What Is A Martini?

Whenever questions about 'what is bourbon?' arise, it's helpful that bourbon whiskey is defined by Federal law. There might be disagreements about application and interpretation, but at least there's a reference point.

The martini gets no such help. Consequently, people feel free to call anything served in the iconic martini glass a martini, regardless of the ingredients.

I would like to propose the following rules.

A martini is a drink containing gin or vodka, and dry vermouth. I think I'm being very liberal in allowing vodka, but it stops there.

I know people today want to be creative with their cocktails and like to invent variations on their favorite cocktail recipes. Although the martini has only two ingredients, it permits a wide range of variation. The permissible variations are:

• You may use any gin or any vodka, including flavored vodka.
• You may use both gin and vodka.
• You may use any dry vermouth.
• You may use any ratio of gin/vodka to vermouth. 
• You may garnish with olives or onions, stuffed or not, or no garnish.
• You may add a small amount of olive brine.

I'm also a bit of a rebel in not requiring that the ingredients be stirred with ice and strained into a glass. Not only do I permit shaking, I prefer it, though I know I'm in the minority on that one.

You are welcome to make and enjoy any drink you like, you may even serve it in a martini glass, you may even (and I'm being hugely generous on this one) call it a something-tini, just not a martini.

Thank you for your cooperation.