Noel Coward is quoted as saying, “a perfect martini should be made by filling a glass with gin, then waving it in the general direction of Italy.” So, it’s safe to say Noel Coward would hate a dirty martini. To make a martini dirty, of course, means to mix the cocktail (the more standard version, with gin and dry vermouth) with a hefty glug of green olive brine. Some folks like their martinis very dirty—they should use a full ounce, if not more, of olive brine; others prefer just a splash. Ever-so-slightly floral from the vermouth and satisfyingly briny, in my eyes dirty martinis are significantly more exciting in flavor than Coward’s glass of cold gin.
A model martini is stirred, not shaken (sorry, Mr. Bond!) in a mixing glass, but if you only have a large liquid measuring cup or mason jar that’ll do just fine. Whether you prefer martinis classically “up”—served in a coupe glass—or slightly more mild, on the rocks, it’s imperative to a bar-quality cocktail that you pre-chill the glass. The best way to do this is to fill the cup with ice water the moment before you start mixing your drink, and dump out that water just before pouring the martini from the mixing vessel into the glass. —Rebecca Firkser
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