FLAVORS
Title: Stirred, Not Shaken: Rowan Gard goes in search of the perfect martini
Words: Rowan Gard
Image: Zak Noyle
Pull Quote: “You ought to get out of those wet clothes and into a dry martini.”
Without a doubt, the martini is the sexiest of the cocktails. (How
could anything James Bond drinks not be?!) The lasting popularity of
the beverage is thanks, in part, to its romantic, nearly mythological
standing in Western culture (and then, of course, there is also the
little matter that it will get you good and trashed). Everyone from
Winston Churchill to Cary Grant has named it as a favorite, not to
mention the rise of pop culture catchphrases such as “shaken, not
stirred” or the line from the fabulous 1937 Mae West film,
Every Day’s a Holiday, wherein one of the characters murmurs, “You
ought to get out of those wet clothes and into a dry martini.” (Don’t mind
if I do!)
The history of the martini
The last two decades have seen martinis umbrella to include anything
from a “Green Appletini” to a “Chocolatini,” much to the chagrin of
martini purists. However, the origins of the martini start, as many
other happy beginnings, in the poppy-covered hills of California over
one hundred and fifty years ago. The early 1900s witnessed a marked
spike in martini popularity, primarily in response to the restrictions
of the Prohibition era and the lack of aged whiskey. Thus, enterprising
entrepreneurs, predecessors of the latter-day Drs. Hunnicutt and
Hawkeye, began brewing the hard-alcohol, easy-bake equivalent—gin.
And, in short order, Prohibition speakeasy patrons started tossing back
home-brewed gin martinis (a simple mix of gin and dry vermouth) with serious gusto.
Shaken or stirred—that is the question
“Vodka martini, shaken, not stirred.” Actually, before Bond, James
Bond, and the popularity of shaken martinis, martini connoisseurs
considered a stirred martini to be the more refined choice. The
advantages of both martini preparation methods remain debated by
martini aficionados to this day. In fact, MythBusters even took on
the challenge of shaken versus stirred in a 2008 taste-testing episode
(check out YouTube for the clip). The tasters were able to distinguish between
which martinis were shaken and which were stirred, and the personal preference of
each taster depended on how diluted they liked their martini.
The facts are these: shaking a cocktail over ice cools the drink more
quickly than stirring a drink; however, a shaken cocktail is also more
diluted than a stirred drink, as it has small slivers of ice in it.
Thus, shaken and stirred martinis do have markedly different bouquets
when compared directly. For hardcore martini purists, the gin,
vermouth, and all preparation tools must be at room temperature prior
to the creation of the beverage. When the gin and mixing glasses are
stored at cooler temperatures, as is the case in most bars these days,
the martini tends to have a flatter, one-note taste due to the gin
becoming “bruised” (the bruising of any alcohol, including wine,
happens when it is mishandled and typically yields a more bitter
taste), especially if the martini is shaken. Yet, some martini
aficionados claim that a shaken martini has a more equal distribution
of vermouth, which can enhance the flavor of the martini.
If you’re feeling a little nostalgic yourself for something cool, then
do slip into a dry martini at one of these favorite watering holes.
When cool was king
The Kahala Hotel and Resort has old-school swank (not to mention its
own resident dolphins, which always equates to cool in my book). The
grand oceanfront hotel has had everyone, from Rat Packers Frank Sinatra
and Sammy Davis Jr. to Princess Diana, over for a sleepover.
Thus, in my quest for the perfect martini, it seemed only natural I
seek out the very same locale that Sammy and Ol’ Blue Eyes frequented
for their dirty martinis.
The Kahala Hotel & Resort
The Veranda
5000 Kahala Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96816
www.kahalaresort.com
(808) 739-8888
Complimentary valet parking is available with validation from any of
the restaurants and bars at the Kahala Hotel.
Paper moon over Pearl Harbor
The award-winning Indigo Restaurant, nestled in historic Chinatown, is
without a doubt the best deal in town when it comes to martinis.
Indigo’s martini selection includes over thirty martinis,
with prices starting at a mere $4 during Happy Hour (which makes
for a very happy Happy Hour indeed!). The restaurant offers
well-appointed indoor and outdoor seating among various water features,
with several lounge areas sure to suit whatever one’s mood (which is
to say, if you’re longing for an “elixir of quietude,” as the author E.B.
White referred to his martinis, they’ve got a nook for that too),
all against an exposed-brick architectural backdrop.
Indigo Restaurant
1121 Nu‘uanu Ave.
Honolulu, HI 96817
www.indigo-hawaii.com
(808) 521-2900
Valet service is offered from 6:00 p.m. to close for $6.
Q: What’s your favorite vegetable? A: Olives, because they come with
the martini. If you’re hungry for more Q&A with Rowan Gard, she can
be reached at [email protected].
Try this at home
The classic martini consists of a four-to-one ratio of gin or vodka to
vermouth. For the martini recipes below, simply combine vodka and liqueur in a
mixing glass with ice and stir. Strain the drink into a cocktail glass
and garnish as desired. Repeat.
The Classic Martini
4 parts gin or vodka
1 part vermouth
Cosmopolitan Martini
4 parts vodka
2 parts Cointreau or triple sec
2 parts cranberry juice
1 part fresh lime juice
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