From it's fabled beginnings in Martinez California in the late 1800's (there's actually a plaque commemorating the birth of the martini that can be found on the north-east corner of the intersection of Alhambra Avenue and Masonic Street in Martinez, HEY, we need a picture of that!), the martini has evolved and come in and out of favor. The renassiance that has brought our beloved concoction back to life began in the 1980s and continues to this day. Long live the martini! Throughout history, the recipes have varied with respect to the amount of gin to vermouth, the addition of bitters and marashino, twists, no twists, cherrys, olives, onions and the such have only solidified the martini as one of the great contributions of American Society. No wonder this drink goes so well with "Our Music." Both outstanding American contributions! The Dry Martini Churchill said that the perfect martini involed pouring the gin into the glass while looking at a bottle of vermouth. A scene cut from the original theatrical version of M*A*S*H suggests that one bottle of Vermouth should "last an entire war." General Patton was reported to cite that a perfect Martini was made by pouring the gin, then pointing the bottle at Italy. Lyndon Johnson liked to swirl a shot of vermouth around the glass, and then pour it out and fill the glass with gin.
| Martini Trivia The original drink was named for the city of Martinez, it's proported birthplace.
Early mixocology manuals from the late 1800s suggest a Martinez consisted mainly of Vermouth (sweet) with a shot of gin, bitters and a cherry.
There seems to be some disagreement as to the origin of the name "martini," whether it was named for the Martini and Henry rifle, or after Knickerbocker Hotel bartender Martini di Arma di Taggia, or after Martini and Rossi, world famous makers of vermouth.
Post-prohibition alcohol laws in the US mandated stricter control over alcoholic content of spirits, which may have led to the lessening of vermouth in proportion to gin because weaker proof spirits are less astringent and need less "masking" for taste.
Vodka has become the modern-day spirit of choice in martinis, as it mixes well with a myriad of ingredients that have come together to offer up a veritable cornucopia of martini cocktails.
Shaking of gin martinis is said to bruise the gin, another reason vermouth is a companion ingredient to lessen the bruising.
Shaking of spirits, especially vodka, is proven to release more antioxidants than stirring, thus making it more healthy to drink a vodka martini, shaken, not stirred (a ha! James Bond was on to something!) shaken, not stirred (a ha! James Bond was on to something!) Martini-isms
For more martini fun from our Lounge Lizards in Exile, check out our Forum section of the Lounge. Click Connect and choose Forum. Back to top |
Craig Hardwick
Santa Ana, CA
Casino Royale Martini
I don't drink many martinis, but if I were going to make a habit of it, I'd have to go with the martini that James Bond ordered in the 1953 novel Casino Royale. Here's how he ordered it, word for word, in chapter 7 of the book:
"A dry martini," he said. "One. In a deep champagne goblet."
"Oui, monsieur."
"Just a moment. Three measures of Gordon's, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it's ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon-peel. Got it?"
Bond didn't specify the type of vodka. You're welcome to use Kettle One. Even though I don't drink it, I like it because its headquarters are in Aliso Viejo about 3 miles from my house. Back to Recipe List
Michelle Asby
Kansas City, MO
For me any martini will do!!! It is usually a toss up between a Cosmo, Sour Apple, and The Chocolate Martini…but when it comes to satisfying my palette, chocolate wins every time! The Chocolate Martini 1-1/2 shots Godiva Chocolate Liquor
1-1/2 shots Crème de Cacao
1/2 shot Vodka
2-1/2 shots half and half
Hershey syrup Add a swirl of Hershey syrup to your chilled cocktail glass. Mix all ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake and pour into a glass. Back to Recipe List
 Jim Nuznoff
Tallmadge, OH
Cheap Martini
My favorite martini recipe:
2 shots of vodka (cheap) over clear ice
1 teaspoon Rose's Lime Juice that's it Back to Recipe List
 Moya Williams
Guntersville, AL
I'm one of those people that believe a martini is only GIN. Otherwise, it's a "vodka martini". However, I don't argue with people about it anymore... I do take exception to all the foo-foo "martinis" (apple, chocolate, etc.). Just because it's in a martini glass does not a martini make! Don't mess with a classic!
I began drinking gin when I was in college (late 70s), when absolutely no one drank gin. Turned out I had a really high tolerance to alcohol - so I tried to find the most vile tasting thing possible, so I'd drink more slowly. Gin was the answer. Who knew I'd develop a taste for the stuff? Back in the late 70s and early 80s, no one was drinking martinis. And a lot of restaurants, even in Los Angeles, served them in some funky stemware - but not the classic v-shaped martini glass. I couldn't even find martini glasses in the stores - so I had to "pick up" a set at a favorite local watering hole..one at a time, unless I was carrying an exceptionally large purse....
