L’chaim!
My understanding is that originally it was just water garnished with a cocktail onion. Artist Charles Dana Gibson (of Gibson Girl fame) wanted to be seen to be drinking, but did not actually want to drink. He had the bartender pour him what looked like a martini, but to distinguish his drink from the others, had him garnish it with an onion instead of an olive.
Feel comforted in that Wondrich’s “Imbibe” mentions maraschino as a perfectly cromulent addition to a Manhattan, according to his 19th century sources, and I’ll attest, having done it, that it’s a good addition… A dash of absinthe is also mentioned, but I didn’t like that as much.
For the most part, according to all the vintage cocktail books I have, the ancients often added a little bit of maraschino, curacao and/or absinthe to just about any cocktail if they felt like it. Or they switched it up with various sorts of bitters as well.
Enjoying the thread…
In the Algher household, you can find in the freezer a bottle of gin. In it you will spot a couple of olives, and a discerning look might spot the vermouth coloration. I come home, give it a couple of shakes, and pour into the martini glass that is sitting in the freezer. My own pre-made martinis.
Might not be proper, but it really makes it a nice way to end a long day.
Personally, I loathe gin so a good martini is perfectly wasted on me. I’ve been told I make good ones and they smell very nice to me. But gin? Ugh.
One time you should absolutely above all shake rather than stir your cocktail is if it’s got sour mix in it that’s been made from powder. This has a trace of egg white in it and creates a little froth. And if you’re allergic to eggs, I’d stay away from sours and margaritas that are made with mix.
That’s brilliant! I keep my gin in the freezer, but just in its natural state. I generally just pour it into a rocks glass and sip it. But your “premix” martini idea might need to be stolen.
At what point do you take your shirt off?
(This of course displaced the Yeltsin - remove vodka from freezer; slam down until YOU slam down on the floor)
Very interesting thread. I often wondered about the extra dry martini. So, a shot of gin with an olive.
My 86 year old mom will very occasionally have a martini. She’s home bound now with… difficulties with balance and such, so it would be a special occasion only if I am there.
Anywho, I have dry vermouth at my home for her.
I was making teriyaki marinade for a quick stir fry two nights ago. Just winging it. I was out of rice wine. The vermouth made a good substitute.
Ha, your post cracked me up. You got some shit for it… just made it even funnier. You did well, building the tension, and then hit us with this:
Nicely played. Of course, I have had a few gin and tonics this evening. Judgement’s the first thing to go.
Or even if you’re not allergic to eggs. Pretty much all of us should stay away from any cocktail made from a mix.
I like martinis. I don’t care what brand of gin is used, so long as it’s a lot and 80 proof. And, if the bar has no vermouth, the bartender can splash in a little turpentine for all I care.
Shaken or stirred? Hell, a freezing dog can pee gin into my martini glass as far as I’m concerned.
I do, however, care about olives. There must be a minimum of 3 large olives in my giant martini glass: one stuffed with an almond, one stuffed with blue cheese and one with a pit. I eat the olive with the pit last so I can suck on it for a minute or two, then spit the pit at the bartender’s head, letting him know I need another martini.
I also demand a tiny plastic cocktail sword on the side, so I can stab anyone in the eye who makes fun of my drink.
Full disclosure: I’m not *currently *drinking martinis. My primary care physician said I needed a healthier diet, including more vegetables. So, I switched to Bloody Marys, 'cause tomatoes (hence tomato juice, horseradish, Tabasco, Worcestershire) are vegetables…or at least fruits (depending on what taxonomic nomenclature you accept).
…come to think of it, olives are vegetables, too! So screw her (yes, my PCP is a woman…and hot). I’m switching back to martinis…and maybe I’ll ask my PCP out on a date, for drinks.
/Thread jack
Why don’t bars keep the spirits in a freezer, is it so the showmanship of shaking isn’t lost?
/Thread jack
Bloody Marys on planes, beers on trains, wine in restaurants, whisky in airport bars, gin as an aperitif, soda on boats (don’t want to fall off), cold cider on hot days, warm ale on a summer evening in a pub garden, tequila for kicks, vodka when in the company of eastern Europeans, and rum when there’s absolutely nothing else available.