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.
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.
Since Chuck & I both agree on the definition of a Martini, it is now US law.
ReplyDeleteNext, let's tackle the margarita. A margarita must consist only of Tequila (preferable 100% agave), some type of Orange liquor, real citrus juice of limes and possible orange/lemon, and if needed simple syrup. If it has mangos or any other different fruit, it is not a margarita.
I can support that.
ReplyDeleteWhere is the orange bitters and lemon twist option?
ReplyDeleteThe lemon twist is harmless enough but I'm not entirely comfortable with the orange bitters, which I like well enough in many other drinks.
ReplyDeleteWe are in total agreement with one slight exemption: a true martini must contain gin. any martini containing vodka as the principal spirit must be called a "vodka martini."
ReplyDeleteYour liberal bent is accepted at its core, but needs to be somewhat constrained by my interpretation...at least on my turf!
I accept your amendment.
ReplyDeleteI will point out that the glass is a cocktail glass, not a martini glass. Using the wrong name for the glassware has I think encouraged the misuse of the drink name.
ReplyDeleteYou are correct and I perpetuated the mistake because I don't believe most people know that.
ReplyDeleteCertainly the martini as a cocktail has evolved quite a bit from its origins.
ReplyDeleteI don't claim to me an expert in this matter, but some web sleuthing show these sites with some history of the drink:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martini_(cocktail)
http://www.martiniart.com/historyofthemartini.aspx
Here Ted Haigh, Dr Cocktail, a well know historian of cocktails discusses the origin. And it's quite interesting.
http://cocktailconfidential.latimesmagazine.com/2010/02/qa-with-dr-cocktail-origin-of-the-martini.html