There's nothing like a good martini to make you feel suave, sophisticated and sexy. A good cocktail can be much better if you make it on your own. No need to pay $10 at the bar when you can toss a few ingredients together at home. Impress your guests with this recipe and your martini-making mastery.
Instructions
1. Begin recipe by filling a mixing glass with ice. Cubes or block ice are best. You can add a little bit of water to the ice if you want a weaker martini.
2. Pour the ice into your martini shaker. Pour about two ounces of alcohol over the ice in the shaker. Two ounces is what a typical recipe calls for, but use your discretion. Pour vodka here for a vodka martini or gin for a traditional gin martini. Count to four as you slowly pour the alcohol if you don't have a measuring device at your disposal.
3. Add the vermouth to the martini shaker. Start with 3/4 of an ounce (about a two-second pour). The "dryness" of a martini is in the vermouth. The dryer the martini, the less vermouth to use. Include just a drop if someone asks for a "very dry" martini.
4. Seal your martini shaker, and shake several times, up and down. Make sure the ice is moving around the shaker and mixing with the alcohol. Hold on to the top of a martini shaker, or you'll have a serious mess.
5. Remove the lid of the shaker, and strain the liquid through into the glass. Don't let any ice escape to the martini glass.
6. Top off with one or two green olives. Some people include lemons, limes or onions in their recipes, but olives are the most traditional garnish.
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