National Martini Day: A Brief Manifesto

Yesterday, June 19, was National Martini Day.  I became unexpectedly busy and missed posting about it. An Epic gaffe, I know.

I for one am quite tired of bars claiming that anything in a Martini glass is a Martini.  I am similarly tired of people who are supposed to be bartenders asking me if I want Vermouth in my Martini or, worse, simply giving me a glass of shaken clear alcohol in a Martini glass.  Even worse, a bartender who, without asking me, presents a Martini glass full of cold clear alcohol with olive juice in it ["dirty"] commits an abomination that will have me abandon the bar for good.

A dry Martini, by The Savoy Cocktail Book [1930], is made with two parts Gin and one part dry Vermouth.  The Savoy does have five variations on the drink, however, and acknowledges use of Vodka as well. The Esquire Drink Book [1956] also has five recipes but omits reference to Vodka.

Thus, Vodka or Gin without any Vermouth in it is a glass of Vodka or Gin, not a Martini. Various concoctions of Vodka or whatever and chocolate syrup, orange rind, eucalyptus leaves, etc., may be fine cocktails [although I probably would not drink them] but to call them "Martinis" is simply wrong. One might as well call a steak a cupcake because they both come on a plate. The great New Orleans food expert Tom Fitzmorris made this point strongly in a recent blog post and he inspired this manifesto.  Even Fleming knew this point. When he invented the venerable Vesper Cocktail he did not call it a "Vesper Martini".  And with good reason.

In the event, however, my love of Ian Fleming and James Bond drew me away from the straight and narrow path and I drank "Vodka Martinis" for years although I took a lot less Vermouth in them than called for by the classical recipe.  In fact I drank Vodka "Martinis" for many years. Lately, however, I tried a "by-the-book" Gin Martini and was actually surprised at how fine a cocktail it is. Back from my wayward habits, a Gin man I will remain. If I want a glass of cold Vodka, I'll order it on the rocks.      

Happy Martini Day 2014!!  Cheers.