What makes a martini a martini? – Blogging Sole

Nowadays, what makes a martini a martini? “It’s funny: it’s strict and loose at the same time,” said Robert Simonson, who wrote a book about the martini.

Everyone seems to have an opinion about a cocktail: “Ingredients, proportions, garnishes — they’re all up for debate,” Simonson said. “I’m a purist. I think it should be gin and vermouth. But I’m willing to bend over and say, ‘Okay, vodka and vermouth, too.'” (However,) If there’s no vermouth in there, I don’t know how you can call it a cocktail.

Simonson says the martini may have been named after the liquor company. It was invented in America in the 1870s or 1880s when bartenders mixed gin with vermouth, a fortified wine made with herbs and spices. “It’s a very big player in cocktail history,” he said.

In the early 1900s, the “extra dry” martini became very popular: cold gin or vodka, garnished with lemon, olives, or onions, but only a little (or maybe not even a little) vermouth. ).

The reason many people don’t want to add vermouth to their martinis is because the vermouth has been stored improperly for years, says Samantha Kasuga, head bartender at Temple Bar in New York City. “It should be in the refrigerator,” she said.

The classic Casoga Martini is made of two parts gin and one part vermouth with a twist of lemon. She suggests that maybe you shouldn’t ask for it the James Bond way – shake it, not stir it. It’s always exciting, Kasuga says, but some people love the show that happens behind the bar when the bartender shakes their cocktail. “Sure, people love a good shake,” she said.

People also like to prepare their martini the way they want it. But Kasuga understands why they are so specific: “Having your own preferences, and not just listening to them and then implementing them, is a luxury in itself.”

Writer Robert Simonson says a martini can add a little luxury to your Thanksgiving feast. “It actually makes a lot of sense for Thanksgiving,” he said. “It will whet your appetite for your next meal.

“There are very few American inventions more American than the martini. So, an American holiday, an American drink.”

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The story was produced by Marie Ravalli. Editor: Remington Koerber.

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