“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.. comfort; redemption and absolution. I’m talking MARTINI.”
-Anonymous
“Stirred, not shaken”, the cliché, from the James Bond movies, is used by everyone who hears a person order a martini. June 19th is National Martini Day, and it is all about celebrating one of the most familiar and popular cocktails.
The Martini is never one to shy from evolution and fads. Purists will flinch at those who order a vodka martini and pompously remind everyone in the room that a “true” martini is made with gin. Now it is motivated in design by taste and preference, but the traditional martini was made with gin and vermouth. Historically documented recipes and bartender manuals tells of a 2:1 measurements of gin and vermouth respectively, as a dry martini.
History also tells us that many have claimed to have “invented” the original martini recipe but more importantly it is a cocktail that has stood the test of time.
- James Bond, the character in the Ian Flemming’s book series, ordered a type of martini called a Vesper. The line was made popular in the related movies.
- Dirty martinis use olive juice.
- Olives and lemon twists are the most common garnish for the martini. A Gibson martini comes with a pickled onion garnish.
- Although vodka martinis are popular, most mixologist agree that a “true” Martini is made with gin.