In addition to being undoubtedly one of the most famous cocktails in the world, the Martini is by all associated with power, luxury, wealth and of course the legendary James Bond. In some ways it seems that today the word martini has replaced the word cocktail in many lounge bars, in fact we can find hundreds of versions of martini, one thing they all have in common, the shape of the glass that contains it. Let's see together the recipe for a classic Martini.
Ingrediants
- 11 Parts (5, 5 cl) of gin
- 1 drop to 3 parts (1.5 cl) of dry white vermouth
- 1-2 drops of Angostura (optional)
- 1 olive for garnish
Steps
Step 1. Fill a shaker with ice
Don't be stingy, ice is a fundamental ingredient in the preparation of martini, it serves both to cool and to blend the various ingredients together.
Step 2. Add the vermouth
The amount of vermouth varies according to taste, for a purist, for example, a drop may be enough, others love the 'perfect' martini. In the terminology of the barman, the word perfect defines a quantity of vermouth equally divided between the white and the red one (even a Manhattan cocktail can be perfect).
Step 3. (Optional) Shake and pour into the glass using the strainer
You can, if desired, moisten the glass with a few drops of vermouth and then drain the excess, this will make the martini even drier.
- If you are using vodka instead of gin, you can use the shaker and shake. In fact, purists claim that the original recipe, the one with gin, does not require a shaker, according to them the gin should not be 'shaken', but only mixed delicately. Follow your personal taste or try both ways.
- (Optional) You can add a drop or two of angostura if you want. Be very careful because angostura is a very concentrated product, very few drops are enough to greatly change the final flavor of your cocktail, experiment by adding one drop at a time.
- Stir or shake. The melting ice will ensure that the ingredients blend perfectly with each other and will soften the bullying of alcohol.
Step 4. Pour, holding the ice with the help of the strainer, your martini in a very cold glass (in a martini glass of course)
Step 5. Garnish with a lemon zest
Health!
Step 6. Finished
Step 7. Finished
Advice
- To get the 'Dirty Martini' variant add a few drops of brine and a few more olives as a garnish.
- Although garnishing a martini with an olive or pickled onion has become a commonly accepted classic, the original recipe only allows for a lemon zest.
- For a 'Smoked Martini' follow the 'Dirty Martini' recipe and add a few drops of single malt scotch.
- James Bond preferred his martini shaken rather than stirred. To stay true to the film, add a lemon zest as a garnish. Originally 007 drank a 'Vesper' and not a martini, the Vesper recipe includes gin, vodka and lillet (a white aperitif wine).
- The 'Vodka Martini' is also called 'Kangaroo'.
- Vermouth is a necessary ingredient in the preparation of a martini cocktail. A glass of frozen gin without vermouth is a glass of frozen gin and not a martini. Nothing prevents us from drinking it, but we must define it appropriately and know that it is not a cocktail.
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Shaken or mixed? The schools of thought are different. The 'Martinians' prefer a mixed martini claiming that shaking it unnecessarily 'violates' the gin making it too bitter and limiting its clarity. Other 'connoisseurs' claim that the act of shaking allows the gin to release all its flavor and that the clarity is regained within a few seconds.
A curiosity: the British Medical Journal in December 1999 published an article in which it states that the shaken martini contains more antioxidants than the mixed counterpart, therefore considering it more healthy. It is important to remember that the BMJ reserves the last annual issue (December) for humorous articles and parodies, just as other leading publications do for the April Fool's day issue. The fact that the media found this article authoritative makes it all the more ironic
- Which is the right amount of vermouth compared to that of martini has always been a subject of controversy, experiment and test, only in this way you will find the right recipe for you.
- Experiment with garnishes too, try different types of stuffed olives, there are some stuffed with peppers, chilli, almonds and even anchovies and capers. Each type has a different brine and will give different aromas and fragrances.
- To have a very cold martini glass, keep it in the freezer or, alternatively, fill it with ice during the preparation of your cocktail, empty it just a moment before using it (I recommend you drain it carefully, nobody likes a watered-down cocktail).
- Be careful, using different toppings can create different cocktails, garnishing a martini with a spring onion instead of a lemon zest or an olive, for example, will get you a Gibson.
- Choose your martini companion carefully, drinking this cocktail is an art.
- Use high-quality gin if possible. Labels like Boodles, Bombay Sapphire and Tanqueray 10 will allow you to get an amazing martini. Searching for a few rarer gins could also give you great results.
Warnings
- Never drive after drinking.
- Always drink responsibly.
- Remember that a well done martini can be addictive.
