Martini

A popular way to make martinis back in the day was to add as little vermouth as possible, and people would make grand gestures, like putting some vermouth in the glass and shaking it out, accompanied by a lot of drama. Others would say something like “Just put the bottle of vermouth near the gin. That’s enough!” Well, it’s not. That’s not a martini. Vermouth should certainly be present, but slyly.

Some people shake martinis, which yields a cocktail with teensy bits of ice floating on top, that’s extra-cold. I like them that way, too, although some purists insist that gin should never be shaken as it “bruises” it.

Be sure to have your glasses well-chilled. Either put them in the freezer about an hour before you mix the drinking, or fill them with ice and add enough water to fill the glass. Pour out the ice water and vigorously shake out the excess water before pouring in the martini mixture.