Dirty Martini
Last weekend Hubs and I went out! I know this may not seem like a big deal, but considering the past year, believe me it was. Have you ever had a date night in the back yard while the kids watch a movie in the front room? Trust me, it’s not even close to the same as an actual date out. Anyway, we went to a show! That’s right, we got all dressed up, hired a babysitter and headed to Hollywood. The tickets I purchased a year ago and have been postponed and postponed finally took place.
I was so excited! I was going to enjoy a nice meal that was served on plates instead of boxes and cocktails that were served in beautiful cocktail glasses instead of plastic cups. It was this food and cocktail girl’s dream! And it all would have been perfect save for the cocktail at the show. I ordered a Dirty Martini.
The Martini is one of those cocktails that can change every time its made. It could be wet or dry or very dry depending on how much vermouth is used. It could be shaken, but it really should be stirred. Then there’s the great debate over whether it should be made with gin or vodka. Most bartenders will tell you if it’s made with vodka then it’s not really a martini since a martini is made with gin. (I used to take my martinis with vodka because I wasn’t a gin fan but have since changed my tune.) Sounds pretty straight forward, right? I thought so too. That was until I tasted it. What I was served was in no way shape or form a Dirty Martini. I have no idea what it was. But there is one thing I can tell you with absolutely certainty: it was not good. I almost did a spit take it was so bad. It was sweet!
If there’s one thing a Dirty Martini should not be, it’s sweet. While there are plenty of delicious cocktails out there that are herbal and sweet, especially if they’re made with gin, the Dirty Martini is not one of them. The Dirty Martini is a savory cocktail. It should be full of herbaceous notes that are complimented by that briny olive juice. When made correctly, the Dirty Martini is a classic, elegant cocktail that is absolutely worth the cost of the top shelf gin used to make it.
I said it was a classic, and while not as old as the original, the dirty version is believed to have made its debut in 1901 when New York bartender John O’Connor decided to take the classic’s famous olive garnish to another level. He muddled the whole olive into the drink. Eventually muddling turned to simply adding a bar spoon or two of olive brine. This alternative martini was slow to gain popularity, that is until word got out that President Franklin Delano Roosevelt took his martinis with a teaspoon of olive brine.
While the Dirty Martini’s popularity has waxed and waned over the years, its diehard fans (like me) still order them any chance they get. That salty herbaceousness elevates the cocktail to something glorious… but only when made correctly.
Ingredients
- 2-1/2 ounces gin
- 1/2 ounce dry vermouth
- 1/4 - 1/2 ounce olive brine
Instructions
- Pour all ingredients into a mixing glass. Add ice and stir until chilled.
- Strain into a cocktail glass, garnish with 1 to 3 olives and serve.
