The Martini
The martini is considered to be an American classic, dating back to the late 1800’s when it was known as the “Martinez” and included gum (sugar) syrup, orange curacao and bitters along with the gin and vermouth. It is also possible that it got its name from the Italian vermouth “Martini & Rossi”, which was available and in use at the same time period. The first printed mention of the martini is in the 1888 “New and Improved (Illustrated) Bartenders Manual” by Harry Johnson, where it is identical to the Martinez. Original martinis were quite a bit different than some modern day counterparts, due to the use of an older style of gin called “Old Tom” or even Dutch genever, the heavily malt wine based precursor to what we know today as London style gin, and a larger proportion of vermouth (up to 50% of the drink). Notice there is no mention of the “V” word there, and we will keep it that way.
A minuscule martini
The concept of the “dry” martini is also old, from the turn of the 19th century, when it meant the drink had a 2:1 ration of gin to vermouth. In more recent times “dry” has often been interpreted as a drink which is almost entirely gin. That reminds me of an old joke my father told me long ago: A man walks into a bar and requests a very dry martini. The bartender nods knowingly, pours a glass full of gin and gently whispers “vermouth” across the rim. The man takes a sip, puts the glass down, and disapprovingly comments, “Loud mouth.” Another common but misguided modern myth of the martini is in its preparation. Ordering a martini “shaken, not stirred” may make you feel dashing, but this drink was meant to be stirred. Many modern bars have now returned to the original recipes and offer a martini much like what you would have enjoyed during its inception days. Allan Boardman, the creator of this puzzle box, enjoys his martini with Bombay Saphire and olive juice (aka “dirty”). I prefer mine with a 2:1 ration of gin to vermouth, ice cold with a lemon twist. However you like yours, I offer you a small toast to the small wonders in the world. Cheers!
A pair of tiny treats