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Let there be no doubt, the «Dry Martini» cocktail is the mother of all cocktails, it is the ultimate aperitif: classy, and the cocktail that separates good bartenders and Butlers from the rest – It is the cocktail of all cocktails.
Learning the fabulous art of mixing cocktails is an exiting path. It is about basic beverage knowledge, technique and hygiene, and of course making the guest/s feel like the most important person in the whole world; at least when you make them their favourite. The «Dry Martini» is probably the most known pre-dinner cocktail there is. It is based on classic London Dry Gin, and dry vermouth originating from Italy, and it is garnished with a green olive or a lemon twist, ice cubes and requires a chilled cocktail-glass, a mixing glass, a jigger and a bar-spoon to create.
Trained in Italy, Norway, England and Singapore, I have based my «Dry Martini» cocktail on the International Bartenders Association recipe. Inside restaurants, hotels, private households and on-board luxury ships, I have perfected what is the perfect serve – The Ultimate Bartender and Butler «Dry Martini»:
- Chill a Martini cocktail glass in a cooler.
- Chill the mixing glass by filling it with ice cubes, and stir.
- Pour out the ice, wipe the edge gently and remove any ice-spill.
- Prepare the cocktail glass by wiping it gently on the outside with a cloth
- Fill the mixing glass with 2 large ice cubes.
- Pour in 60 ml of good London Dry Gin.
- Pour in 10 ml Noilly Prat dry-vermouth.
- Stir gently for 4-5 seconds, and strain it into a chilled cocktail glass.
- Rinse a green olive in cold water, and put it gently into the cocktail.
- Twist a lemon-twist on top, and ask the guest if he or she would like it in the cocktail or not.
Remember to alway hold the glass gently by the stem. Use a smooth and calm movement, and be very gentle when stirring. Place a cocktail napkin in front of the guest, and serve Your Dry Martini with a proud smile.
“Shaken not stirred” You say?
Mr Bond knows his thing, but mixology is not one of them. Prepare Your Dry Martini before your next dinner-party, and if you want to go down the Bond route or do a variant, there are quite a few choices:
- Replace the Gin with Vodka, and create a «Kangaroo» or Vodka Martini.
- Swap the olive for a cocktail onion and create a «Gibson».
- Shake it instead of stirring… this is known as a «Bradford» Martini.
There are several ways to reinvent a classic. Ian Flemming used this recipe for his Mr Bond character in the book «Casino Royale».
«The Vesper Martini»
- 60ml Gin
- 20ml vodka
- 10ml Lillet Blanc or Cocchi Americano.
Shake all the ingredients with ice inside a shaker, then pour into a chilled martini glass or – if you have one, a champagne goblet. Add a lemon twist and enjoy your James Bond cocktail version of the classic «Dry Martini».
For a classic Butler or Bartender, the classic cocktails are common knowledge. And even though you now know the original way, it should always be prepared to perfection for your principal or guest – in their preferred way.
Sometimes, you run into people who change your life for the better – Those people are called Bartenders or Butlers!
Written by Tore Berger, who is a fully-qualified butler and hospitality professional. You can reach out to Tore on LinkedIn
