Martini 101
The drink of spies, scarlet women and movie stars - a cocktail with class up the wazoo. Time Out gets you out of wet clothes and into a dry Martini
All of those potions you see
at cocktail bars the breadth of
the city labelled as the “something
something martini” and laden with
glace fruits, fresh fruit, cordials, liqueurs
or coffee, aren’t actually Martinis.
No doubt many of them are delicious but
the only thing these exciting, frisky little
numbers have in common with a true Martini
is the glass they’re served in (any good bar will
let you know that a particular cocktail is served
in a Martini glass by not calling it a Martini as
such, but rather saying that it is served ‘up’).
The Martini is an iconic, intense, swift kicking
classic not for the faint of heart or weak of
constitution. It has been sipped by heads of state,
captains of industry, corporate suits and folks in
thongs and denim cut-offs.
So why is the Martini the envy of all cocktails?
Because nothing could be simpler – yet difficult – to
mix well. It’s had its great name trampled through
more dirt than Britney Spears on family court day
and deserves respect.
Know
it all!
1 The word ‘dry’ in a dry
Martini originally referred
to whether one wanted sweet or dry
vermouth. These days “dry” refers to
how much or little vermouth one wants.
Vermouth adds wonderful character.
2 The most popular Martinis these days
are the ‘In and Out’ and the ‘Montgomery’.
The ‘In and out’ was former president
Richard Nixon’s preference, with
a seven parts gin to one part dry vermouth ratio,
where the vermouth is swirled about and tossed
before the gin is added; the Montgomery is an
extremely dry 15 parts gin to one part vermouth
Martini Hemingway preferred, named after World
War Two hero field marshall Montgomery, who
liked 15 to 1 odds when going into battle.
3 The shaken Martini aka the ‘Bradford’,
was, in fact, the brainchild of the 007 movie
director Albert R. Broccoli, as the writer of the
Bond novels Ian Fleming had Bond specify stirred
Martinis in all but the case of the Vesper in Casino
Royale. And we all thought we knew James’ drinking
habits so well.
4 The true variants for the Martini are subtle.
The garnish – whether it be olives stuffed
with different things, onions, twists of citrus and
the like, all have their own little names. Enjoy the
adventure, definitely take a cab and stop at two for
the sake of health and head.
Where to get a pearler of a Martini
Bayswater Brasserie 32 Bayswater Rd, Kings Cross 2011. (02 9357 2177)
Ivy Lounge George St, 2000. (02 9240 3000)
Lotus 22 Challis Ave, Potts Point 2011. (02 9326 9000)
The Victoria Room 235 Victoria St Darlinghurst, 2010. (02 9357 4488)
China Doll 6 Cowper Wharf Road Woolloomooloo, 2011. (02 9380 6744)
Martini of the moment
Plymouth Gibson – 4 parts Plymouth to one
part Noilly Prat. Stirred over lots
of ice for 30 seconds until
the glass frosts a
little, strained into
a cocktail glass and
garnished with
two Beerenburg pickled
onions on a skewer.