The Martini Guide - Your First Step For The Perfect Martini

"this martini guide changed my whole Martini philosophy..." (anonymous martini freak)

The martini guide is the place to start when entering the amazing world of the martini. There are so many martinis out there, each one with a great story or a great twist that goes with it.

The Martini Guide has a special place in my heart. Classic martini is the first cocktail I have ever made and it's also the most classic cocktail in the world. That's why i decide to write this Martini Guide.

"I love to drink martinis, two at the very most, after three I'm under the table, after four I'm under my host..." (Dorothy Parker)

I've been making martinis for 15 years now, from the classic dry martini to my own inventions with crazy ingredients like hot peppers, chocolate or fig jam.

But before we get to the more sophisticated side of the martini world, let's start with the original, the one that started the cocktail scene! The martini is probably the most famous cocktail in the world, it goes way back to the 19th centuryand it didn't loose its popularity ever since.

The classic martini is based on gin or vodka, mixed with a bit of dry vermouth and garnished with an olive or a lemon twist. The classic portions say 5 parts gin or vodka to 1 part of vermouth.

The martini has to made perfect, it's very easy to make but also very easy to ruin, it's all in the quality of the ingredients, and right preparation steps.

The one who made this drink so popular and famous is of course 007 - James Bond, who drink's his martinis shaken and not stirred. 007 asks for a martini cocktail on almost each of his films, so there is of course, a James Bond Martini.

Today the martini has so many variations, there is almost a martini for every taste and flavor out there! there are so many ways of making these martinis. My Martini Guide gives you the most important tips and techniques to make it right!

Vodka is the easiest ingredient to mix with because of it mixes well with almost anything, gin on the other side is much harder to mix and some people have a problem with its taste.

In the garnish area there are always new ideas. The old simple olive or lemon twist are being replaced by capers, stuffed olives, litchi, melon and so much more.

5 Most Important Tips For The Perfect Martini:

Use a martini glass - That's what the glass is for!

Chill the glass - Before preparing the drink, put ice and water in the glass, you can also put in the fridge or freezer, but this will take time... We chill the glass because the majority of martini cocktails are without ice, and most drinks taste awful if they are not cold!

Stir the delicate ones - When we shake, the ice melts much more than when we stir, delicate cocktails like the cosmopolitan or the dry martini should be stirred, complexed cocktails with many juices and ingredients should be shaken.

Double Strain the cocktail - For a super clear cocktail without the smallest chip of ice or fruit pulp, all you need to do is double strain!

Always Garnish - A lime wedge on the rim, a lemon twist, salt or sugar, a skewer of fruit pieces, any simple garnish makes a whole difference, a drink that looks good - already tastes good...

A couple of martinis with a twist:

The Gibson – A gin based dry martini garnished with a pearl onion

Dirty martini - What makes it dirty? A bit of olive brine (that's olive juice from the olive jar), it can be used instead or with the vermouth.

Smoky martini - Gin with a splash of scotch whisky, stirred and garnished with lemon twist.

Dirty Pickle - Replacing the olive brine in a dirty martini with pickle juice, and garnished with a mini pickle. This is called a "Dirty Pickle" or "Pickle Martini".