The Martini
2022 Year of Aesthetics Series №10
For Claude
Make mine dry, drier than a desert. ~ Hawkeye Pierce
Aesthetics are considered to be a permeant thing, but I see beauty in things that make you think of friends and remind you of times in the past. Also the pleasure of connoisseurship is cultivating a form of repeatable and recreated art. The culinary and the gastormical have a fleeting but timely artistic nature that can be cultivated. They trigger our memory of perfect moments. These moments can be fostered and cultivated. There is a Zen of the beautiful repeated quickly executed piece of art that has been cultivated by practice and patience, the culinary belongs in this category.
When it comes to Gin and the Martini, I am reminded of a dear friend who is one of the very last three martini lunch salesmen, Claude and his lovely wife Sue. He was always a pleasure to drink with and I would like to start with one that I think he would enjoy. I was taught the vermouth rinse my friends Jay and Ann since Jay’s idea of cold rinse of dry vermouth is a very repeatable and delicious way to make a dry martini. Also my friend Jaime comes to mind and our discussions on rarity of classic martini lovers in the dark age of 90s when every thing in a conical glass was called a martini. Few drinks draw out so many memories to me.
The Dry
1/4 of Dolin Dry in the shaker Strain into glass rinse glass and dispose of the excess as a libation to the heavens.
add 4 oz. Bombay White Label and a lemon zest to shaker
Shake and strain
Garnish with olive or onions…
This is the classic dry, it has ice cold gin just a wisp of vermouth and has meaty olives or briny onions as a prefect compliant.
Standard Dry
2 1/4 Plymouth Gin 82 proof version or Bombay White label (or any gin you like)
1/4 oz Dolin dry vermouth
Lemon peel in the shaker
I shake mine!
I prefer Bombay white label or Plymouth Gin both very good and affordable. I like Dolin dry for Martini’s slightly herbal nice balance of white wine and bitter edge to the cocktail. I like a bit of lemon zest in all my martinis so I always add a zest to the shaker.
Variation:
Gibson with cocktail onions with Cornichons on the side. Surprisingly the garnish adds a ton to this drink. I use onions that come with my cornichons. This is very crisp and dry but nice addition of the sour. Cornichons on the side just make it a better drink.
If you like citrus and a bit of bitters this is excellent. I use one or two dashes and classics call for Orange bitters (traditional). I like Angos
Classic Citrus (roaring 20’s variation)
2 1/4 Plymouth Gin 82 proof version or Bombay White label (or any gin you like)
1/2 oz Dolin blanc vermouth
Lemon peel in the shaker
dash of Angostura
I shake mine!
Garnish with lemon
Slightly sweet from Dolin Blanc, but strong Gin presence and lovely lemon throughout and a nice bitters finish.
An Uncertain Détente
Lemon swath in the shaker
dash of Angastora bitter
1/2 bar spoon Dolin dry vermouth
3 1/2 oz gin Bombay white label preferred
two very good cocktails onions & three meaty olive (stuffed with what is good to hand)
shaken not stirred double strain over onions and olives the thing that is not uncertain is that this is subtle with citrus , slight brine , vermouth just haunts it and gin-tastic. This is my current favorite. It has all I want.
Vermouth
I am a fan of the Dolin line and I rarely stock anything else. I have tried a wide range but this is my favorite and the bottles are lovely on a bar. I recommend if you do not use a lot of vermouth smaller bottles and storing in the fridge because you want them to keep longer and ice cold is just better for a martini.
Gin
My house Gins are Bombay White Label and Plymouth. Bombay is more juniper forward and dryer, Plymouth more rounded and sweeter.
Glasses
I think you should always have a pretty glass, I find tons of glasses at good will and I have received lots of glass wear from friends. Stem wear keeps your grubby warm hands away from warming your ice cold martini.
Shaken or Stirred
I shake most of my martinis because I don’t mine the entrapped air or the cloudyness that occurs. Also this air comes out so your martini evolves and changes appearance. I also find they have perfect dilution if shaken, plus 007 would approve.
If you want crystal clear no bitters and stir… To counter act bond I do love Henry Hill with his pitcher of stirred martini in GoodFellas
NOTE NO PAID ENDORSEMENTS JUST SPIRITS I LOVE!