A Personal Approach to the Martini

The resurgent popularity of the martini is hard to ignore.  Numerous books and articles about this famous cocktail are now available, and I recently had an excellent meal, preceded by one of more than a dozen available martini drinks, at the Blue Martini restaurant in Newburgh, New York.  Stories about the martini's origins and debates over the proper method of preparing the drink enliven parties and gatherings, and add to its allure and mystique.

The martini's revival has been accompanied by a profusion of recipes for variations on the classic versions of the drink.  The correct proportion of vermouth to gin (one to six? one to twelve?) and the proper garnish (olive? lemon peel twist?) still perplex martini fans, but regardless of the choice the drink is clearly still a martini.

A few variations are also considered acceptable to traditionalists.  The Gibson (in which a pickled onion is used for a garnish) can be found in most recipe books.  But more confusing is whether such concoctions as the Vodkatini (vodka in place of gin), the Appletini (vodka, apple schnapps, and lemon juice), and the Cosmopolitan (vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, and lemon juice) can be considered martinis, as they are in many books, bars, and restaurants.

My approach to this problem, one that allows me to remain reasonably faithful to tradition but also provides room for experimentation, is to divide the martini into two types, depending on the spirit used for its base.  The first type, which I call the classic martini, has gin as its base.  A small amount of dry vermouth is added to three ounces of gin, and both are well chilled with ice and then poured into a cold martini glass.  This is the classic or traditional martini.

At this point I feel free to experiment with a variety of garnishes.  I have already noted the Gibson, which uses a pickled onion.  Olives with different stuffings (pimentos, almonds, or anchovies, for instance), pickled tomatoes, small chili peppers, or other such condiments can be added.  Martini purists may recoil at some of these ideas, and the results may sometimes be less than appealing, but very often the drink has a new and interesting taste, and it is always fun to try something different.  A visit to a good food store or website can yield intriguing possibilities.

The second type, which I call the modern martini, has vodka as its base.  Since vodka is a neutral spirit, a small amount of flavored liqueur can be added to create a distinctive taste.  Pour three ounces of vodka into a small pitcher of ice, add a teaspoon or two of any flavored liqueur (orange, apple, cinnamon, watermelon, blackberry - the list is practically endless), mix well and pour into a martini glass.  If a flavored vodka is used, the amount of added liqueur should be slightly reduced.  Sometimes a teaspoon each of two liqueurs can be added to the vodka to create a new taste.

The garnish should match the dominant flavor of the drink - a slice of apple or orange, a berry or two, a cinnamon stick, and so forth.  As with any type of martini, the drink must be mixed with ice until very cold and the glass should be chilled before pouring in the drink.

I mentioned earlier that there are now many martini books available.  Two of my favorites are The Martini Companion, by Gary Regan and Mardee Haidin Regan (Running Press, 1977), and The Martini, by Barnaby Conrad III (Chronicle Books, 1995).  The latter is a fascinating illustrated history of the martini, while the former reviews the development of the martini, discusses the spirits and other ingredients that are used, and offers a number of interesting martini recipes.