The Everyday Lore Project

19 June 2020 – National Martini Day

19 June 2020 – National Martini Day

Today I’m a tiny bit drunk writing this. It’s National Martini Day so I’ll give you no guesses as to what I’ve been doing. I’m quite partial to a martini, after all, what’s not to like? It’s an aperitif and hors d’oeuvres (it took me three goes to spell that right) all rolled into one. Plus it’s made of gin or vodka and it’s the top tipple of state sanctioned assassins. Win win all round. 

Except as I found out today, I suck at making them. Or it could have been the vermouth.

I started early with making the ice. Ice apparently is crucial given I don’t have room to put the vodka or the glasses into my freezer. Once formed, I began to bust out the alcohol. 

https://twitter.com/lilithepunk/status/1273942633707118593?s=20

There seems to be a lot of recipes out there but I went for a classic 2:1 vodka to vermouth. Using a shot glass I stole from somewhere, I measured everything into a jug full of ice. Then I swirled it with a long spoon I stole from somewhere else (a café in Munich, I think) before straining it into three glasses through a sieve (which I bought). The swirling was quite cacophonous (it took me two goes to spell that right), like something you might hear down a drain in IT. Swirling, or stirring is said to be the preferred method of bartenders when making martinis despite James Bond shaken imperative. Shaking produces air giving it a cloudy appearance. Also I don’t have a cocktail shaker. 

Into the first glass went an olive, making it a dirty martini. Into the second glass went a pickled onion, making it a Gibson. And into the third glass went a twist of lemon, making it a martini with a twist of lemon. 

General note: I’d overmixed the booze and made it watery. Very sad faced emoji.

The Dirty Martini – I used a garlic stuffed olive as that’s all I had in the fridge. Couldn’t smell it all. Apart from said wateriness, it tasted rich. And the olive tasted amazing.

The Gibson – It was much of muchness with the dirty. There was a very faint taste of onion, which I soon dispatched in favour of the alcohol.

With a twist – This was my favourite. Despite it being watered down, it had more depth than the other two. So I poured the other two into it and had another sip. Best. 

So in a perfect world, my vodka martini order would be heavy on the lemon, with a side of olives and onions I could dip. And some crisps. Not to dip, that would be silly. Or would it?

Right, now that I don’t have type anymore, I’m going back to finish it. Saluti! 

UPDATE: I just tried dipping in a pretzel. I wouldn’t recommend it.

It’s also National Garfield Day. Maybe I should have made lasagne?


Resources

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/days-2/national-martini-day-june-19

Published by Liza Frank

Author of My Celebrity Boyfriend. Obsessed with hula hooping, sons of preachermen and fresh dates, sometimes all at the same time. Curator of Folklore Agony and The Everyday Lore Project.

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