Buzzed On: Martinis - Catie Chats

How to make martinis and how to order them. Today we’re figuring out all the lingo and becoming martini experts.

What is a Martini?

A Martini is a simple cocktail at its base. It starts with gin and vermouth and is garnished with an olive or lemon twist. Now, you’ve probably heard of an espresso martini, dirty martini, dry martini, and many other variations of this classic cocktail. There are many ways to twist this recipe into something delicious, so let’s chat about it.

How do you order a Martini?

Before we get into recipes you can make at home, let’s go over some questions you might be asked while ordering a basic martini. When ordering a bar’s recipe martini, like a lychee martini or espresso martini, you’ll probably avoid all of these questions. If not, let’s go through them and what they mean.

Gin or vodka? Gin is the original spirit used, but this is all based on your preferences. I think vodka tastes smoother in a martini, so I always do vodka.

Olives or a twist? If you like something more salty, ask for olives. If you like something more fresh and citrusy, get the twist. Overall, a basic martini is pretty strong, so don’t expect much from either of these garnishes in terms of flavor. you’re better off ordering a specific martini, like a dirty martini.

Dry, wet, or dirty? When we talk about dryness in regards to martinis, we’re talking about vermouth. A dry martini means less dry vermouth and a wet martini means more dry vermouth. A dry martini will be less sweet in taste, and a wet martini will be more sweet in taste. A dirty martini is the addition of olive brine. A dirty martini will still have vermouth.

Sweet or dry? I’m not sure you’ll ever come across this question, but it’s a possibility. This question is about vermouth also. There’s dry vermouth and sweet vermouth. Dry vermouth is almost always used for martinis, while sweet vermouth is used for a cocktail like a Negroni. It’s best to go with dry if you want classic, but if you’re feeling experimental, try sweet.

Shaken or stirred? This one is pretty straightforward. Do you want your martini mixed by being shaken or stirred. The classic way is stirred, but if you’re a fan of James Bond, you might like yours shaken, not stirred. The most important difference between the two is that shaken will add more water content to your cocktail, and possibly some ice chips.

Up or on the rocks? In other words, ice or no ice. Ice will always be used in preparation, but your bartender wants to know if you want ice to be in your drink when they serve it to you. Up means no ice. On the rocks means ice. A classic martini will be up, served in a chilled glass.

These are some helpful questions to know, so you can order like a pro. It’s best to take care of these questions when you initially order. For me, I always order a vodka martini, extra dirty, stirred, and served up (please). No martini is the same, and if you want something consistent, you have to let bartenders know what you like.

Martini Recipes

Catie’s Martini

Now, this is just an extra dirty martini, and I definitely didn’t make the recipe. This is just how I make a quick martini at home.

Two (3 ounces) shots of vodka

One shot (1.5 ounces) of dry vermouth

One shot (1.5 ounces) of olive brine

Two olives for garnish

Put a martini glass filled with ice in the freezer before you start prepping. Combine vodka, dry vermouth, and olive brine in a mixing cup. Add ice. Stir for 30 seconds. Take the martini glass from the freezer and dump the ice. Strain the martini into the martini glass. Add olives on a pick to your cocktail. Wala!

The rest of these recipes will be from other creators because honestly, I haven’t made any of these in a while. I have no recipes that I swear by. I like what I like, and I like an extra dirty martini.