While the Horny Grazer concerns himself with serving you the best in gastronomy, I will take care of the liquid side of things from aperitif to digestif and beyond.
As you might have guessed, I enjoy more than a Bit of Varietal; living 20 minutes from the Cape Winelands does have certain benefits. Although, you can’t chug Pinot and you can’t shake up a Chardonnay. This is why the slow sipping pace of Cape Town’s sophisticated roof top watering holes and seaside speakeasies is where you can find me at any given sunset.
Now, I am not of the opinion that I am worthy of Her Majesty’s Secret Service, nevertheless, my drink of choice is without doubt, the Martini. This “King of Cocktails” has had quite the famous following and I can’t help but fantasise that my proximity to greatness is narrowed somewhat thanks to my cocktail preference. Don’t only take my word for this marvel’s shining review though; H. L. Mencken once called the martini “the only American invention as perfect as the sonnet”, E B White called it “the elixir of quietude” and in a more militant opinion, Nikita Krushchev supposedly called it “America’s lethal weapon”. Either way, I call it perfection!
Thanks to the efforts of everybody’s favourite spy and his love of shaking things up, the Martini has evolved a great deal from the original drink made with two ounces of Italian Martini & Rossi sweet vermouth, one ounce Old Tom sweet gin, two dashes maraschino cherry liquid, one dash bitters, shaken, and served with a twist of lemon. It is largely thanks to 007 that the drink rose to popularity and in the 1990s, the vodka martini supplanted the traditional gin-based martini in popularity. This version is strictly called a ‘kangaroo.’ The naming of this beauty and its variations is as unique as the drinker’s preference. From The Dickens, which has no garnish to the Gibson, which replaces olives for cocktail onions and the Churchill, made with dry gin, stirred, with an unopened bottle of vermouth waved above the shaker.
While researching, and by researching I mean drinking, I discovered something fascinating: a Martini is made with wine! While you compose yourself, let me explain. Vermouth is a fortified wine, flavoured with aromatic herbs and spices.
When it comes to the basics here is the only guide you will ever need:
Basic ingredients:
- 2½ ounces gin or vodka of choice (I enjoy Skyy)
- ½ ounce dry vermouth (A guideline is 8 parts gin or vodka, to 1 part vermouth.)
- Garnish with twist, olives, onions or capers.
The only terms you need to know.
- Dry: A Dry Martini will have a small amount of Vermouth. When more Vermouth is added, the martini becomes “wetter.”
- Dirty: A Dirty Martini will have olive juice added to the cocktail, slightly clouding it.
- Twist: A garnish made from the rind of a lemon, lime or orange.
- Shaken or Stirred – Martinis that are shaken have slivers of ice floating in them. Conversely, stirred martinis are chilled but should have no ice floating in the drink.
I’m sure you’ve heard that Martinis are foul, bitter drinks, even so, I suggest you start with the Imperial Martini mixed with maraschino liqueur and take it from there. As for the best place to enjoy one, the best Martini in Cape Town can be found at the Vista Bar at the One&Only. Alternatively try Savruga restaurant at the V&A Waterfront or Skybar at the Cape Royale.
As for a personal variation, I will soon be introducing the Rhinotini. In the mean time, would you like another round?
