FDR's Martini

I know a lovely woman who says that when she lays dying she wants someone to give her a freshly lighted Marlboro. I want one of these Martinis.... and a cheese straw made with sharp cheddar and cayenne.

Somewhere I read that this is how Franklin Roosevelt made his Martinis and when he served one to Joseph Stalin, the premier didn't like it, saying it was, "Cold on the stomach". It sounds like he spilled it down his shirt front. The recipe is unusual today in that it is made from equal parts Gin and Vermouth. This is probably closer to the drink's origin, the claims to which are clouded and confused.

My venerable old mixology book recommended Martinis be made in a 7:1, Gin to Vermouth ratio, but I thought to try FDR's version and found it to be a very fine, aromatic, clean and tasty cocktail. It should be noted that cocktails mixed on ice have water in them. Water is part of the drink and while a Martini on the rocks isn't to my taste, neither is a Martini that manages to exclude ice melt in the mixing.

Cocktails have changed a great deal over the last fifty years or so. When film stars and publishing giants were knocking them back at three Martini lunches a Martini was a two to three ounce cocktail in a three and a half ounce stemmed glass; hardly worth the barman's time today. At home the smack was made by the pitcher one round at a time to be consumed very cold a little bit at a time. Watch Nick and Nora mix and drink a pitcher in a Thin Man movie and you will see what I mean. Today, a Martini is understood to be an enormous amount of straight up alcohol, usually Vodka or maybe Vodka touched with a breath of Vermouth. Todays standard SUPERSIZED Martini would have served Nick and Nora Charles for much of an evening. The idea was to have several rounds each made fresh, consumed ice cold so as not to go all drunk on the first one or have it get warm while being nursed along.

There is nothing wrong with drinking chilled Gin or Vodka, but one isn't drinking a Martini even if it has an olive. It isn't a cocktail at all; it's a glass of cold alcohol with a piece of fruit. There's a place for this, for sure; just, please, don't call it a MARTINI.

A twist of lemon peel adds much to the finished drink.

Equal amounts best Gin and Vermouth. I liked Gordon's Yellow Gin. For a nice evening at home, you might use four ounces of each. The amount comes with practice and your head for alcohol.
Green olives - your favorite brine cured kind. These can be stuffed or not.
Olive Brine from your favorite olives
Lemon peel - that you just took off the lemon with the peeler!
Ice. Lots. Cubes work better than cracked or tiny little ice machine ice. Smaller cubes melt too fast and while the drink needs the water it shouldn't be too diluted.
A pitcher. Glass is nice
A bar spoon
Small cocktail glasses so you can drink your Martini before it becomes tepid, salty alcohol in a greasy, finger printed glass.

Chill cocktail glasses. Fill with ice or place in freezer
Half fill pitcher with ice. More ice than the alcohol is going to cover.
Pour Gin and vermouth into pitcher along with bar spoon of brine for every two drinks. (more if you really want the salt)
Stir for ten to fifteen seconds until condensation starts to show on pitcher. If you are using a Cool-Aid pitcher or heavy bar glass the condensation might not happen. Shaking chills faster, but makes for a cloudy cocktail as air is incorporated into the mix.
Strain into chilled glasses
Twist lemon peel over each drink and
Install olive - two if you insist - and serve.
DO NOT MAKE AHEAD OF TIME.
DO NOT MAKE TOO MANY AT ONCE. It should be cold and fresh and not too diluted. Just enough to go around once.
It takes me back, it truly does.

A home cook who appreciates the pros but doesn't want to be one and an eager eater who loves to eat what others make.

Pinckney: The Venerable Mixology book to which I referred, THE FINE ART OF MIXING DRINKS by David A. Embury is, indeed, venerable. It is currently out of print, but is expected to be reissued soon in hardcover for $35.00. No doubt we will be able to get copies from the Foodsville Bookstore at a vastly reduced rate, but there is a hard bound copy in 'good' condition going for $1,200.00 on Amazon. It's a good book, but - well, really!

comment left Jun 27

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