Zen and the art of the perfect Martini

There are few cocktails in the world that invoke the image of style and refinement as the traditional Gin Martini. This is with out a doubt mainly due to the legendary figures of the 20th century that enjoyed this drink such as Winston Churchill, Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Franklin Roosevelt and Richard Nixon.

Making the perfect Martini
Ask five different Martini connoisseurs on how you should make the perfect Martini and you are likely to get five differing opinions on the exact ingredient ratios and the technique making it that should be used.

Fictional secret service agent James Bond always requested his Martini to be “shaken, not stirred”. Believe it or not though many people believe the shaking of Gin is a faux pas as the shaking action bruises the gin. One purpose behind shaking is to make a colder drink though as the spirits spend more time in contact with the ice.

One golden rule you should always use when it comes to making a great Martini is paying attention to the quality of the ingredients used. There is only three ingredients involved in this cocktail so there is no point trying to make a good Martini with below average Gin, every one of the three ingredients needs to be of the highest quality you can possibly find.

Storing your Ingredients
Ideally both your Gin (the ethanol content is high enough to stop it freezing) and your Shaker should live in the freezer on a permanent basis to keep them super chilled and ready for action. The bottle of Vermouth should be kept constantly chilled in the fridge along with your garnish.

Ingredients

• 100mL of good quality Gin (Tanqueray, Bombay Sapphire or better)
• 25mL of Dry Vermouth (Cinzano or Noilly Prat if your can find it)
• 1 Olive or some Lemon zest for garnish
• Plenty of ice

The Method

• Take your cocktail shaker and fill with a healthy handful of ice and then add your vermouth.
• Give the vermouth a swirl in the shaker then strain the excess liquid into the sink.
• Add your Gin and stir gently for around a minut (you want to superchill the Gin but not bruise it).
• Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
• Garnish with either your olive or lemon zest.

Some like it dirty
A variation on the standard Gin Martini formula is called a “Dirty Martini”, in which a small amount of brine from the olive jar is added to the drink. This gives the cocktail a slightly cloudy appearance and aficionados of the dirty Martini believe the added saltiness and olive flavour from the brine adds the perfect amount of contrast to the freshness of the Gin.

Out and about
If you are in the city and have a craving for a great Martini I highly recommend Ventuno at Walsh bay. Every time I have been there the bar tender has made me the perfect Martini without fail.

Tags: Cocktails, gin, martini, vermouth