Few drinks ooze the air of glamour and sophistication that the Vodka Martini does. After all, the favoured drink of James Bond has to be pretty special.
The original standard martini consisted of gin, dry vermouth and a green olive or lemon twist for garnish. A vodka martini simply uses vodka instead of gin.
It was 007 who brought the vodka martini into vogue. While in the first novel Casino Royale he was drinking traditional Martinis with gin, in subsequent books it was Vodka Martinis all the way.
In fact, for many people a 'Martini' means a vodka martini. This has upset purists who maintain the vodka drink should be identified as such, or called a 'bradford'.
An important consideration in the preparation of this cocktail is whether it's shaken or stirred with ice. The traditional way is to stir in a mixing glass. But many prefer theirs shaken claiming the action adds oxygen to the concoction and so sharpens the taste. Others insist that the shaking action chips the ice and dilutes the Martini. Still other Martini aficionados prefer their drink served "straight up" without ice in a chilled glass. Another factor is the amount of vermouth to be used. The less vermouth you put in, the 'drier' the resulting Martini. It's all a matter of personal choice.
While using the original plain Russian vodka to make a Martini is still popular, many imbibers are tending towards the use of coloured or flavoured vodkas. Vodka's neutral flavour makes it the ideal drink to add flavourings.
The original standard martini consisted of gin, dry vermouth and a green olive or lemon twist for garnish. A vodka martini simply uses vodka instead of gin.
It was 007 who brought the vodka martini into vogue. While in the first novel Casino Royale he was drinking traditional Martinis with gin, in subsequent books it was Vodka Martinis all the way.
In fact, for many people a 'Martini' means a vodka martini. This has upset purists who maintain the vodka drink should be identified as such, or called a 'bradford'.
An important consideration in the preparation of this cocktail is whether it's shaken or stirred with ice. The traditional way is to stir in a mixing glass. But many prefer theirs shaken claiming the action adds oxygen to the concoction and so sharpens the taste. Others insist that the shaking action chips the ice and dilutes the Martini. Still other Martini aficionados prefer their drink served "straight up" without ice in a chilled glass. Another factor is the amount of vermouth to be used. The less vermouth you put in, the 'drier' the resulting Martini. It's all a matter of personal choice.
While using the original plain Russian vodka to make a Martini is still popular, many imbibers are tending towards the use of coloured or flavoured vodkas. Vodka's neutral flavour makes it the ideal drink to add flavourings.