Martini Time

[Rock]

In 1971 when I was 21 yrs, my girlfriend and I ordered our first Dry Martinis at a local Restaurant. We thought they were horrible!
52 years later, I decided that I would give them another try, made by myself.
I bought the necessary equipment and made my first Dry, dirty, Vodka Martini.
I used 'Absolut' Vodka (just because I like it) and Cinzano Vermouth (because I have always used this brand). I loved it. That Christmas, I introduced a new Christmas tradition into our family - the pre-lunch Martini. My Daughter and I are the only 'drinkers' in the family so we enjoyed a Martini together. She thought it was the best Martini she had ever had.
I thought this might be a topic that Members might like to discuss.

[santoshlv426]

I have an interest in this as my fav drink is a straight up Martini Vermouth. I don't car much for the Vodka and if I were to make a classic Martini, I'd probably use Tanqueray Gin.
Martini (Vermouth) is described as the "Most beautiful drink in the world" and it is. I've enjoyed this for the past 25 years and the older I've gotten, the more I appreciate this complex, sublime wine blend.
Tastes change as one ages - like a fine spirit, we all age congruently !
I stick to Martini forgoing the other brands like Cinzano.

[THC]

Shaken, or stirred?

[Speedbird-1]

Originally Posted by THC

Shaken, or stirred?

[Yobber76]

My drink of choice for 40 years was a Bombay Sapphire Gin Martini with a good dash of olive juice (dirty), shaken with ice, poured straight up over colassal sized olives freshly stuffed with either anchovy or blue cheese.
Once in Portland Oregon, I was entertaining a customer and his wife, and the server told me they had no blue cheese olives. She was nice enough to bring me a dish of both and I stuffed them at the table. My customer's wife was fascinated by this, and so I let them sit in my martini(s) all evening and she would take one at a time and eat them. She ate most of the bowl.

Substitute gins were Hendricks or Boodles.

Cheers

[Pw92676]

Straight up extra dirty vodka martini. One of my favorites.

[Krash]

Originally Posted by Pw92676

Straight up extra dirty vodka martini. One of my favorites.

Me too. With the olives stuffed with blue cheese.


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[crew]

Question for you dry (or extra dry) martini drinkers. How much dry vermouth do you use in your drink?
I’m a Manhattan drinker myself but have friends and family that enjoy martinis. When I make them at home when we entertain there is sometimes debate on whether to use a drop, a teaspoon to coat the glass and then discard or none at all.
What say you?

[Yobber76]

Originally Posted by crew

Question for you dry (or extra dry) martini drinkers. How much dry vermouth do you use in your drink?
I’m a Manhattan drinker myself but have friends and family that enjoy martinis. When I make them at home when we entertain there is sometimes debate on whether to use a drop, a teaspoon to coat the glass and then discard or none at all.
What say you?

Dry- spill a little dry vermouth in your shaker or martini glass , swirl it around spill it out make your martini from that point on sans vermouth.
extra dry- take the vermouth bottle, pass it over your shaker or glass spilling none, put the vermouth away, make your martini.

By the way, I am enjoying my traditional dirty martini (see above) while i am bringing a 3# tomahawk ribeye to room temperature.
Hopefully, I remember to cook it before I eat it! ( If you see my wife or my cardiologist mums the word!)

[Cambo]

Bombay Sapphire, lightly shaken with a lemon twist. I am a sucker for these! P

[Dan Pierce]

Many [and I mean many] years ago I started drinking vodka [frozen Stoli] and steered clear of brown liquor after a mishap involving 4 boiler makers on my 18th birthday.

It wasn't until almost 30 years later that a coworker and I were having drinks at a bar in Louisville when I handed him his Blanton's on the rocks. The sweet aroma hit my nose as I was holding it and decided to give it a go. Been drinking bourbon ever since. On the rare occasion I've asked for Stoli on the rocks it tasted like rubbing alcohol.

As luck would have it today is Old Fashion Friday!
dP

[brandrea]

Andrea and I love them, it’s our go to cocktail.

Every Friday we have two Martinis (each ) to end the week and start the weekend off on the right foot





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[BogeyWHV]

I'm typically a whiskey drinker but I can't say no to a Kettle One dry dirty martini with blue cheese stuffed olives, ideally paired with some oysters. There's just something about the oyster + dirty martini combo to me.

I'd also be interested to hear how much vermouth "dry martini" drinkers use. I have yet to try making them at home.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by BogeyWHV

I'm typically a whiskey drinker but I can't say no to a Kettle One dry dirty martini with blue cheese stuffed olives, ideally paired with some oysters. There's just something about the oyster + dirty martini combo to me.