Back then I usually drank gin on the rocks (because the bar would charge more if you called it a martini...) If you visited the "Golden Tale" in the Continental Airlines building in El Segundo in the early 80s, and ordered a "Tall Moya", you'd get well gin on the rocks - in a water glass. (I kept asking for more ice - but the drink kept getting bigger...but still at happy hour prices!)
20+ years later - I'm still a gin fan. My evening drink of choice is a Gimlet (or Gimmys - as I call them...)- with just a touch of Rose's Lime juice mixed with whatever gin is in the cupboard.
Here are my 2 favorite martini recipes:
Dry Sack Martini
This has an interesting twist - using Dry Sack instead of vermouth
1 properly chilled martini glass
1 shaker of ice
Place a splash of Dry Sack Sherry over the ice in the shaker - then pour out.
Add your favorite gin - mine is Bombay (not Sapphire - the regular stuff!)
Shake vigerously - pour into chilled glass
Moya's Martini
1 properly chilled martini glass (I leave mine in the freezer)
1 shaker if ice
1 lemon twist
Twist the lemon twist, to release the essential oils.
Rub the rim of the frozen glass, drop the twist in.
Add a 10-count pour of Bombay over the ice
Shake vigerously - pour into frozen glass
Just because these are favorites doesn't mean I don't like the others - or variations on the theme. I'm always happy with a blue cheese stuffed olive.
Back to Recipe List
 John L. Greifendorff
Los Angeles
The Juniper Street Martini
History:
The first concoction of this drink occurred in my apartment on Juniper Street in San Diego some years ago. It depends for it's unusual color and taste range on an ingredient no longer available - Jones Soda Company's Blueberry Soda. All things pass I guess.
Ingredients:
Vodka to taste
Vermouth to taste
One black olive
Jones Soda Company Blueberry Soda 1 bottle
Crushed Ice
Small ice cubes
Canadian Club Ginger Ale [no substitutes] Directions:
place olive in a whiskey shot glass and cover with vermouth
1 oz vodka shaken with crushed ice
Strain and pour into tall glass over ice cubes
Add Ginger Ale to 1/3 of glass
Fill with Jones Soda Company Blueberry Soda Service:
Flexible straw, serve on silver salver with the shot glass and olive on the porch or patio in the summer evening and enjoy with Martini In The Morning dot com while meditating on the olive in the shot glass. Back to Recipe List
 Sean McCready
Lerici, Italy
DRY Martini Recipe
"Plymouth Gin"
The idea of adding Martini and Rossi Extra Dry Vermouth (OK Just a Splash)
THE BIGGEST OLIVE You Can Find (Pitted)Shaken
Martini Glass Frozen and Enjoy!!!!!!!
Now I'm going to have to get the Navy to pay for me to go to England and get that Plymouth Gin, Now. Don't tell the Admiral. Back to Recipe List
 Kathleen Sauer
Southport, CT
(Official Head Cheerleader of Lounge Lizards in Exile everywhere!)
The Black Martini
This is a sleek, smooth martini with a little sweetness added and the bubbly tops it off nicely.
What you need:
4 parts Vodka
1 part Chambord
1 part champagne shake well over ice; garnish with a cherry
I have never tried this, but it sounds yummy! I got it from the internet from a guy who calls himself an Intoxicologist! Flirtini Ingredients:
2 ounces Ocean Spray® Cranberry Juice Cocktail
1 ounce vodka
1/2 ounce raspberry liqueur
1 ounce champagne, sparkling wine or club soda
Ocean Spray® Fresh Cranberries and raspberries, garnish Back to Recipe List
Ishtar Roux
Second Life Ishtini Ketel One citrus vodka (forget the ice - keep your vodka in the freezer)
One each:
1 Jalapeno stuffed olive
1 Garlic stuffed olive
1 Blue cheese stuffed olive (only use the big olives, never cheap out on a good martini)
1 Cocktail onion (I don't buy the jarred ones. I buy the small pearl onions and simmer them in vermouth - far better) I like mine dirty so a bit of olive juice from each type rounds it nicely. Of course you need a nice sized glass like the MitM glasses - the additions take up far too much valuable real estate in a tiny martini glass. 
Alaskan Martini 2 parts vodka
3 drops white crème de menthe This was served at my favorite restaurant in Fairbanks Alaska called Cafe Alex. Floridian Martini 1-½ oz of vanilla vodka
¾ oz Malibu Rum
1 splash pineapple juice.
