Martini

Submitted by ratherbeswimmin

"Arguably, the most popular cocktail of all time. Made properly, a martini can take your breath away with its icy fire and at the same time, sooth the stress of the most savage day. The classic martini has only two ingredients--so it's important to use the best you can afford. Store vermouth in the refrigerator to retain its flavor. Don't chill the gin or vodka or it won't get diluted enough by the ice to achieve the proper proportions (one-eighth to one-fourth water). Energetic shaking with ice is vital for a smooth/silky result. Stirring produces a crystal-clear martini but it will never get as cold as a shaken martini. Always serve martinis in a frosty-cold glass. Garnish with a pitted olive (stuffed or no)."

 

• Ready In: 5mins
• Ingredients: 6
• Serves: 1

ingredients

• Martini

• 2 ounces gin (or vodka)
• 1⁄2 ounce dry vermouth

• Classic Dry Martini

• 2 ounces gin (or vodka)
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons dry vermouth

• Extra-Dry Martini

• 2 ounces gin (or vodka)
• 1 teaspoon dry vermouth

directions

1. Add ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice; shake vigorously.
2. Strain into a chilled glass.
3. Garnish with olive.
4. **Cajun Martini: substitute jalapeno-infused vodka or gin for regular gin; garnish with a pickled tomato or okra, or a tiny whole red or green chile.
5. **Dirty Martini: add 1 to 2 teaspoons olive brine.
6. **Fino Martini: substitute 2 teaspoons fino sherry for the vermouth.
7. **Gibson: garnish with a cocktail onion.
8. **Paisley Martini: reduce vermouth to 1 1/2 teaspoon; add 1 teaspoon Scotch; garnish with lemon twist.
9. **Perfect Martini: use half sweet vermouth and half dry vermouth; garnish with orange slice.
10. **Rumtini: substitute light rum for gin; garnish with lime twist.
11. **Saketini: substitute sake for the vermouth; garnish with lemon twist or olive.
12. **Scotini: substitute Scotch for the vermouth; garnish with lemon twist.
13. **Sweet Martini: substitute sweet vermouth for the dry vermouth; garnish with orange slice.
14. Tequini: substitute tequila for gin.

Reviews

[Liza at Food.com]

Perfection. : )

 

[dicentra]

Excellent. Just as a martini should be. No fancy stuff. I keep my vodka in the freezer and my vermouth in the fridge, so our drinks were icy cold. Shaken long and hard. Garnished with plenty of olives which are even better after they've sat in the drink. Yum!

 

[NVirginian]

I have made these as the Dirty Martini at least a dozen times and I love them. Someday I might try another version but the Dirty is so perfect why switch? I am now sipping one with jalapeno stuffed olives and it's wonderful! Thanx again for a great recipe.

 

[Bucky Badger 4 Life]

Covers the basics nicely.

 

[Crawdaddy]

I made the 'Martini' and it was good. First one I'd ever had so no basis of comparison but good.