I'd also be interested to hear how much vermouth "dry martini" drinkers use. I have yet to try making them at home.

We just had a similar combo last night at night (grilled octopus) but same Martini.

Andrea puts about a tea spoon of vermouth in the glass, swirls it around to coat the glass, and dumps the excess. We also drink our martinis with stuffed blue cheese olives. It’s a great combo

[ltmgeller]

I was in a similar boat. It took me years to appreciate a good martini. Started with "Tiny Tinis" shots of dirty vodka martinis in my mid 30s and then full on vodka martinis by 40. It wasn't until 47 that I had my first Gin martini and it changed my life. As a kid I had a bad experience and couldn't even taste it for about 3 decades. Now 2-3 Bombay Sapphire martinis and I'm on cloud 9.

[Tri-Tip]

My father was a gin martini drinker. Beefeater's was his choice for many years, then he discovered Boodles Gin, and then graduated to Bombay Sapphire. He would use very little vermouth, and it was always shaken with 2 pimento stuffed olives. I tried to enjoy them with him, but couldn't find any flavor, and it was like drinking gasoline.

On a Princess Cruise, I had a "Chairman of the Board" Martini, and really enjoyed it, much more drinkable to me. It was 3 parts Grey Goose and Bombay Sapphire with 1 part Cointreau, shaken, with a twist. If I want a martini, this is what I would order.

[ecmgbob]

Has anyone tried the Vesper from Casino Royale fame? 3 measures Gordon's Gin, one measure vodka and 1/2 measure Kina Lillet (discontinued in 1986 so now substitute Lillet Blanc). Finish with a twist of lemon. I was a dirty martini/blue cheese olive fan for many years; but this has supplanted the dirty martini when I go to a nice restaurant/bar and am confident the bartender is familiar with it. Shaken until ice forms makes it crisp and heavenly.

For the record, I have worn submariners, Sea Dwellers, Day Dates and GMTs while imbibing "Bond's cocktail of choice" and can tell no difference in the taste :-) Happy Friday all!

[Cambo]

Originally Posted by ecmgbob

Has anyone tried the Vesper from Casino Royale fame? 3 measures Gordon's Gin, one measure vodka and 1/2 measure Kina Lillet (discontinued in 1986 so now substitute Lillet Blanc). Finish with a twist of lemon. I was a dirty martini/blue cheese olive fan for many years; but this has supplanted the dirty martini when I go to a nice restaurant/bar and am confident the bartender is familiar with it. Shaken until ice forms makes it crisp and heavenly.

For the record, I have worn submariners, Sea Dwellers, Day Dates and GMTs while imbibing "Bond's cocktail of choice" and can tell no difference in the taste :-) Happy Friday all!

I have also wondered about the “Vesper”. I’d love to try one.

[wantonebad]

As with most things booze related, I'm in!! Like Dan P. I'm a Stoli guy or Titos in a pinch, if we're talking Gin then I'm a Nolet or Hendrick’s fan but prefer vodka, no fruit, no vermouth, just cold!!!!

[BNA/LION]

What's wrong with this picture?

A Martin must have three olives!

[Brenngun]

Martinis? Love them! Only Gin. Only Tanqueray. As it should be!

[Rock]

Some interesting responses there - and food for thought.
I do 80ml Vodka to 20ml Vermouth and 20ml Olive juice plus lots of crushed ice.
(I live in a hot climate and it needs to be cold to last the 10 minutes it takes me to drink it)
I generally make two at a time so double the above quantities in the shaker. I like it well shaken with two Olives per glass. Any quality Olive will do, stuffed for preference.
I said 'Cinzano' Vermouth above (which I traditionally used as a mixer) but since I started making Martinis I have been using 'Martini Bianco'.
I also enjoy a Gin Martini. My Daughter is a Gin aficionado and we do a lot of boutique Gins.
To me, the quality/quantity of the Vermouth distinguishes a Martini from just a glass of Vodka and so I like a good measure of Vermouth in the mix.

[Cazador60]

Prefer Absolut Martini Up, with 3-4 olives. I like a small bite of olive with every sip. These vodkas work well for me as well: Finlandia, Chopin, Belvedere.

[xwalker4]

My girlfriend's favorite drink is a bone-dry vodka (Belvedere or Grey Goose) martini. I can't stand the olive juice!

[Speedbird-1]

Quite partial to a Martini, very partial to a GMT too.