Recipe

• 3 parts gin

• 1 part dry vermouth

Shake with ice, and strain into a martini glass. Put three green olives (in brine) on a cocktail stick, and add.

According to Wikipedia, the usual gin to vermouth ratio for a martini started at about 2:1 in the early 1920s, and then gradually increased over the course of the twentieth century, through 3:1, 4:1, 6:1, and so on until the present day. It seems people now insist on absurd ratios such as 15:1, 50:1 and 100:1, at which I'm certain no one can taste the vermouth at all, and the whole exercise is just a pretentious way of drinking a massive glass of gin.

I've always gone for an approximate 6:1 ratio (see my previous post) on the basis that it's what the IBA recommends, and we should stick to international standards wherever possible. But today I thought I'd try something different. I decided to step back in time to the 1930s and taste the sort of martini my ancestors would've enjoyed. Hence a nice sweet 3:1 ratio, and everything else the same as usual.

I was delighted! It's still 75% gin, but it's so much smoother and more drinkable than its modern equivalent. Ice-cold and slightly sweet, but still revealing the flavours of the gin, it's everything I was hoping for. Claire said it was "a bit sickly", but I'm pretty sure she was just messing with me.

So, for the time being, it seems I prefer a good dose of vermouth. Maybe in time I'll change my mind. I'll be sure to update this blog if I do.