you that you aren't drinking straight gin, so you must not be an alcoholic!

Trey said...

I fondly remember drinking gin with you and a few others in a hotel hallway on the outskirts of Barcelona. Good times. I still think it’s a wretched drink though :-)

I just finished teaching a year at a private school and am now off teach English in Tianjin and Shanghai for the next year. I leave July 1st. Shoot me an email sometime: trey333@gmail.com