To be shaken and enjoyed by a lovely sunset by the beach...or basically anywhere you want.
Scarlett Martini 1 ½ oz Southern Comfort
1- 1/2 oz Cranberry juice
1 wedge lime Back to Recipe List
 Lisa Stallcup
Boise, ID
The Chill
Ketel One vodka, pear brandy & lemon....then you put a sweet little pear popsicle in it and let it soak up the drink! Very yummy!!! Everyone should try this one.
Back to Recipe List
 Daryl DiStefano
Gardena, CA
Cran/Orange 'tini
2 Shots of Ketel One
2 Shots of Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
1 1/2 Shot of Cranberry Juice
Shake with loads of ice in the shaker. Pour into martini glass and splash with Pomegranate Juice....and maybe a slice of Lime.
Back to Recipe List
|  Ed Sweeney
Auburn, AL
Firecracker Martini
1 medium cucumber sliced. Save part for final garnish.
10 oz Peppar Vodka (kept in the freezer, of course)
1 serrano chili pepper
6 garlic stuffed olives
Here we go: Place the sliced cucumber in a glass pitcher of water and let it soak overnight.
Next day, pour the cucumber infused water into an ice cube tray and freeze. Once frozen, fill your favorite shaker 3/4 full with your 'cucumber ice cubes'.
Pour the vodka into the shaker and let it sit for two minutes...trust me... Cut the pepper in half and rub it in the bowl of 2 frozen LLIE sanctioned martini glasses.
Lid (or cap) the shaker and do your best rumba around the room for 30-45 seconds with it. Listening to MITM helps, Louie Prima makes it even easier... Strain the elixir into the prepared glasses and float a thin slice of cucumber on top. Oh yeah...the olives?...Just eat 'em Brad...you know you want to! Back to Recipe List
 Patti Boccassini
Harrisburg, PA
Peppermint Patti Martini
This was the signature drink at my wedding two years ago
2 oz Vodka
1 oz Peppermint Schnapps
2 parts Peppermint Schnapps
1/2 oz white creme de cacao
Shake with ice and strain into martini glass - float a peppermint patty in the bottom! Best Apple Martini! This is a great martini recipe and you cant beat the lime green color for summer ! 1 part Vodka
2 parts of Apple Pucker
Spritz of 7-Up or Sprite (takes the heartburn out)
Plop in a maraschino cherry Back to Recipe List
 Brett Bailey
Laguna Hills, CA
Weekend 'tini This one works for Lisa and I on the weekends, as there is less stress… or maybe the martini makes it seem that way. Chill Martini glass (the Martini in the Morning ones) with ice in it and set aside until the end In a shaker with ice combine:
2 oz apple vodka
1 oz sour Apple Pucker
½ oz Rock Candy syrup Shake.
Take the glass, remove ice, and pour caramel ice cream topping on inside of the glass, pour in the contents of the shaker and garnish with a whiskey marinated maraschino cherry. Drink!
This is the weekend recipe, the martini during the work is the same Martini Man Martini (from Stinking Rose) recipe Brad uses. Back to Recipe List
 Tom Chinnici
Emmaus, PA
Citrus vodka and a splash of Frangelico
Scotch and a splash of Kahula - honest it's great Gin - very good gin - very cold - period ...for all of the above - shake or stir with ice and pour into a well chilled glass... Back to Recipe List
 James M. Overton
Red Bank, TN
Classic Gin Martini
A classic gin Martini, with onion garnish... affectionately known as, the Gibson...
