The Martini

fox81 · Oct 26, 2009

Half vermouth and half gin please.

And i prefer a standard white vermouth rather than extra dry.

TexasLidig8r · Oct 26, 2009

I enjoy the taste of vodka.. but do not enjoy vermouth.

At this time of year though.. coat the inside of the glass with a dash of vermouth and pour out... add very cold vodka...

Two olives... occasionally stuffed with blue cheese.

borderline · Oct 26, 2009

A blue-cheese olive sounds like it has potential....but really, cheese in a martini? I want to try the garlic stuffed olives next.

scarphe · Oct 27, 2009

Originally Posted by life_interrupts

The whole "Martini without vermouth" thing seems to be a ruse older drinkers employed to avoid looking like a drunk -- who else drinks straight gin or vodka, right (raises hand)? Vary the proportions of gin/vodka to vermouth to taste, but no vermouth makes it a really big (and more expensive) shot.

you do not drink vodka straight?

life_interrupts · Oct 27, 2009

^ What I'm saying is that drinking straight vodka (chilled) was a "Russian" thing until maybe 25 years ago. Somehow a Martini seems more cultured than a chilled shot of alcohol, yet a vodka or gin Martini extra dry (no vermouth in contemporary context) is just that.

And personally, I'm not much of a vodka drinker.

Piobaire · Oct 27, 2009

Originally Posted by borderline

A blue-cheese olive sounds like it has potential....but really, cheese in a martini? I want to try the garlic stuffed olives next.

A local place hand stuffs bacon olives for their martinis. With Vya vermouth and Hendricks gins, it makes a fabulous drink.

Roikins · Oct 27, 2009

Originally Posted by borderline

A blue-cheese olive sounds like it has potential....but really, cheese in a martini? I want to try the garlic stuffed olives next.

A friend's girlfriend used to do this when she made us martinis. It's not a bad pairing depending on the gin or vodka that you're using; it's also a good reason to have a girlfriend.

Mark from Plano · Oct 27, 2009

Originally Posted by Piobaire

A local place hand stuffs bacon olives for their martinis. With Vya vermouth and Hendricks gins, it makes a fabulous drink.

The Mansion on Turtle Creek was famous for it's Southwestern Martinis that had Jalepeno stuffed olives. Quite tasty as a change of pace.

My martini of choice right now is Hendricks and dry vermouth garnished with a cucumber.

Recent conversation:
Waitress: "What would you like?"
Me: "I'll have a Hendricks martini, up with a slice of cucumber."
Waitress: "Sorry, but we don't have cucumber."
Me: "But...I'm sorry, I thought this was a restaurant. Was I mistaken?"
Waitress: "We just don't have cucumbers at the bar."
Me: "Fine, I'll have it with a twist then."
Her: "Would you like that dirty?"
Me: "Forget it. I'll have a beer."

Piobaire · Oct 27, 2009

Originally Posted by Mark from Plano

The Mansion on Turtle Creek was famous for it's Southwestern Martinis that had Jalepeno stuffed olives. Quite tasty as a change of pace.

My martini of choice right now is Hendricks and dry vermouth garnished with a cucumber.

Recent conversation:
Waitress: "What would you like?"
Me: "I'll have a Hendricks martini, up with a slice of cucumber."
Waitress: "Sorry, but we don't have cucumber."
Me: "But...I'm sorry, I thought this was a restaurant. Was I mistaken?"
Waitress: "We just don't have cucumbers at the bar."
Me: "Fine, I'll have it with a twist then."
Her: "Would you like that dirty?"
Me: "Forget it. I'll have a beer."

I've had many conversations, with similarly moronic servers, over the years. Just Friday evening, I had to assure a bimbette waitron that I would not send back my manhattan if she asked the bartender to give it a couple of shakes of bitters.

Mark from Plano · Oct 27, 2009

Originally Posted by Piobaire

I've had many conversations, with similarly moronic servers, over the years. Just Friday evening, I had to assure a bimbette waitron that I would not send back my manhattan if she asked the bartender to give it a couple of shakes of bitters.

It really makes it nice though when you find bar staff that really knows what they're doing. I've come to refer to "would you like that dirty?" as simply "The Question." It's a true litmus test. If I get "The Question" I'm in the presence of a clueless bar staff. If you get much beyond whether you want Grey Goose or Belvedere with your olive brine, they usually get pretty lost.

Piobaire · Oct 27, 2009

Originally Posted by Mark from Plano

It really makes it nice though when you find bar staff that really knows what they're doing. I've come to refer to "would you like that dirty?" as simply "The Question." It's a true litmus test. If I get "The Question" I'm in the presence of a clueless bar staff. If you get much beyond whether you want Grey Goose or Belvedere with your olive brine, they usually get pretty lost.

LOL, you're right on this. It seems like the latest "thing" is vodka with the dregs of the olive jar.

borderline · Oct 27, 2009

They always ask "Do you want it dry, or dirty?" which is a false dichotomy. They are so completely different issues.

Besides, if you don't want it dry, what do you ask for? Wet? Damp? Shall I specify the volume of vermouth? The ratio?

When I get those super-huge martinis, you know, the ones that fill a 12 oz glass, I have to think that water is involved somehow. There's no way I'm getting 3 shots of gin and one shot of vermouth in there.

Piobaire · Oct 27, 2009

Originally Posted by borderline

They always ask "Do you want it dry, or dirty?" which is a false dichotomy. They are so completely different issues.

Besides, if you don't want it dry, what do you ask for? Wet? Damp? Shall I specify the volume of vermouth? The ratio?

When I get those super-huge martinis, you know, the ones that fill a 12 oz glass, I have to think that water is involved somehow. There's no way I'm getting 3 shots of gin and one shot of vermouth in there.

Unless I know the bartender, I specify the ratio for my manhattan, martini, or martinez.

edinatlanta · Oct 27, 2009

Originally Posted by Mark from Plano

It really makes it nice though when you find bar staff that really knows what they're doing. I've come to refer to "would you like that dirty?" as simply "The Question." It's a true litmus test. If I get "The Question" I'm in the presence of a clueless bar staff. If you get much beyond whether you want Grey Goose or Belvedere with your olive brine, they usually get pretty lost.

My favorite line is when I go to dinner with my dad and he asks what beer do you have
"We have everything" [typically followed with: "Bud, Bud Light, Coors, you name it"]
I always say "I'd like a Westvleteren 12".
"OK, let me go check to see if we have that....Yeah the bartender said we're sold out of that.

hi-val · Oct 27, 2009

In Farewell to Arms, Hemingway wrote of the martini that "I had never tasted anything so cool and clean. They made me feel civilized."

A martini, for me, is defined by gin and enough vermouth to actually taste it. I like about a 4:1 ratio. I like a little lemon peel over an olive, since it makes the drink sleeker.

I have also resorted to just making my own. Like a Manhattan, a good martini is about as rare as a unicorn steak in a bar.

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