MARTINI

Rosso

Created in 1863, it gives its red color to the addition of caramel. It is enjoyed throughout the 19th century in cocktails or dessert with ice cream.

Extra Dry

It is in 1900 that the second Martini is born. Stronger in alcohol, less sweetened (because less caramel) it is all the more used than the Rossa in cocktails.

Bianco

The flagship product of the brand arrives in 1910, it is much used for dessert, it is less bitter than the previous ones.

Rosato

Landed in 1980. It is the only one made up of a rosé wine base. It is also less bitter than the Rosso.

D'Oro

It is the least known (created in 1998) because it is only present in some countries such as Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. It is fruity and has vanilla aromas.

For the Classic Martini Cocktail elaborated in this recipe, only Extra Dry Vermouth is used. However, for knowledge reasons it’s important to know that different varities exist and from where it comes.

Vermouth is a flavored wine or A.B.V. (wine-based aperitif) and fortified by adding mistelle, brandy or liqueur. It has a titre between 160 and 180.

The denomination "vermouth" would be due to Antonio Benedetto Carpano in Turin (Italy) in 1786, according to a German aperitif recipe based on wine and Wermut (absinthe in German), "sweet wine flavoured with bitter and tonic plants" (attested since 1783). Piedmont in the region of Turin is therefore the historical production area.

Vermouth became popular at the beginning of the 19th century and very popular until the years 1940 - 1950.

Gin

Start with a basic gin martini. Pour 3-1/2 ounces of gin and 1/2 ounce of vermouth into a shaker with ice. Stir the contents until chilled. Then, strain it into a martini glass. Finally, top it off by dropping a toothpick with olives into the mix. You can use either sweet vermouth or dry vermouth. The less vermouth you add, the drier it will be.

Vodka

To make a vodka martini, you can actually follow the same recipe. Simply replace gin with vodka. But, there are many other popular martini recipes that use vodka, too. Most French martinis, apple martinis, and chocolate martinis all call for vodka, for example. To make any of these variations, replace the vermouth with the ingredients of your choice.

Shaken or stirred ?

A martini,” says, US bartender, Joaquin Simo, “plays beautifully with raw oysters, bloody steaks, and decisions both good and questionable. What other cocktail can offer such versatility and imbue its imbiber with an unparalleled appearance in sophistication?”

Guaranteed sophistication aside, no other cocktail has evoked more debate around its history, methodology or ingredients than the martini. From its purist form, to the modern classics; dry, dirty, shaken or stirred; olives or with a twist - there is no debate of the martini’s undisputed place in pop culture and history.

It is used in numerous Bond films thereafter with the notable exceptions of You Only Live Twice (1967), in which the drink is wrongly offered as "stirred, not shaken", to Bond’s response "Perfect", and Casino Royale (2006) in which Bond, after losing millions of dollars in a game of poker, is asked if he wants his martini shaken or stirred and snaps, "Do I look like I give a damn?""

Mixing the ideal Martini is all about creating harmony between just a few elements. From choosing the core ingredients to glassware, experimenting with proportions and proper dilution. But the garnish plays an especially pivotal role in the Martini. It adds some additional complexity to a cocktail, but not so much to overwhelm.

Lemon twist or olive? It’s a time-honored bar debate. There’s no wrong answer: ideally, a garnish adds pleasing aromatics and a touch of flavor to the otherwise austere martini glass. Beyond that, it’s a matter of taste. Whether you’re looking to try something new to grace your glass or planning a DIY martini party, here are 10 must-have garnishes from pickled ramps and anchovy-stuffed olives to chipotle-brined carrots and blood-orange crisps.

Lemon

A lemon twist is best used to perfume the top of a cocktail, but never should its skin be rubbed on the glass where the lips will touch. Call me delicate, but I find lemon oil on the tongue so powerful as to overwhelm the flavor of the cocktail, to almost burn my tongue.

Orange

The sweet oils of orange are amazing both as an aroma and as a flavoring element in a cocktail. While we never rub lemon peel on a glass, we do often with orange: its sweetness can act to amplify certain flavors within a cocktail, particularly those made with aged spirits like bourbon and rye—or when bitter ingredients are used, like amari.

Olive

Get the best olives you can. They are not the ones stuffed with peppers or blue cheese; they are the whole olives that look fresh. Keep them chilled. Add them to your Martini just before sipping, dropping to the bottom of the glass as a tasty reward for a finished cocktail.

Onion

I view onions in much the same way as I do olives; a quality pickled onion will change a Martini in amazing ways, while a lackluster generic one will add brine and little else. Look for hearty Cipollini onions pickled in a classic brine—or better yet, search out the pickle stand at your local farmer’s market for something truly unique or make your own!

Lime

The skin of lime is highly fragrant, but its oils can be a bit astringent when used as a twist on a drink. There are very special cases when a lime twist can work wonders, but by and large, we steer clear as it can easily overpower the cocktail and steer it in an odd direction.

MARTINI COCKTAIL