Martinis

[N4AUD]

I have a confession to make. I've never had a martini. I've consumed copious amounts of myriad brands of beer, even brewed my own. I've had bourbon from just about every distiller in Kentucky and even chocolates filled with it, Jack Daniels and Captain Morgan and the Blue Nun have me on their Christmas lists, and well, you get the picture. I like a taste of the creature every now and then.

But I've never had a martini. I've seen various recipes, from 2 1/2 oz gin with 1/2 oz French vermouth to 8 parts gin to 1 part vermouth, and there is apparently a great battle raging amongst those who care a great deal about martinis as to whether they should be shaken or stirred. I'm going to the Virginia ABC store and purchase the gin and vermouth (no private liquor sales in VA, the state has a monopoly) and get my green olives stocked up, but thought I would get some opinions from the learned pallets here.

So, veteran martini drinkers, what's the best recipe?

[KC9ECI]

1 part vodka, 1 part vermouth, 2 olives.

[W3MIV]

Get hold of a flask of Steinhaeger (German) gin and put it in the freezer a day before you want the Martini.

Fill Martini glass with Steinhaeger; hold bottle of white vermouth three inches from full Martini glass; put vermouth back into cabinet; add one olive and one onion.

Drink.

[oh2gra]

Ahh, one part of vodka, two parts vermouth secco, some olives later.

[KA9VQF]

Quote[/b] (W3MIV @ Oct. 04 2007,04:39)]Get hold of a flask of Steinhaeger (German) gin and put it in the freezer a day before you want the Martini.

Fill Martini glass with Steinhaeger; hold bottle of white vermouth three inches from full Martini glass; put vermouth back into cabinet; add one olive and one onion.

Drink.
The recipe I was given when I was young is put in one large part gin and think about vermouth.

[w3bny]

Meh. Hendricks gin makes the most wonderful Martini.

1 part dry vermouth (shake it then dump it out)
1 part Hendricks

shake strain serve lather rinse repeat.

[WB8MKV]

Gin or Vodka of your choice...NO vermouth...add olive or onion of your choice...one drop of scotch

[W3MIV]

Quote[/b] (w3bny @ Oct. 04 2007,10:45)]Meh. #Hendricks gin makes the most wonderful Martini.

1 part dry vermouth (shake it then dump it out)
1 part Hendricks

shake strain serve lather rinse repeat.
I used to use that formula, but found it still polluted the gin with too much vermouth. I am very frugal; my recipe stretches a single bottle of vermouth for generations.

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[WB2WIK]

Quote[/b] (KA9VQF @ Oct. 04 2007,07:36)]The recipe I was given when I was young is put in one large part gin and think about vermouth.
That's actually pretty close to a "perfect" Martini, as taught in bartender school.

It really goes: 3 oz gin, pimento stuffed olive, and bow towards the Vatican (that's the vermouth content).

A Martini is never made with vodka or French vermouth. A Martini is never "on the rocks." Ice is used to make it cold, then the ice is removed.

One dry Martini recipe is to toss 1/2 shot of dry vermouth (always Italian) over ice in a shaker, shake it, and then pour all the vermouth out (in the sink); add 2 shots gin, shake again, strain and pour into a Martini glass, which is always wide at the top and very narrow at the bottom (there's a reason for that, too!).

Generic Martini is gin and dry vermouth, but most afficionadoes call out the kind of gin, such as a Bombay Martini, Beefeater Martini, etc.

My experience is that almost nobody ever likes their first Martini, it tastes like gasoline at first. It grows on you, an "acquired" taste. Crappy gin or bad vermouth, or even bad ice can make it taste much worse.

I'd use only crystal pure ice made from demineralized water -- you can see through the cubes, they're clear as glass -- as that does make a difference in the taste, too.

WB2WIK/6

[W3MIV]

Quote[/b] (WB2WIK @ Oct. 04 2007,12:01)]...you can see through the cubes, they're clear as glass ...
But only after the first two.

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[WB2WIK]

Quote[/b] (W3MIV @ Oct. 04 2007,09:11)]Quote[/b] (WB2WIK @ Oct. 04 2007,12:01)]...you can see through the cubes, they're clear as glass ...
But only after the first two.

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
Good gin, like good Scotch, is easily "bruised" by bad ice.

But I'm like George Burns. He always said, "I like to sing, and I like to drink whiskey. Most people would rather hear me drink." http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[W4HAY]

The Subjectivity Index is very high here!

Use good Gin (Beefeater) or Vodka (Smirnoff Silver) and Martini & Rossi dry Vermouth, three parts liquor to 1 part Vermouth. You don't need the most expensive liquor (that's best neat) but avoid the cheap brands like the plague.

