Cocktail o’clock: Martini

Synonymous with style and class, will you ask for yours shaken or stirred?

Serves 1

You will need:
● 12.5ml extra dry vermouth
● 75ml dry gin
● Ice cubes
● 1 olive, to garnish (plus 1-2tbsp brine from the olive jar if making a dirty Martini)

For a dry Martini:

1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes and add the vermouth. Stir 20 times (yes, 20 times!), then strain out the vermouth and discard.
2. Add the gin and stir gently until well mixed with the ice.
3. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with an olive.

For a wet Martini:

1. Follow the steps above but do not strain and discard the vermouth.

For a dirty Martini:

1. Follow the steps above for either a dry or wet Martini, but add the brine from the olive jar.

This article was first published in at home with James Martin in December 2011. [Read the digital edition here]

Picture: iStock