The Martini - a Classic American Cocktail

As many foods and beverages, the history of the martini is a bit fuzzy. It is not because people were always smashed from drinking too many of them, though. The fact is that the modern recipe cannot be traced to any one inventor. Nonetheless, the martini has stood the test of time. It remains a popular cocktail, and is still America's iconic aperitif.

Many martini connoisseurs find fault with today's spin on the beverage. Aside from objecting to the many flavors offered, Purists insist that a true martini does not contain vodka and is stirred, not shaken. Brad Gadberry's page describes a small group of aficionados, the Prescriptivists, who insist that a drink made with anything other than gin and dry vermouth is not a martini and must never be called one. He points out that the theory is flawed since nobody can find an "original" recipe for the martini.

The mixing of the martini is another area of dispute. Some insist that stirring is the only method of preparation since it prevents the gin from becoming "bruised," or changed. Not that this would be suitable for classrooms, but there is a lot of chemistry happening when a martini is mixed. By gently stirring, the gin's properties remain unaltered; therefore assuring that the taste remains the same. This is the reason that purists favor the stirring method.

Shaken vodka martinis, on the other hand, have their place, especially if you are a Bond fan. Straightdope.com has a good explanation of why Bond preferred his martini shaken, not stirred. Shaking aerates the drink and causes the ice to melt into the alcohol. The chemical reaction of the shaking causes the gin's flavor to sharpen, breaks down the vermouth, and actually changes the martini's chemical attributes.

The chemical reactions of the stirred vs. shaken martini have been officially studied. The British Medical Journal published an article about the antioxidant state of martinis. It concluded, "Shaken martinis were more effective in deactivating hydrogen peroxide than the stirred variety, and both were more effective than gin or vermouth alone (0.072% of peroxide control for shaken martini, 0.157% for stirred v 58.3% for gin and 1.90% for vermouth)." This conclusion brings a theoretical reason for the fictional character's good health into a real-life perspective. If Bond were a real person, drinking his favorite beverage, in moderation, would actually be good for him!

No matter which side you are on, one thing is agreed - the martini must be served cold! So before you assemble your preferred version, be sure to chill all of your tools. Have on hand high quality ingredients. (If you wish to use vodka, storing it in the freezer can enhance your beverage.) Pay attention to the quality of your ice, too. Using tap water, or ice that is unprotected in the freezer, can affect the taste of your drink.

If you are of legal age to consume alcoholic beverages, then try your hand at a martini. There are many recipe sites on the net to guide you. Cheers!

Sources:
Brad Gadberry, "The Martini FAQ, v1.02" URL: http://www.rdwarf.com/users/mink/martinifaq.html Accessed June 17, 2007

British Medical Journal, 1999, "Shaken, not stirred: bioanalytical study of the antioxidant activities of martinis"
URL: http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=28303#N0x9446320.0x9637ce8 Abstract accessed June 17, 2007

Straight Dope Science Advisory Board, November 28, 2000, "Why did James Bond want his martinis shaken, not stirred?" URL: http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mmartini.html#BTG Accessed June 17, 2007