Martini Zen

I'm not talking a cup of cheap gin splashed over an ice cube. I'm talking satin, fire and ice; Fred Astaire in a glass; surgical cleanliness; insight and comfort; redemption and absolution. I' m talking a Martini."--Anonymous

If you aspire to being a master Martini mixologist here are a few basics to start you on the road toward making a good martini:

Begin with the finest ingredients you can afford. Mixers like soda, tonic, or juice can hide a multitude of sins in a highball like a gin and tonic since they comprise the majority of a drink. But a Martini depends on the liquor for its flavor. If it's no good, neither is the drink.

Use glass or stainless steel implements. Aluminum shakers degrade quickly when they come in contact with acids (like lemon oil or juice). When this happens, the metal imparts its unique essence into the mix: a liquid version of nibbling the wrapper off a Hershey's Kiss. Likewise, copper and, some say, silver have the same effect. (Although the latter might just be the tarnish cleaning off into your drink.).

Make sure the ice is fresh. Don't scrape the remnants of last month's chili-fest off the cubes, throw them away and make fresh ones. If the ice trays are old, replace them, too (and put a box of baking soda in the freezer). True perfectionists use mineral water instead of tap water and add a touch of bitters or a squeeze of lemon to it.

Pre-made Martinis are not a good substitute for the real thing. In the immortal words of author Bernard DeVoto, "You can no more keep a Martini in the refrigerator than you can keep a kiss there. The proper union of gin and vermouth is . . . one of the happiest marriages on earth, and one of the shortest lived." Believe it or not there are even a couple of pre-mixed Martinis available (some have been around for decades). But they're about as exciting as champagne in a can. A big part of the Martini experience is the presentation: A perfectly clean, chilled Martini glass, a frosty shaker, the sound of the ice shifting inside it as the drink is poured slowly. This is what the cocktail is all about.

One of the biggest debates between mixologists is whether to shake or stir a Martini. It's been said that shaking bruises the drink, it doesn't. However, that doesn't mean there's no truth to the rumor about bruising drinks. You can bruise a Bloody Mary. The tomato juice breaks down and looses its thick texture, becoming watery (tomato juice, like ketchup, is what's known in scientific terms as a plastic colloid, an emulsion which becomes more liquid with agitation). This is why a good bloody is muddled-poured from mixing glass to mixing glass-to blend it. None of the ingredients in a Martini are susceptible to bruising, but there are more subtle differences. Stirring makes a clearer and stronger martini, but takes longer and doesn't blend it as thoroughly (let's face it, it's also more fun to shake them). Shaking, on the other hand, chills the drink faster, but imparts a little more air plus tiny chips of ice which tend to cloud the martini. The added air also affects the aldehydes, making the flavor stronger. For vodka martini drinkers this is perfect, however gin can become overpowering if it's shaken.

The myth of the dryness

Dryness refers to the ratio of liquor (which is dry) to vermouth which is sweet). The less vermouth the drier the Martini. Decades ago a Dry Martini was made with two or three parts gin to one part vermouth, but over the years the ratio changed to 6:1, 8:1, 10:1, 15:1 and so on, as people sought to outdo each other (rumor has it that Winston Churchill would simply bow toward France, where vermouth was made, after he poured his gin). But this has more to do with humor than flavor. A 4:1 Martini can be outstanding if you use the right vermouth. Or better yet, try top shelf aperitif wine (vermouth, in case you never read the fine print on the label, is an aperitif wine) like Lillet or Punt e Mes in place of the vermouth.

The exact ratios of gin or vodka to vermouth or aperitif wine are as subject to personal taste as the selection of a signature after shave or cologne. A popular lounge story relates that the Canadian Mounties carry a small survival kit with them whenever they venture into the wilderness. Inside, there are miniature bottles of gin and vermouth. The kit also contains a small metal cup, a swizzle stick, and a card that instructs the Mountie: should he/she become hopelessly lost in the wilderness, they should sit down, take out the survival kit, and begin making a Martini. Before the drink is mixed it's guaranteed someone will appear to rescue them, saying, "No, no, that's not the way to make a Martini!"

The driest Martinis don't necessarily contain any vermouth at all. Both the Cognac Martini (a 5:1 blend of vodka to cognac, garnished with a twist) and the Berlin Station Chief (a 5:1 mix of gin to single malt scotch, garnished with olives or a twist) both have a wonderfully dry and slightly smoky edge.

However dryness is neither an imperative nor is it traditional. The Sweet Martini (a 4:1 gin and sweet vermouth or Lillet Rouge concoction, garnished with an orange twist), has been around since the early 1900s, and it's delicious. Most of the hot new recipes are also on the sweet side: from the Cosmopolitan (containing 6 parts vodka, 1 part cranberry juice, a splash of Rose's Lime Juice, a splash of Cointreau, garnished with a twist), to the 911 (a silky 4:1 vodka and Godiva Chocolate liqueur blend, garnished with a touch of raspberry purÃ©e).

So how do you make a really good Martini? In short, select the best ingredients (preferably chilled), fresh ice, a clean set of Martini glasses, and someone to quote Robert Benchley to: "Lets get out of these wet clothes and into a Dry Martini." And above all remember, the best Martini in the world is and always will be a matter of opinion.

But wait, there's more.....

THE MARTINI found it's redemption when author Ian Fleming (an extra-dry vodka Martini man, himself) created James Bond. The British superspy's culinary adventures usually began with a vodka Martini of his own design.

THE VESPER -- named after Vesper Lynd, the heroine of Casino Royale -- was Bond's (and Fleming's) own version of a medium-dry vodka Martini. The choices of vodka and vermouth were important: grain vodkas were preferred over potato vodkas; and Lillet Blanc (formerly called Kina

Lillet) rather than Cinzano or Martini & Rossi vermouth.

OF COURSE it had to be shaken not stirred until ice-cold, and served with a large slice of lemon peel in a champagne goblet.

--Jared Brown

FOR THOSE WHO LEARNED to appreciate the finer points of quality European vodkas -- Stoli Gold, Grey Goose, and Finlandia -- during the past twenty years, the vodka Martini has reached new heights. Lively vodka infusions have been introduced to the time-honored formula.

LEMON, BLACK CURRANT, chocolate, chili pepper, cherry, cranberry, and buffalo grass (tarhuna) have been blended by manufacturers and bartenders on both sides of the Atlantic to create refreshing variations which appeal to the new generation of vodka afficionados.

WHEN IS THE BEST MARTINI TIME? James Bond remarked in Casino Royale: "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."

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The Shaken Not Stirred Blog

Saturday, May 7, 2005

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