The Sleuthing Martini
No offense to Mr. Bond, but I prefer my martinis stirred not shaken. Shaking waters down the cocktail, and I'm looking for full potency here. My vessel of choice is a Nick and Nora glass, named for the sleuthing-while-swilling couple from the Thin Man movie series. Oh, and I garnish with a lemon twist rather than an olive. If I want an olive, I'll order a dirty martini, which isn't a martini at all. A note about the lemon: Lemons are often coated with a food-grade wax which keeps them looking nice in the market bin while preventing drying. Because I don't like the idea of wax in my drink, I usually soak my lemons in hot water for 3 minutes, then rinse and dry before use.
The Sleuthing Martini
The Sleuthing Martini is a classic cocktail that prefers to be stirred, not shaken, and is garnished with a lemon twist for a refreshing and elegant flavor.
Ingredients
- Ice cubes
- 2 1/2 fl oz London Dry gin, very cold
- 3/4 fl oz dry vermouth
- 1 dash orange bitters
- 1 lemon
Instructions
- Fill a cocktail mixing glass half full of clean ice and place several cubes in a Nick and Nora glass to chill the vessel.
- Add the gin, vermouth, and bitters to the mixing glass and stir with a cocktail spoon five times in one direction then five more in the opposite direction. Allow the drink to rest while you cut the twist.
- Using a Y-style peeler, remove a 2-inch-long strip of peel from the lemon. Peel longitudinally and while holding the peeler at a slight angle to produce a strip with less of the bitter white or "pith."
- Dump the ice from the glass. Lightly run the peel around the rim of the glass, then give it a twist to release its oils and drop into the glass. Finally, strain the martini into the glass and serve immediately.