The Dry Martini
Alexis TaoufiqThere are many stories about the Dry Martini, but it is important to clarify that this cocktail has no connection with the famous Martini & Rossi vermouth created in 1863.
The first written record of this famous cocktail can be found in the book American Bar, published in 1904 by Frank Newman who officiated at the Grand Hotel located on the Place de l'Opéra in Paris. The Dry Martini is said to be a derivative of the "Martinez", a cocktail first published in 1884 in The modern bartenders guide by OH Byron. Legend has it that this cocktail was created by Jerry Thomas, the first bartender to write a cocktail book in 1862, for a gold prospector from the mining town of Martinez in California who wanted a special cocktail.
Made using a shaker or with a spoon in a mixing glass, using gin or vodka, with or without olives, etc. there are dozens of possibilities for making a Dry Martini and the best one will be the one you enjoy tasting the most.
You can make a Dry Martini with vodka or gin. If you choose vodka, I advise you to do it in a shaker (James Bond style) this way you will have a much fresher cocktail but with a little more dilution. If you opt for gin, I advise you to make your cocktail in a mixing glass (with a spoon). This method will allow you to obtain a lower dilution and to lower the temperature less in order to obtain a cocktail that lets all the aromas of the gin appear.
Regarding the quantity of dry vermouth, it's up to you to judge, 1/2 oz, a spoon, a spray or just the bottle placed next to your cocktail as Churchill did. Finally, add a lemon zest, or any other citrus fruit of your choice, to accentuate the freshness of the cocktail. You can also opt for a skewer of olives which will bring another dimension.
INGREDIENTS
Prepare in a shaker or mixing glass, serve in a martini glass
- 2 oz (60 ml) Gin or vodka
- 0.25 oz (10 ml) dry vermouth (to taste)
METHOD OF PREPARATION
- Add ice to your martini glass to chill it
- In a shaker or mixing glass, add the ingredients
- Fill with ice
- Shake or stir (depending on the alcohol chosen)
- Removing the ice from your martini glass
- Double strain and pour the contents of your shaker or mixing glass into your glass
- Add the decoration of your choice: a lemon zest or a skewer of olives
PRO TIP
The secret to a good Dry Martini is the temperature, to make it a success for sure, put your cocktail glass in the freezer, your gin or vodka in the freezer and try to have nice ice cubes, to shake or stir.