One of my favorite cocktails is a nice, dry, cold Martini.  A Martini is made with GIN and vermouth, or vodka and vermouth.   There is never any apple, chocolate or anything else in the mix.  Just putting a drink in a martini glass does not make it a martini.

Hear hear!!!

While I agree that the whole "appletini, chocotini, bacontini" thing has gone a bit overboard.  Unless they are messing up your orders and giving you the wrong drink, does it really matter?

Amen!
I don't even consider vodka proper.

Blueberry Martini Recipe

Ingredients My Bar 2 oz Triple Sec 2 oz Blueberry Vodka 1 dash Sprite 2 oz Blueberry juice
Directions
Combine the Smirnoff blueberry vodka, triple sec and blueberry juice in a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes. Shake well and strain into a cocktail glass. Top with Sprite, garnish with fresh blueberries, and serve.
This is my favorite....Russ
 
 
LMAO

Approximately 30 large pimiento-stuffed olives
3 hot dogs
1 3-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
1 or 2 drops of Tabasco Cut olives in half lengthwise. Remove the pimiento stuffing and put intoa mixing bowl. Add hot dogs.
Chop hot dogs and pimiento until coarse.
Add cream cheese to the dogs and pimiento and mix. Add Tabasco. Stiruntil combined.
Fill olive halves with mixture and fasten with cocktail picks.
Chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.
Makes 6 servings.


...Russ

So, don't order one.  I don't think the people ordering the drinks think they are drinking anything similar to a real martini. I've never heard anyone arguing that. Are you upset the a martini glass now symbolizes a girly drink?

ChrisOC, we've lost that fight.  I've been complaining about it for decades, but it's over.  They won. 

I agree Chris.  I'm a rare martini drinker, but when I do, I like a straight up gin martini.  Vodka will do, but I prefer the more flavorful gin.  I'll even accept a "dirty martini".(Love olives)  If you're going to start crazy flavoring it up, just cut to the chase and call it a fruit cocktail of some sort.

When I drink a Martini I like it more arid than a desert, and to achieve that I make certain it is made at least two whole rooms away from the nearest vermouth. Mine is always made with gin, as anything with vodka is not a Martini. I want at least three olives on a toothpick in the glass because I might have to leave, and I never drink and drive on an empty stomach.

this is a silly topic. Things get names. If it's called an Apple Martini, then that is its name. The word Martini has become synonymous with cocktails in a martini glass, in order to sell the drinks, and make them look refined by putting the drink in a martini glass. If they used a hurricane glass, it probably would've been called an Apple Hurricane. But, let's face it, the hurricane glass lacks the sophistication of a martini glass. So there it is. Time to move on.

If you simply order a martini, then I sure hope you do get a martini...I prefer mine to be exactly as the one that Michael Hoffman describes.

However, my wife, enjoys a Chocolate Martini on some occasions (although she prefers a cosmopolitan). And, dear lord, it better not have gin nor olives in it.

Scorereader I couldn't say it any better myself. My wife likes apple 'tinis so I make them for her. Sometimes I make strawberry 'tinis as well. It's all up to you.



Dennis in Cary

ChrisOC


One of my favorite cocktails is a nice, dry, cold Martini.  A Martini is made with GIN and vermouth, or vodka and vermouth.   There is never any apple, chocolate or anything else in the mix.  Just putting a drink in a martini glass does not make it a martini.

Hey, Chris , have you ever been to "Simply Fondue" yet ?!?
It's in the AC area, on the Black Horse Pike (Rt. 40) in Egg Harbor Township...
 
They have tons and tons of "martini's" available....
last time I had the "candy jar"....
before that I had the "almond joy"....(it had a great chocolate coconut rim)
next time I'm trying the choc. peanut butter "martini"..
 
My bf loves a straight up vodka martini in a freezer cold glass..  ...he hates olives, though...
once in awhile, he'll order a chocolate martini, though...
We have plenty of "martini nights" at his place...
 
He did mention that those "martini's" at the Simply Fondue were really more like "specialty cocktails"...
I said "whatever they are, they sure taste good!"
 

 

ellen we are always coming up with new martinis here at home. I'll think up something and try it out on my wife.



Dennis in Cary

DLnWPBrown


ellen we are always coming up with new martinis here at home. I'll think up something and try it out on my wife.



Dennis in Cary

that's neat, Dennis...
while we are at home, the bf pours us straight chilled vodka; it feels real chummy cause we always share the martini glass...(he says this way the glass stays real cold) .........and he keeps a spare frosted glass in the freezer, so we switch off...
 
he turned me onto the "vodka straight up" martini.... it's some strong stuff,  "strong but good"...
 
