a brief look at the martini cocktail

By Robin Lewis

"Its pleasure, which is not voluptuous but astringent, can only be expressed by oxymoron: sensuous coldness, opulent dryness, mysterious clarity, alluring purity." --Lowell Edmunds

The martini cocktail has a long history that begins right here in New York City. Most likely a variation of the Manhattan created in the mid 1800s, the first step in its evolution was the Martinez, a mixture of Old Tom sweetened gin, sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur, and bitters. In fact, dry gin and dry vermouth were not used in a martini until the early 1900s, and even then orange bitters and a lemon twist were often called for. Vodka did not become a player until the mid to late 1900s. When the martini came into fashion, the American palate was much sweeter, not to mention alcohol percentages in spirits were much higher, thus the demand for a higher ratio of vermouth to gin and using additional ingredients like sweeteners and bitters. As the American palate refined to a drier taste and alcohol percentages lowered, the martini became the cocktail we know today as the Dry Martini.

Vermouth is the most integral ingredient of the martini. It was first developed in Piedmont, Italy, around the late 1600s through the infusion of herbs into wine and was used for medicinal purposes. It is now produced as a still wine fortified with the addition of herb-infused brandy The martini could not exist without at least a drop of this beautiful, aromatized wine. The question is how much. Since its infancy, the martini has been adapted and varied to find the best recipe: from a 50-50 martini, a recipe of half vermouth to half gin; to an In and Out, where the glass is rinsed with vermouth; and back to the beginning, where sweet vermouth was called for using two parts to one part gin. Some just like to soak their olives in it. It is truly a matter of personal taste and invention.

Now to address the most hotly debated question of all: shaken or stirred? Stirring a martini will result in a clear, crisp, magnificent, enticing cocktail, without compromising flavor, texture, or weight. Most important, stirring will not "bruise" the martini, or water it down with melting ice. Shaking gives one a very cold drink, with plenty of ice melting into the martini, making it quite easy to consume. This is in addition to the belief that rigorously shaking together the gin and vermouth releases antioxidants, resulting in a "medicinal" martini. The martini is a very personal cocktail, and the best martini is your martini: shaken or stirred, abundant vermouth or minuscule, bitters or none. Know how you like it, and how to order it. Most important, embrace the quest of finding your perfect recipe and the inevitable variations that will come when exploring the infinite possibilities of this timeless cocktail.

At Adour Alain Ducasse, we continue the tradition, upholding the martini's long-standing prestige by creating our own variations. We follow the standards of our kitchen, using the best ingredients with a simplistic style. Focusing on ingredients, we offer three signature martinis. The first two, the Adour Martinis, are made of Laubade folle blanche, an unaged Armagnac that we infuse with dried fruits. They are prepared with the infused Laubade, dry vermouth, and a splash of maraschino liqueur, stirred and served in a chilled cocktail glass with a choice of cranberry or mango infusion. In an effort to capture extravagance in a glass, we have infused Level vodka with black truffles and dried apricot for the Black Truffle Martini, prepared with dry vermouth and orange bitters, stirred, and served in a chilled cocktail glass. When the first sip of this martini is taken, it transports one to a world of decadence by the subtleties of luxury as the complexities dance on the palate.