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