 

I love a straight up Vodka martini, I do need at least three olives and just a tiny bit of the olive juice...has to be ICE cold.

Oh yeah the olives must be on a tooth pick, I don't like them swimming around on their own.....

DLnWPBrown


ellen we are always coming up with new martinis here at home. I'll think up something and try it out on my wife.



Dennis in Cary

Hmmm?  If there had been an arsenic martini it might have saved me 4 divorces!

Michael Hoffman


When I drink a Martini I like it more arid than a desert, and to achieve that I make certain it is made at least two whole rooms away from the nearest vermouth. Mine is always made with gin, as anything with vodka is not a Martini. I want at least three olives on a toothpick in the glass because I might have to leave, and I never drink and drive on an empty stomach.

Exactly how I like them.  Last year on a cruise in the Martini bar, I told the bartender I wanted an extra dry martini, he took the vermouth bottle and showed it to the shaker and then put it back.  Perfect!

Michael Hoffman


When I drink a Martini I like it more arid than a desert, and to achieve that I make certain it is made at least two whole rooms away from the nearest vermouth. Mine is always made with gin, as anything with vodka is not a Martini. I want at least three olives on a toothpick in the glass because I might have to leave, and I never drink and drive on an empty stomach.

I can agree with this! But question, is it still a Martini without the vermouth or just "gin straight up"?     My solution has always been pour the vermouth in the glass, swish around. Then turn the glass upside down on the counter while walking the vermouth 2 rooms away. Next finish making the Martini with good gin (Beefeaters) and 3 or 4 olives.  If less than good gin is used, add small (very) amount of olive juice.   ..............

Although I have no problem with people who eschew Vermouth in their cocktails, they should not call it a Martini. I, on many occasions, have enjoyed a drink of straight Gin shaken or stirred with lots of ice - but, let's face it, it is merely a drink of straight Gin - not a Martini. 

A MARTINI, BY DEFINITION, IS A COCKTAIL MADE OF GIN AND VERMOUTH - THAT IS, LONDON DRY GIN AND DRY VERMOUTH. 
ADDITION OF AN OLIVE IS OPTIONAL - A PICKLED ONION MAKES IT A GIBSON.

Cheers, John  

edwmax

Michael Hoffman


When I drink a Martini I like it more arid than a desert, and to achieve that I make certain it is made at least two whole rooms away from the nearest vermouth. Mine is always made with gin, as anything with vodka is not a Martini. I want at least three olives on a toothpick in the glass because I might have to leave, and I never drink and drive on an empty stomach.

I can agree with this! But question, is it still a Martini without the vermouth or just "gin straight up"?     My solution has always been pour the vermouth in the glass, swish around. Then turn the glass upside down on the counter while walking the vermouth 2 rooms away. Next finish making the Martini with good gin (Beefeaters) and 3 or 4 olives.  If less than good gin is used, add small (very) amount of olive juice.   ..............

It has vermouth -- the essence of same. Despite the vermouth being at least two rooms away at the time the martini is made, there is still the essence.

sunnyside up

DLnWPBrown


ellen we are always coming up with new martinis here at home. I'll think up something and try it out on my wife.



Dennis in Cary

Hmmm?  If there had been an arsenic martini it might have saved me 4 divorces!

I've only been married once and we have been together over 9 years now. We have our moments, but wouldn't want them with anyone else. 


Dennis in Cary 

Michael Hoffman

edwmax

Michael Hoffman


When I drink a Martini I like it more arid than a desert, and to achieve that I make certain it is made at least two whole rooms away from the nearest vermouth. Mine is always made with gin, as anything with vodka is not a Martini. I want at least three olives on a toothpick in the glass because I might have to leave, and I never drink and drive on an empty stomach.

I can agree with this! But question, is it still a Martini without the vermouth or just "gin straight up"?     My solution has always been pour the vermouth in the glass, swish around. Then turn the glass upside down on the counter while walking the vermouth 2 rooms away. Next finish making the Martini with good gin (Beefeaters) and 3 or 4 olives.  If less than good gin is used, add small (very) amount of olive juice.   ..............

It has vermouth -- the essence of same. Despite the vermouth being at least two rooms away at the time the martini is made, there is still the essence.

True, but not very darn much! Only what dried on the side of the glass.

edwmax

Michael Hoffman

edwmax

Michael Hoffman


When I drink a Martini I like it more arid than a desert, and to achieve that I make certain it is made at least two whole rooms away from the nearest vermouth. Mine is always made with gin, as anything with vodka is not a Martini. I want at least three olives on a toothpick in the glass because I might have to leave, and I never drink and drive on an empty stomach.

