Classic Martini
Serves: 2
![Classic Martini](/uploads/media/720x770/07/7427-Martini.jpg?v=1-0)
Recipe photograph by Toby Scott
Classic Martini
Recipe by Ailsa Brown
Shaken or stirred? With vodka or gin? An olive, or a twist of lemon? Few drinks have caused as much debate – or as many hangovers – as the Martini. Thought to have been invented around 1860, this crisp, refreshing drink famously contains just two ingredients – gin (our favourite) or vodka, and the fortifed wine, vermouth
Serves: 2
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![Ailsa Brown](/uploads/media/100x100/09/7039-Ailsa-Brown.jpg?v=1-0)
Ailsa Brown
Ailsa is our former Food Assistant. She loves creating delicious food that can be whipped up without a fuss and is always thinking about her next meal. She has a thing for pickles, anchovies and Japanese street food.
See more of Ailsa Brown’s recipes
![Ailsa Brown](/uploads/media/100x100/09/7039-Ailsa-Brown.jpg?v=1-0)
Ailsa Brown
Ailsa is our former Food Assistant. She loves creating delicious food that can be whipped up without a fuss and is always thinking about her next meal. She has a thing for pickles, anchovies and Japanese street food.
See more of Ailsa Brown’s recipes
Ingredients
- 100ml gin, or vodka if you prefer
- 50ml dry vermouth
- 2 pitted queen olives, or twists of lemon peel
Step by step
- Place 2 Martini glasses in the freezer to chill, preferably an hour in advance.
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and pour in the gin and vermouth, tweaking the ratios according to your taste; the more gin you add, the drier and stronger the drink will taste. Stir vigorously and strain into the frozen glasses.
-
Garnish with an olive or a twist of lemon.TipMaster a classic cocktail, then experiment with different flavours:
Dirty Martini
Make as in the main recipe, adding 1 tbsp olive brine to the shaker. Garnish with more olives.
Sloe Gin Martini
Use 50ml sloe gin, 50ml dry vermouth and 50ml red vermouth, and a twist of orange peel.
Millionaire's Martini
For a decadent edge, add a splash of Champagne after straining into glasses.