We have a great post on Tuesday Author Chats by my friend and fellow Sisterhood of Suspense author, Joanne Guidoccio celebrating her latest release. You’ll enjoy this. (You’ll notice she and I are both fans of turquoise. ) 🙂 Don’t forget to read to the bottom for the contest.
When it comes to food and hospitality, Chef David Korba is the consummate pro. In addition to developing signature entrées and desserts, David also offers trademark martinis with such tantalizing names as Babyface, Bellini, and Long Kiss Goodbye.
Definitely an auspicious start to Xenia, an innovative Greek restaurant near Sudbury, Ontario. But the VIP dinner quickly spirals out of control and the guests leave with empty stomachs. Well, almost empty stomachs…those trademark martinis provided a pleasant interlude before all the drama started in Too Many Women in the Room.
Here are ten interesting facts I uncovered during my research of this classic cocktail:
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The martini was created sometime between the years 1862 and 1876. According to one account, the martini is a descendant of the Martinez, a sweeter version made with gin, sweet vermouth, and cherry juice, invented by famous bartender Jerry Thomas of the Occidental Hotel.
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An early recipe for a martini appeared in The World’s Drinks and How to Mix Them (1907) written by William Boothby: “Into a mixing glass, place some cracked ice, two dashes of Orange bitters, half a jigger of dry French vermouth, and half a jigger of dry English gin. Stir well until thoroughly chilled, strain into a stem cocktail glass, squeeze a bit of lemon peel over the top and serve with an olive.”
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The martini first gained popularity during the Prohibition era. Drinkable “bathtub gin” was easy to produce and made martinis more readily available. The wide mouth of the martini glass made it easy to dump the contents during a raid.
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The stem on a martini glass was designed to keep the warmth of your hands from affecting the temperature of the drink.
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The concept of “bruising the gin” has been debated by many martini aficionados. Is a shaken martini better than a stirred martini? Many believe that shaking breaks up the ice and adds more water, weakening the drink, while others claim the shaken martini has a more rounded taste.
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Somerset Maugham declared that “martinis should always be stirred, not shaken, so that the molecules lie sensuously one on top of the other.”
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James Bond orders his martinis “shaken, not stirred.” In Casino Royale, Ian Fleming provides the following recipe: “Three measures of gin, one measure of Vodka (Russian or Polish), and half a measure of Kina Lillet aperitif, shaken until ice-cold and with a large, thin slice of lemon peel for garnish.”
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The martini dipped in popularity during the 1970s but has shown resurgence in the past fifteen years. The television series Mad Men, based in the 1950s, has contributed to the martini’s resurrection.
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At the Algonquin Hotel in New York City, you can order a $10,000 martini. Instead of an olive, the garnish is a diamond.
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Here are some famous martini quotes:
Marsha R. West, Author 
Thanks for hosting me, Marsha 🙂
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Your welcome, Joanne. I so love your cover. You’re going to have huge sales on this book because it’s so eye catching. 🙂
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I’ve never had a martini, you’ve made me curious 🙂
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My parents drank martinis, Jacquie. I’ve tasted, but ooooh baby, it’s a strong drink. Love the glasses, but I leave martinis alone. Along with anything that has tequila in it. LOL Thanks for stopping by.
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Good to see you here, Jacquie. Worth trying–at least once–and then deciding. 🙂
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