Dear and esteemed, you are very welcome to Paulina Cocina. Today we get bold, elegant and prepare to meet and taste a cocktail that transports us to the most famous action movies in the world: the martini. Popularized by Bond, James Bond and his famous phrase “stirred, not stirred”, the dry Martini is undeniably one of the most popular cocktails in the world. Are you coming for drinks with me?
that’s what we call it Martini Dry, Seco or simply Martini, In any bar in the world that boasts of such, they will know how to prepare this delicious and sophisticated drink but at the same time simple due to its ingredients.
It should be noted that the United States and its marketing machine have a great responsibility in this, since they included it in a large number of series and commercials.
What is the history of the Martini Dry?
As always, the theories and stories around food and drink recipes are as abundant as they are imprecise. In this case, it is believed that this cocktail originated in the 18th century and many chronicles agree in placing it in the United States, more precisely California.
But what is really interesting is that It reached its popularity during Prohibition in the United States during the 20’s.. Clandestine gin abounded and establishments found a good opportunity to sell it in the Martini.
When Prohibition was repealed, President Roosevelt made his mandate official by preparing a Martini Dry at the White House. Then in the 40’s when vodka came to the country to stay, many bartenders changed their gin recipes for this trendy drink.
A classic cocktail with unique touches
We have already talked about Bloody Mary, Negroni and Tom Collins among other cocktail jewels and the classic we are talking about is not far behind in popularity.
- The cup: He Martini Dry It is one of those drinks that we can identify just by looking at the glass in which it is served. This is because it was so associated with the cocktail that it took its name, currently known as “Martini Cup”.
- The olive: Another unmistakable feature is the classic olive inside. It is not only an interesting visual touch but also a flavor one. When submerged in the cocktail, the olive takes on a very distinctive and refreshing taste that provides an unforgettable contrast. It is very rare for a lover of this cocktail to ask for it without its corresponding olive.
Shaken, not stirred: what does that mean?
In original language, the classic “shaken, not stirred “ Said by James Bond has given rise to much speculation as to why and whether this has an impact on the taste of this cocktail.
It is believed that Ian Fleming, writer of this very famous saga of the secret agent, was a lover of Vodka Martini and always asked for it in this way since he considered that shaking it was colder and more bitter than simply stirring it.
Whether this is true or not, the truth is that that phrase and that way of preparation were strongly linked to the Vodka Martini. In any case, if we compare it with wine, it would basically be like letting the drink breathe so that it loses a bit of its guard alcohol.
As the name implies, the difference between these is the level of dryness. This will be determined by the amount of vermouth that is put into the preparation, since the greater the amount of this ingredient, the less dryness the cocktail has. That is the Martini Extra Dry or Extra Dry It has only gin or vodka with no other liquor added. We will have to be encouraged to try both options and then give our verdict.
And if it’s about trying, I tell you that the Dirty Martini. This curious nickname was given to it because of the color it acquires after being prepared with part of the juice in which the olives are preserved and used as a final touch.
- Serve very cold.
- Use the fresh lemon peel, just cut.
- Pair with salty appetizers, entrees or tapas. Especially with gastronomy that contains fish or ingredients with strong flavors.
- Try various combinations by adding liqueurs, juices or syrups.
Martini cocktail recipe
- Yield: 1 copa
- Preparation time: 5 minutes approximately
Ingredients
- Ginebra o Vodka 75 ml
- Vermouth or dry vermouth 15 ml
- Crushed ice amount needed.
- Fresh lemon peel.
- 2 green olives without stone or filling, punctured on a toothpick.
How to prepare a martini step by step
- Use a cocktail shaker or long glass or metal container. Put in the freezer for about 25 to 30 minutes before making the cocktail. Do the same with the cup or glass in which it will be served for about 15 minutes.
- Put the gin and the very cold dry vermouth in the shaker. Add the ice.
- Stir with a spoon or shake the cocktail shaker. This step is optional.
- Pour into the glass retaining the ice so that the cocktail is not watered down.
- Remove the skin of a fresh lemon avoiding the white part. Squeeze it to release a little of its juice and leave it inside the glass as a decoration.
- Dip the olives pierced by the toothpick into the cocktail.
Source: www.paulinacocina.net
