The Dry Gin Martini - Part the First

With our MARCH-TINI Madness drink recipe contest in full swing, I thought it fitting to resurrect this blog post from our General Manager for inspiration. Stay tuned for part two next week!

Be sure to submit your drink recipes by the end of the month! Click here for Woodbridge contest info! Click here for Lawrenceville contest info!

* * *

"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. I hate small portions of anything, particularly when they taste bad.”

Ok, I really wish that was me that opined about aperitifs, but it was actually none other than James Bond in Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale, Bond's first adventure. The drink he was referring to was not a Martini, per se, though it was shaken, not stirred. Bond ultimately called it the Vesper, after Vesper Lynd, the female lead in the story. It consisted of:

"...three measures of Gordon’s, (gin), one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it's ice-cold, and then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?"

In this case, the Kina Lillet he was referring to is an interesting aperitif, somewhat similar to Vermouth, perhaps, though flavored with quinine and sweet as opposed to dry. Kingsley Amis, a noted British author in his own right, and Fleming’s biographer, thinks he got it wrong. Amis thought that Lillet Blanc was what should have gone into his drink as the quinine would have made the drink too bitter. Either way, this sure makes a terrific pre-dinner cocktail and is a high spot in cocktail lore.

For me personally, I am a purist and Gin, and Gin only, is the primary component of the Dry Martini. We Martini devotees believe firmly that Vodka and dry vermouth is only a variant of the Martini called the Vodkatini. Ironically, I can probably blame Mr. Bond for the blurring of lines of these two cocktails. In the original Bond movies, 007 routinely orders a "Vodka Martini, shaken, not stirred." This was helped along by Smirnoff, who scored big by getting the rights for product placement in the movies. In the early sixties, vodka, particularly Smirnoff, was quickly supplanting Gin as the hip spirit of choice, instigated in no small measure (pun intended) by the immense popularity of the Moscow Mule, quite a refreshing quaffer in its own right.

The Dry Martini has gone through many changes since its inception, with the most discernable difference being the ratio of Gin to Dry Vermouth. I must admit it saddens me that 99.9% of the barkeeps I encounter must be told to add some Vermouth to my Martini. As if the green bottle in the speed rack was just for decoration or European tourists. (Order a Martini in Europe, instead of a Dry Martini or Martini Cocktail, and you’re likely to get a glass of Martini & Rossi Sweet Vermouth).

Vermouth, sweet or dry, is fortified wine which over time has been flavored with such aromatics as coriander, nutmeg, juniper, orange peel, cloves, marjoram, cinnamon and even wormwood, the component in Absinthe with alleged psychotropic properties. In fact, the word vermouth comes from Wermutkraut, the German word for the Wormwood plant. These flavorings were probably just a way to hide the poor taste of the cheap wine made in large quantities, but today it absolutely gives the Dry Martini a very distinctive flavor; one that enhances the already aromatic nature of Gin. Without Vermouth, the Martini is simply chilled Gin.

The original Martini probably had as much Vermouth as Gin and this does seem a little excessive to me. I prefer a ratio of 6:1 which works quite well, in my opinion. As for garnish, a twist of lemon is certainly acceptable, though there is nothing like a couple of juicy olives when you’re hungry and waiting for your table.

My Dry Martini
-6 measures of Gin: I prefer Bombay Sapphire though locally made Bluecoat is excellent
-1 measure of Dry Vermouth

The size of the measures should be directly proportionate to the size of the shaker, the glass, and the company you're with.

Pour both ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. I prefer stainless steel. Shake like you mean it. You won’t bruise the gin and I love the miniscule flakes of ice that float on top when poured into a well chilled martini glass. The goal of course is to ensure the drink is cold from first sip to last.

Garnish with twist of lemon or green olives, the ones that are stuffed with something interesting if you have them handy.

Moscow Mule
-2 oz Vodka: Smirnoff for the romantic or those willing to pay homage to the drink's origins
-2 oz lime juice: Rose's Lime Cordial can work, but there is nothing like freshly squeezed lime juice
-4 - 6 oz ginger beer: Ginger Ale is frequently substituted, but Joe Canal's carries Ginger Beer and I recommend it

Pour vodka and lime juice in a rocks glass filled with ice and top with Ginger Beer. Garnish with a sprig of mint or slice of lime. Originally, the Moscow Mule was served in copper mugs, an idea from the inventors back in 1941 in Los Angeles. But that is a tale, a cocktail actually, for another day.

In my next installment, I will discuss gin in greater detail as well as the origins of the Dry Martini whose theories of origination are legion. For now though, remember the words of humorist and author James Thurber who said, "One Martini is OK, two is too many, and three is not enough."