I don't use ice, but prefer to keep the liquor and glass in the freezer and the M&R in the 'fridge. Also prefer cocktail onion to olive.

I like to use a heavy glass in a coozy as it acts as a reservoir for the cold.

Buy miniatures so initial experimentation won't be so expensive. But experimentation is the key -- don't be like a buck and get stuck in a rut!

Quote[/b] ]..and then pour all the vermouth out...
No, no, no! Save it to baste the Thanksgiving turkey!

[W3MIV]

Quote[/b] (W4HAY @ Oct. 04 2007,13:39)]...get stuck in a rut!
Wish I could get stuck in a rut.

[WB2WIK]

Quote[/b] (W4HAY @ Oct. 04 2007,10:39)]I don't use ice, but prefer to keep the liquor and glass in the freezer and the M&R in the 'fridge. Also prefer cocktail onion to olive.
With the cocktail onion, it's not a Martini: It's a Gibson.

Anyway, the keeping the booze in the freezer or fridge is a good trick, too.

I used to stop off at W2VJN's hilltop QTH in NJ now and then and George always had the gin in the freezer. I miss those days.

George is the guy who ran INRAD (the aftermarket filter people) for many years, until recently.

Wonder if he still keeps the gin in the freezer...?

WB2WIK/6

[KB1PLB]

I pour some good vodka (3 Olives is my new favorite) over ice and strain it into a glass with a couple of olives and pour a little of the olive juice (1/2 tsp) into it and you have the perfect extra dry dirty Vodka Martini. IMNSHO it is the best. Cheers

[WB2WIK]

Quote[/b] (KB1PLB @ Oct. 04 2007,11:33)]I pour some good vodka (3 Olives is my new favorite) over ice and strain it into a glass with a couple of olives and pour a little of the olive juice (1/2 tsp) into it and you have the perfect extra dry dirty Vodka Martini. #IMNSHO it is the best. #Cheers
I don't like "vodka martinis," not nearly the wonderful taste of good gin.

It's been argued to me that "yeah, but vodka doesn't have any smell, so nobody can tell you've been drinking!" http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

I always reply, "Maybe, but I'd rather have 'em think I'm drunk, than stupid." http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[W1GUH]

Bombay Sapphire, think the word vermouth once, "shaken not stirred" til well chilled, served up with olives.

If it's made and poured correctly, you'll have to slurp the first few sips with it sitting on the bar. #It'll spill otherwise.

Cheers!

[N4AUD]

Quote[/b] (WB2WIK @ Oct. 04 2007,12:01)][quote=KA9VQF,Oct. 04 2007,07:36]
A Martini is never made with vodka or French vermouth.
WB2WIK/6
Oops on my part. I knew that but typed the wrong thing.

I think I'll start with as traditional a recipe as possible and experiment from there.

There seems to be a LOT of personal preference about the amount of vermouth and shaken vs stirred.

I'll let you guys know what I find out on Monday...if I'm able. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[WB2WIK]

There used to be a "Martini net" on 20 meters.

I checked into that, and what everybody does is exchange recipes and try making what the other guy raves about, and you drink that one, and then try making what somebody else raves about, and you drink that one...

After a few tries, everyone on the net becomes absolutely brilliant. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

I forgot what frequency the net was on. I also forget what else I did that night, and part of the next day...

[W1GUH]

Quote[/b] (WB2WIK @ Oct. 03 2007,14:23)]There used to be a "Martini net" on 20 meters.

I checked into that, and what everybody does is exchange recipes and try making what the other guy raves about, and you drink that one, and then try making what somebody else raves about, and you drink that one...

After a few tries, everyone on the net becomes absolutely brilliant. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

I forgot what frequency the net was on. #I also forget what else I did that night, and part of the next day...
Quote[/b] ]After a few tries, everyone on the net becomes absolutely brilliant. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Any Martini that does that to you is a good martini! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[N0KLT]

The best martini I ever had was made by some guy in Davenport, Iowa in the mid 60s. He had a sloped pan that he filled partially with vermouth. He then set the martini glasses upside down in the deep end of the pan and started moving them up out of the vermouth as he made the drinks. He would let the glass sit clear of the vermouth for several minutes and then wipe the outside off with a bar towel, slowly pouring gin into the glass as he turned the glass so that gin was poured down the inside of the entire glass. He then added olives that had been drained and that was the drink. I have no real memory (tee many martunis) of what brand of gin or vermouth he used but his were the smoothest martinis I have ever had. The funny part of the whole thing was this bar was inside a bowling alley which most people would consider a beer and a shot place. But this guy's gin martinis were superb.