THE MARTINI CAPITAL OF THE WORLD

“The important thing is the rhythm. Always have rhythm in your shaking. Now a Manhattan you shake to fox-trot time, a Bronx to two-step time, a Dry Martini you always shake to waltz time.” - Nick Charles, THE THIN MAN

The Cosmopolitan

Mesa Grill at Caesars

The martini is an iconic drink and it seems that everyone wants a piece of it as part of their image. Bars, restaurants, nightclubs. Even cities.

There are arguments to be made that New York City, Manhattan to be specific, and Los Angeles, Hollywood to be just as specific, can lay defensible claims to being the best place and most identified-with places to get a martini. Overseas, London would similarly assert its claim.

But in my Not So Humble opinion, in almost every way Las Vegas would be my choice as the true Martini Capital of the World.

Let’s look at this.

It’s true that in the public mind the martini evokes Manhattan (no, not the drink, the city. This could be confusing). The image of the drink in the hands of business people, celebrities and other elements of the jet-setting cocktail-swilling life certainly echo the skyscrapers of Madison Avenue, Times Square and the Upper West Side. The three-martini lunch, now a thing of the past, was a mainstay of business throughout the fifties and sixties.

Martinis were a Manhattan “thing”.

Bellagio

The Flamingo

On the other hand, much of that imagery came to the public’s attention via movies and, to a lesser extent, television. So many of the films made during the 'thirties and 'forties and later presented the upper class - the Swells - as having a pitcher of martinis sitting to the side in the event anyone just happened to drop by. And in most cases, they didn’t even need visitors to down a martini or two. It was “what they did”. Cary Grant, Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, Audrey Hepburn, Lucille Ball and others often were at their celebrity coolest when pictured with a martini glass in their hand.

Those movies were made in Hollywood.

(Quick anecdotal aside: Rumor has it that the Chocolate Martini, long a favorite for chocoholics, was invented in 1955 by none other than Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor. They were in Texas making the film Giant. Both loved martinis, and both loved chocolate, so they combined the two — I’m assuming it was a vodka drink, as I cannot fathom gin and chocolate together — and created the well-known and much delighted-in chocolate drink.)

Luxor

Venetian

London gets their claim with two words: James Bond. The MI6 super spy arguably made the drink far more mainstream and popular than any single other source of media. James’ order is so legendary that it’s become a part of the social vernacular, even though it’s the worst way you can order a martini. 

But in my opinion it’s Las Vegas, Sin City, which gets the crown as the city most identifiable with the drink. The image of the Rat Pack isn’t complete without the trademark glass in their hands. Dean Martin’s entire act centered around his love of martinis. And women. But mostly martinis. Entire sets would focus on Martin’s supposed inebriation, and the rest of his cast-mates would themselves be digging at their drinks as the evening wore on.

Wynn

The Mirage

Throughout the Strip the martini became de rigeur, and came to represent the devilish and sin-filled life a visitor could indulge in while on vacation. Vegas was a place for hard working men and women to go and blow off some steam, away from their regular lives and surrounded by artifice, glitz and glamor as only Las Vegas could provide. And the martini was exactly the “prop” which found its way into the hands of the tourist, completing their image as carefree and fun loving.

Today’s Vegas martinis are excellent. It’s a standardized drink, so the variations permitted for a "true" martini are minimal, but the preparation can be decisive. The kind of glass it’s served with, the ambiance of the surroundings, the care with which the bartender creates his drink.  The use of the proper garnish (olive for vodka, lemon twist of gin).

All contribute to the overall result, and in Las Vegas you’re dealing with some of the best mixologists in the country. It’s a little like competing for a television commercial in Hollywood. The number of genuinely talented competitors means most of the martinis on the Strip are going to be terrific, and the general availability of the drink - multiple locations throughout the casinos and clubs, means there are a LOT of martinis being served all over the city.

And to me that means Las Vegas earns the right to be The Martini Capital of the World.

Your mileage may vary.

BLACK AND BLUE

Once upon a time, a time not so very long ago, I deeply believed that the best way to treat your gin or vodka was to keep a bottle in the freezer. It made, so I reasoned, for an ice-cold martini when the time came. 

But times and attitudes change, and I now understand that a room-temperature bottle...well, maybe slightly below...is best for creating a martini.

It has to do with chemistry. No, I'm not going to get all scientist on you, I'll leave that to the professionals. This is all about logic.

The creation of a particularly smooth martini depends upon a few things. First, as discussed in a previous chapter, is the way you mix it. Shaking, despite being the most popular and expedient way to make a martini actually makes it a bit bitter. Mixologists will tell you this is because the energetic splashing of liquids in the shaker "bruises" the alcohol. (Can you imagine getting a black and blue martini?) (Hmmm, this gives me an  idea...)

The other three less-violent ways of mixing your drink make for a smoother and more palatable mixture. So we know that this is one way to soften the drink.

Another, of course, is to select premium ingredients. The brand you select should appeal to your individual palate, and usually the higher-end ones have less of what I've referred to as the alcoholic sear which goes down your throat. We've all seen the old comedies where a character takes a shot of whiskey, grimaces and pronounces it "smooth" in a shaken voice that suggests it was anything but. So we need a good brand.

But a third factor enters the picture, and it is subtly related to the other two: temperature of the liquor before mixing.

A room temperature liquor added to a shaker full of ice will have the effect of melting the ice. Well, yeah, you might say, no kidding. If you keep you liquor in the freezer that effect is greatly reduced. Also "no duh", right?

But part of a well-mixed martini depends upon that interaction to smooth out the alcohol by diluting it just a bit. Your drink becomes a combination of not just gin or vodka (or gin AND vodka in some cases), but the vermouth, lemon/olive and water. And each of them has an important impact on your taste buds and overall mouth feel of the drink. Remember, a martini is about the overall experience, not just the downing of a liquor.  If that's your goal just do shots of iced vodka or gin and you're good to go.

But for a martini we want that perfect combination of taste, texture and mixture to give us the perfect experience. It takes no more time or effort, but the difference is palpable.

Try it. You'll thank me.

Oh, and by the way, speaking of a Black and Blue Martini...

THE BLACK AND BLUE MARTINI

(I vastly prefer vodka for this, the floral nature of gin isn't as suitable a match)

You'll need:

Cocktail shaker

Hawthorne strainer

Martini glass

Toothpicks

Ingredients:

Vodka

Ice

Spritzer of vermouth

Blue cheese 

Black olives*

(*Commercially stuffed green olives are easily bought. You may have to stuff your own black olives for this.)

Stuff black olives with blue cheese to taste.

Fill cocktail shaker with ice, add four ounces of vodka. Set aside for a few minutes.

Spritz martini glass with preferred amount of vermouth (two to three squirts).

Cover cocktail shaker with Hawthorne strainer, pour vodka into martini glass.

Skewer three stuffed olives with toothpicks, use to lightly stir the martini in glass.

Serve and enjoy.

Cheers...

POCATELLO, IDAHO

Yes, even tiny Pocatello, Idaho is represented in my collection.

Cafe Tuscano, just off interstate 15.

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH

Salad and a martini.

Now THAT'S a healthy lunch.

Cat Cora's, Salt Lake City airport.

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND

Earning an A for effort is Neptune's Seafood on the wharf in Auckland.

They don't normally serve martinis, but cobbled together this little number which filled the bill.

Well played, Neptune's. Well played.

LAS VEGAS - BELLAGIO

Petrossian Bar, main lobby. Bellagio, Las Vegas.

Nice place for a martini, piano music and people-watching.

PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA

Zin American Bistro, Palm Springs.