I can agree with this! But question, is it still a Martini without the vermouth or just "gin straight up"?     My solution has always been pour the vermouth in the glass, swish around. Then turn the glass upside down on the counter while walking the vermouth 2 rooms away. Next finish making the Martini with good gin (Beefeaters) and 3 or 4 olives.  If less than good gin is used, add small (very) amount of olive juice.   ..............

It has vermouth -- the essence of same. Despite the vermouth being at least two rooms away at the time the martini is made, there is still the essence.

True, but not very darn much! Only what dried on the side of the glass.

No, no. If it actually touched the glass it's not drinkable.

seafarer john


Although I have no problem with people who eschew Vermouth in their cocktails, they should not call it a Martini. I, on many occasions, have enjoyed a drink of straight Gin shaken or stirred with lots of ice - but, let's face it, it is merely a drink of straight Gin - not a Martini. 

A MARTINI, BY DEFINITION, IS A COCKTAIL MADE OF GIN AND VERMOUTH - THAT IS, LONDON DRY GIN AND DRY VERMOUTH. 
ADDITION OF AN OLIVE IS OPTIONAL - A PICKLED ONION MAKES IT A GIBSON.

Cheers, John

 
Didn't we beat this subject to death a couple of years ago.  Didn't we agree that a drink with Vodka was a "Stalinini."
And that a Martini was gin and vermouth. 

I guess my problem is - by using a certain name, there come certain expectations of what it is.

If I order BBQ, I know theres a fair amount of variation in what I may get, but I expect it to have been low and slow cooked, smoked, and some type of rub or sauce. 

If I order apple pie, I know theres a certain amount of variation in what I may get, but I expect there will be apples in it, and hopefully a flaky crust.

If I order a "martini", I know theres a certain amount of variation in what I may get, but I expect it's based in gin or vodka, and vermouth.  That's the expectation. 

But then comes along Russ's Blueberry Martini which for all practical purposes has no resemblance at all to the flavor expectations of a martini.  I may as well pair it up with some ribs I gave a 15 minute grilling to and squirted with ketchup and call that BBQ.  Put a anchovie fillet on some Uncle Ben's minute rice and call it sushi.


My name is WarToad, that's my rant, and I'm passing the soapbox to the next contestant.

Our friend Scorereader appears to come from the Lewis Carroll school of philosophy where words mean exactly what one wants them to mean at any given moment. Black can be white, Moon can be Sun, the name of a cocktail can depend on the shape of the container in which it is served. 

While I prefer a Martini served in a "Martini glass" I can enjoy them just as well out of a Mason jar or a teacup as necessity calls. The essence of the famous old cocktail called "Martini" is that it is made of Gin and Vermouth, cooled in ice, and drunk cold.

Why is it that the purveyors of all those concoctions (some of them tasty and tasteful, I'm sure) falsely named, something -or- other martini, have such a poverty of creativity when it comes to giving a name to their precious little bastards?

Cheers, John  

Michael Hoffman


When I drink a Martini I like it more arid than a desert, and to achieve that I make certain it is made at least two whole rooms away from the nearest vermouth. Mine is always made with gin, as anything with vodka is not a Martini. I want at least three olives on a toothpick in the glass because I might have to leave, and I never drink and drive on an empty stomach.

Michael, don't you realize that with those 3 olives you are using up space that could be occupied by more gin?

seafarer john


Our friend Scorereader appears to come from the Lewis Carroll school of philosophy where words mean exactly what one wants them to mean at any given moment. Black can be white, Moon can be Sun, the name of a cocktail can depend on the shape of the container in which it is served. 

While I prefer a Martini served in a "Martini glass" I can enjoy them just as well out of a Mason jar or a teacup as necessity calls. The essence of the famous old cocktail called "Martini" is that it is made of Gin and Vermouth, cooled in ice, and drunk cold.

Why is it that the purveyors of all those concoctions (some of them tasty and tasteful, I'm sure) falsely named, something -or- other martini, have such a poverty of creativity when it comes to giving a name to their precious little bastards?

Cheers, John

to trivialize my comments does not make them any less true.
 
Marketing is main reason for the the explosion of the cocktails with "martini" in the name. A Martini bar will go out of business if it sells but one drink, John. But, if it sells a multitude of martinis that appeal to a large audience, well, then, they'll do much better. And bastards can be named after their father, even if they are, a) nothing like their father, and b) don't know or care who is their father.
 
If there's more than one recipe that is chili, then can be more than one type of martini. This isn't calling black, white, this is giving an easily marketed name to a product for sale that has roots with the original - if only for the glass.
 
just because you don't like it, doesn't mean it isn't true.
 
although, I think you may simply be teasing me, so I warn you to not sneeze again.
 
 
 
   

Very eloquent.