The Classic Gin Martini

From Father of the Bride to James Bond it’s been the cool-factor cocktail. While the Martini became came about in the United States during the Prohibition era of the 1920s and 1930s, where the drink was often made with bathtub gin and bootlegged vermouth. It wasn’t until the decades that followed, where the Martini went through many variations and became popular culture, including the famous “shaken, not stirred” James Bond demanded or when Spencer Tracy was serving pitchers of martinis in 1950’s Father of the Bride film. Today, the Martini remains one of the most iconic and beloved cocktails of all time.

History

The name “Martini” itself is believed to come from the Martini & Rossi brand of vermouth, which was produced in Torino, Italy and became popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s. So it’s possible that the drink was originally made with Martini & Rossi vermouth and was later adapted to include gin.

Here’s a classic gin martini recipe from the 1930s:

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 oz gin
• 1/2 oz dry vermouth
• 1 dash orange bitters
• Olives and or pearl onions, for garnish

Instructions:

1. Fill a mixing glass with ice.
2. Add the gin, dry vermouth, and orange bitters to the glass.
3. Stir well until the drink is chilled and properly diluted.
4. Strain the mixture into a chilled cocktail glass.
5. Garnish with large olives and or pearl onions.

Note: Some variations of this recipe call for shaking the ingredients instead of stirring them. However, shaking the drink will make it cloudier, whereas stirring it will give it a clearer appearance.

We at the Tipple love a good Martini and we do recommend you try one with a steak or fish. That’s one and not the “three martini lunch” of yesteryear.