6 parts chilled Tanqueray London Dry Gin
1 part chilled Martini & Rossi Extra Dry Vermouth
1 mixing glass
1 stirrer
Several large cubes/chunks of clear ice
1 deeply chilled Martini glass
1 cocktail spike
3 cocktail onions
To the mixing glass, add the ice, Gin, Vermouth, and stirrer. Stir vigorously for 20 seconds, and let linger for a few seconds while spiking the 3 cocktail onions, and retrieving the Martini glass from the freezer. Pour the mixture into the Martini glass, and garnish with cocktail spike with 3 onions. Enjoy... the look, the smell, the taste, the feel, of the clear viscid liquid swirling in the glass... the sensual beads of condensation forming on the glass with the uniqueness of snowflakes... and savor the camaraderie of sharing the Martini experience with another soul... or relish the pensive solitude of a singular Martini... and of course, with the backdrop of timeless standards provided by Martini in the Morning... Back to Recipe List
Dave Koch
La Verne, Ca
To create the finest dry martini, you must take care in the ingredients used for the mixing and the presentation. You begin with the finest of gins: Tanqueray Gin or Tanqueray Malacca or Bombay Sapphire Gins are considered the finest. Quality vermouth is a necessity, such as Noilly Prat Vermouth. The olive is important, it should be served cold and fresh from it's own container (I have found Los Olivos, Mamouth Olives to be consistently superior) . And, last but not least, you must have aged ice. Aged ice is ice that has been in a freezer for a minimum of 48 hours, undisturbed (aged ice is important as it melts at a much slower rate than fresh ice). The mixing is an art and should be done with great presentation and the proper tools. This art is deeply etched in the history of gin martini making. The tools consist of a shaker or pitcher (metal or glass), a strainer, a long handle bar spoon, a plastic or ivory toothpick, a quality napkin and a quality stemware martini glass. Place the gin and the shaker (or pitcher) in the freezer with the ice. The vermouth should refrigerated with the olives and kept cold. Once the shaker is very cold, fill half way with the aged ice. Remove the vermouth from the refrigerator and place one ounce of vermouth in the shaker. Shake well and then strain the vermouth from the shaker and discard (This will coat the ice with just right amount of vermouth for a dry martini). Return the shaker to the freezer. Remove the jar of olives from the refrigerator and place two on a plastic or ivory toothpick (wood imparts flavor and should not be used) and set aside. Remove the shaker and gin from the freezer and pour four ounces of gin into the shaker. Shake well for ten seconds and remove the frozen stemmed glass from the freezer and strain the contents of the shaker into the frozen glass. Serve immediately! Placed on a napkin, with the olive being set next to the glass, not in the glass (the olive should not be placed in the glass as it may impart a brine flavor to the gin. The martini is best when it is very cold. The drink is designed to be drank within a short period of time. After a few minutes, it begins to warm and becomes "stronger" to drink. The above recipe has never failed to please. I hope you enjoy! It really is the the perfect dry martini! Back to Recipe List
 Margie MacNeil
Wolfville, Novia Scotia, CN
Raspberry Martini
2 oz Bacardi Razz Rum
1/2 oz dry vermouth
fresh raspberries for garnish Preparation
Pour the ingredients into a mixing glass with ice cubes
Stir well
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass
Garnish with two fresh raspberries skewered on a cocktail stick. Back to Recipe List
Shawna Hicks
Houston, TX Pomegranate Martini
Ingredients
1 Orange, cut into wedges
Sugar
3 cups vodka or gin
3/4 cup pomegranate syrup
1/3 cup dry vermouth
Ice cubes
Directions
Rub orange wedges around rims of 12 martini glasses. Invert glasses into a dish of sugar to coat rims; set glasses aside. In a smaller pitcher, combine vodka, pomegranate syrup and vermouth. For each drink, add 1/3 cup of the syrup mixture; shake. Strain into one of the prepared martini glasses. Makes 12 drinks. Back to Recipe List
Richard Rondomanski
Cerritos, CA
Habanero Dirty Martini
Good Vodka
Clean ice
A chilled MITM glass
Habenero stuffed olives Pour vodka in a shaker full of ice.
Shake it until your hard starts to freeze on the side of the shaker
Put a splash of the olive juice in the bottom of the glass with an olive of two on a spear
Pour vodka over the olives and drink up.
It's so hot and the vodka so cool that you keep drinking it to try to cool your mouth down.
It is a beautiful cycle to be on. Back to Recipe List
Mitchell Sowa Jr.
Bangor, ME Not very often but on the occasion we have a standard Martini with a pealed Lobster claw in it. That's our Recipe Beat that one!!
We call it ClawTini Back to Recipe List
 Daniel and Andrea Storm
Los Angeles, CA
The Appletini Storm
1 part apple pucker
2 parts Vodka
1 part lemon sour mix
and the secret ingredient ... 1 part SQUIRT soda pop Back to Recipe List
 Jennifer Park
Chicago, IL
Very Berry Blueberry Martini
Wash then score each blueberry with a toothpick.
Pour and place aside 1/2 of the contents of the Ketel One bottle.
Place each scored blueberry in Ketel One bottle.
Pour the vodka that you placed aside back into the Ketel One bottle.
Allow the blueberries to marinate in the vodka in a dark place for at least 10 days
After 10 days, muddle 5-6 fresh raspberries in a martini shaker.
Add a martini glass full of the strained blueberry vodka to the shaker, with a squeeze of fresh lemon and ice.
Shake well, and serve with a lemon twist.
Back to Recipe List
|
