Martini Blogging

The Washington Post opines on the age old question: How much vermouth to put in a martini?

Wednesday, February 4, 2009; Page F05

What is the proper ratio of gin to vermouth for a dry martini? That's about as subjective as life gets. First, understand that "dry" does not mean vermouth is absent altogether: It simply indicates the use of a dry vermouth rather than a sweet one.

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What if the Fifty-Fifty isn't to your taste? Play around with different ratios. Robert Hess of DrinkBoy.com suggests sampling a cold glass of straight gin, then an 8-to-1 gin-to-vermouth ratio, then a 2-to-1 ratio and finally a cold glass of straight vermouth as a baseline. You'll be able to see which point along the spectrum best suits you.

Over time, for instance, I've learned that when I use Plymouth gin, I like either Noilly Prat or Dolin dry vermouth, but I use different ratios for each. With Plymouth and Noilly Prat, I go with 4 to 1. With Plymouth and Dolin, I go with 3 to 1. I use a dash of orange bitters in both cases.

Thanks, Bill, you have restored my faith in humanity.

Your Co-Conspirator,
ARC: