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There are, of course, a good many redactions and variations of
the Martini which depends for its sweetness or dryness on the pro–
portions-with which gin and vermouth are used, but the standard
and universal dry Martini
is
still the. simplest and most effective
mixed drink ever devised:
Dry
Martini:
%
oz. Londons or
dry
gin
¥.i
oz. French vermouth
Stir, decorate with olive and serve in 3 oz.
cocktail glass.
The pedect Martini, somewhat smoother and less potent to the taste,
is achieved by using the same proportions of gin and vermouth, but
equal parts of French and Italian vermouth are used,
in
other words
1/6 oz. each in the above formula. The Gibson, long a favorite with
discriminating, older drinkers, was first, according to the legend,
evolved by the late Charles Dana Gibson at the bar of the Plaza
Hotel in NewYork and was made with a pickled onion for ornament
instead of the traditional green olive.
A vast deal of pother has from time to time been raised over the.
almost fanciful advantages of stirring over shaking Martinis. The
almost universal custom is for stirring them, but Marco, head bar–
man at NewYork's celebrated Colony Restaurant, makes a practice
of shaking them vigorously and candor compels the admission that
"the only discernible difference between the two products
is
that a
spooned Martini
is
crystal clear while a shaken one inclines to a
clouded appearance. Bar practice at the Stork favors the noncontro–
versial stirring or spooning, hut the management will oblige
by
having them compounded in a cement mixer or butter churn
if
that
is
what the customer wants. When drinking Martinis, Cookie, the
barkeep, remarks, the customer is almost always right.
20: Stork Club Bar Book