(As published in my cocktail column Kiss My Glass)You may be surprised to know that the classic Martini dates back to the mid-1800s, and was originally made with equal parts gin and sweet vermouth. In the early 1900s, the Dry Martini substituted dry vermouth instead of sweet, and the Vodka Martini came even later. Today, a 6:1 “gin-to-vermouth” ratio is pretty standard in the U.S. (although I like mine with more vermouth). Those dessert-style “martini menus” harkening back to the 1980s are merely a nod to the glass they are served in rather than what’s in it. Any serious bartender or self-proclaimed Martini lover, should be aware of a few facts:First, what a Martini IS NOT:

No vermouth? It’s NOT a Martini.
Florescent colored, sweet drink? It’s NOT a Martini.

Stirred, Not Shaken: Ian Fleming confused people when his character, James Bond, ordered Martinis “shaken, not stirred.” But, Bond stipulated that request because Martinis normally are stirred. Stirring chills the drink more than shaking, and avoids it becoming cloudy and watered-down. (This rule applies to all drinks that are only booze. Shake if it contains juice, egg or dairy.)Stirring Technique: Measure liquid ingredients into a mixing glass, then fill with ice. Slide the bar spoon along the inside of the glass and stir briskly for about a minute. Strain. It will be crystal clear and not have “shards” of ice floating in it.Vermouth: Vermouth is aromatized wine. An opened bottle stays fresh a bit longer than plain wine because it is fortified with some distillate but it must be refrigerated. People who don’t like vermouth have probably been storing a bottle for months (or years) on a shelf, somewhere, and tasting rancid wine. Refrigerated, it will last a few weeks.Like it Dirty? If you had any idea how disgusting the juice from the industrial-sized olive jars becomes sitting in the garnish tray for a few days, you’d stop ordering these. There is a solution, however. A cool little company called Dirty Sue makes bottled olive brine, and it’s available in New Mexico. And, yes, Dirty Martinis still get vermouth.Garnish and other ingredients: Rule of thumb… gin Martinis get lemon twists, vodka get olives. Traditionally, the red pimento is removed. The olive is not stuffed with cheese, garlic or anything else. The garnish is an enhancement in a drink’s aroma, presentation and flavor, not a bar-side buffet.Martini Variations:

Hoffman House: Add orange bitters to a Dry Martini
Perfect Martini: Like a Perfect Manhattan, this gets equal parts sweet and dry vermouth
Gibson: Garnish a Dry Martini with a cocktail onion
Third Degree: Add a few drops of absinthe to a Gibson
Vesper: 2 parts vodka, 1 part gin, and ½ part Lillet blanc instead of vermouth