It may surprise the modern drinker to discover that a Martini is not comprised of vodka with no -or very little- dry vermouth, hastily chilled, shaken and watered down. The original Martini was an elegant, powerful cocktail made with gin and an equal portion of sweet vermouth. The switch to dry vermouth first began in the early years of the 20th century. In fact, in those days ordering a “Dry Martini” simply meant you were requesting the bartender make your cocktail with dry vermouth instead of sweet. And it was always made with Gin… always! At Paramour, they still make the original Martini the way it was meant to be, so head over and test out their new menu items and indulge in this classic cocktail.
Can’t make it to Paramour tonight, but looking to try it out? Mix your own at home with this recipe for the original Martini circa 1900, in all of its Gilded Age glory…
The Martini
Ingredients:
Ice
1 ounce Gin (preferably Plymouth Gin)
1 ounce Sweet Vermouth (spring for the good stuff, as it truly does make a difference. Punt y Mes or Dolin Rouge are both great brands)
1 dash Orange Bitters (don’t leave this out!)
1 Maraschino Cherry for garnish.
Directions:
Fill a cocktail shaker two-thirds full with ice. Add the gin, vermouth and bitters and STIR vigorously. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with the cherry.