Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
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28 | APRIL 2016 nshoremag.com There are a few different ways to order a classic martini: wet, dry, or 50:50. This terminology refers to the ratio of gin (or vodka, if specified) to vermouth. The less vermouth used, the drier the drink. Today, most bartenders consider dry to be 6:1, while wet is 3:1, and 50:50 is exactly that. Order a bone-dry martini and the bartender will just rinse the glass with vermouth. A good bartender should ask you how you like your martini, and if she doesn't, tell her. Food and drink researcher Dave Arnold, author of Liquid Intelligence, says: "Half the fun of a martini is arguing over how it should be made." And while there are endless variations, most tinker with the ratio of gin to vermouth. The following recipe is not too far off from the Prohibition era ver- sion, and calls for a modest-sized cocktail coupe or martini glass (bigger isn't better!) to ensure a cold sip every time. It's a damn delicious martini. MARTINI VARIATIONS: Replace gin with vodka and you have a vodka martini, also known as a Kangaroo. Have the best of both worlds with a Vesper, made with vodka, gin, and Lillet, a French apéritif that takes the place of vermouth in this martini made famous by James Bond. A martini that is preferred shaken, not stirred, is actually called a Bradford. Instead of orange bitters, add a teaspoon (or more) of olive juice and garnish with an olive instead of a lemon for a Dirty Martini. Switch out the lemon twist for a pickled onion and get a Gibson. Channel your inner Julia Child with her favorite Upside- down Martini, heavy on the vermouth, light on the gin— about a 2:1 ratio. No vermouth? Follow the lead of Sir Winston Churchill, who wittily remarked, "I would like to observe the vermouth from across the room while I drink my martini." Technically, he was drinking straight, chilled gin with a lemon twist, otherwise known as a Churchill Martini. > 2 1/2 oz. London dry gin (Plymouth or Beefeater) > 3/4 oz. Dolin dry vermouth > 1 dash of orange bitters > Lemon twist Stir gin, vermouth, and bitters in a mixing glass filled with ice for one minute to thoroughly chill. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a lemon twist. Thank you to 15 Walnut Tavern in South Hamilton, which was the location for our martini photo shoot. 15walnut.com MARTINI Makes one drink