The Many Martini Makings

Interested in Changing Things Up? There are a number of different variations on the classic martini. Here are a couple of terms and twists you might want to try out in your martini making endeavors:

• Vodka Martini: As you might have suspected, this take on a martini is the same process described our gin martini recipe here, but instead of gin, try using vodka. Most martinis are made with either a gin or a vodka base.
• ​Dirty: A dirty martini is a martini with a bit of added olive brine. For me, when someone asks for dirty martini, I usually add 0.5 Oz of olive brine (which is equal parts with the vermouth). Extra dirty simply means even more olive brine (about 1 Oz).
• Dry: A dry martini is a martini with less vermouth. In my dry martini's, I reduce the vermouth to a quarter OZ; and in an extra dry martini, I don't add any vermouth, but coat the glass as we did in the recipe above.
• Wet: A wet martini is the opposite of a dry martini (if that wasn't obvious). Instead of reducing the vermouth, a wet martini calls for about 0.75 Oz of vermouth, and an extra wet martini calls for about 1 Oz of vermouth.
• Perfect: A perfect martini calls for both sweet and dry vermouth. Sweet vermouth is also called rosso vermouth, and you can tell it is different from dry vermouth from its red or pink color. In a perfect martini, simply forget the glass coating process, and split the vermouth to be 50% rosso and 50% dry.
• Gibson: A Gibson martini is a garnish variation of the classic cocktail. For this version, instead of using Spanish olives, use a few pearl onions.
• With a Twist: Another garnish variation on the martini, a martini with a twist is simply a martini with a lemon peel twist instead of Spanish olives.
• On the Rocks: this term applies to many other traditional cocktails. To serve a martini on the rocks, simply add ice to your final product - just be aware that you might need to use a different glass for a martini on the rocks.