The perfect martini

Vodka be damned! There, I’ve said it and cannot take it back.

The reason why I’ve turned against the colourless, odourless and practically tasteless beverage is because I have wasted half my life, at various times, using it as the principal ingredient of a Martini.

James Bond is to blame. If a vodka Martini was good enough for him, if he ruled that it be shaken not stirred, if he put the arm on the barman to spare the vermouth, then that must be where the drink is at.

There has, over the years, been a perverse crusade to kill the Martini. Egged on by vodka factory owners and aided and abetted by know-it-all bartenders, gin has been tossed aside, vermouth has been given leper status, and all the science and ceremony of mixing the perfect Martini has been abandoned.

Let that now change. At a dinner party this week, I watched in awe as my hostess scoffed at 007 pretensions and made me a Martini that oozed class, maturity and happiness.

First of all you must use gin. Despite its Dutch roots, it is an English drink, ready to serve and play fair.

The spirit rewards the drinker with flavours of juniper berries, with bitter hints of lemon, orange and other botanicals. Vodka simply cannot hold a candle to its complex flavours and dry finish.

For the vermouth, you’re advised to go French and try the dry Noilly Prat. If you’ve had a bottle in the cupboard for over a year, throw it away. It should be kept in the fridge and finished in six months.

Finally seek out a bottle of orange bitters via the internet or drinks specialist. If these can’t be found, good old Angostura will do.

To a metal cocktail shaker add cracked ice
Two parts gin
One part dry French vermouth
Dash orange bitters

Stir the drink gently, don’t shake. You want the water to mix seductively with the alcohol. Finally pour into a classic Martini glass (it’s worth the effort). If you’re feeling fruity, garnish with a cocktail olive on a stick.

But for heaven’s sake don’t spoon olives out a jar and drop into the glass along with a load of olive oil.

Now, the only challenge left is to find a bar in Sefton or West Lancashire that knows how to mix cocktails. Drop me a line