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03.01.2001

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shaken or stirred ...
a primer for the martini neophyte |
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continued from page 1

The key to a good martini is to make it ice cold. Toss your vodka and your gin in the freezer, to get them as cold as possible -- both have a high enough alcohol content that they won’t freeze.  Vermouth should go in the refrigerator, especially after it's been opened, as it's perishable.

how to mix a martini ...
Every martini neophyte assumes that a proper Martini should be, in the immortal words of that quintessential sophisticate James Bond, "Shaken, not stirred." In fact, many die-hard martini snobs like to sniff their noses at a martini that’s shaken – stirring, they claim, is the preferred method, as it won’t "bruise" the gin. Whatever that means.

Personally, I can’t taste any difference. If anything, the shaken martini tends to be better chilled, which is actually a point in favor of that method, in my opinion. Aesthetics-wise, it’s true that stirring produces a clearer – and hence arguably more elegant – cocktail than shaking, but what it really amounts to is that neither method is truly, definitively better or worse than the other; it’s just a matter of personal choice. And frankly, there’s only one real reason I like to shake: cocktail shakers just plain look cool.

The basic technique: Combine ingredients in a container with plenty of fresh ice, preferably cracked. The more surface area that’s in contact with the liquid, the better the chilling, get it? You don’t want the ice to be crushed too finely, however, since that’ll cause it to melt faster and dilute your cocktail. If you’re stirring, use a long-handled spoon to briskly swirl those ice cubes up and down and all around. If you’re shaking, pop the cover on and shake. No half-hearted wrist wiggles, please; your shakes should be firm. When the container is too cold to hold, you’re done. Don't overshake, as that'll only serve to dilute your cocktail.  Strain and pour into chilled cocktail glasses (10 minutes in the freezer should do it), then garnish. Stuffed green olives are the classic garnish for a Martini; garnish with a black olive and you have a Buckeye, a pearl onion and it’s called a Gibson.

 

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