photograph by Jennifer Hess
There is something about a Martini,
A tingle remarkable pleasant;
A yellow*, a mellow Martini;
I wish that I had one at present.
There is something about a Martini,
Ere the dining and dancing begin,
And to tell you the truth,
It is not the vermouth–
I think that perhaps it’s the gin.
–From “A Drink with Something in It,” by Ogden Nash
*Consider this: Take a chilled mixing glass. Add cracked ice, 4-1/2 ounces gin, 1-1/2 ounces dry vermouth, and 2-4 dashes orange bitters. Stir it, and stir it, and stir it. Strain it into two chilled cocktail glasses, and you have martinis for two. You also have, if you squint, a slight yellow tint from the orange bitters.
With the new Noilly Prat Dry Vermouth, Martini’s are indeed yellow:
http://cocktailvirgin.blogspot.com/2009/04/fifty-fifty-dry-martini.html
I still haven’t gotten my hands on the new bottling yet. Everyone here is moving out stocks of the old bottling. (If you’re among them what prefer the old bottling in martinis, let me know and I can try to hook you up.)
Both vermouths have their uses but I’d say that the new formulation would be better for darker spirits and juice-laden cocktails whereas the older seems like it would be better for gin. We now have Dolin Dry to choose from as well when this bottle runs out as well as Boissiere which I rather like (for dry — haven’t bought their sweet).
I really miss the Boissiere. We used to get it at Thirst in Brooklyn, but I don’t think we’ve seen it here in RI. I’m sure Mike will correct me if I’m mistaken.
I actually made a Dirty Martini the other night for a friends birthday and used this recipe http://www.howcast.com/videos/90-How-To-Make-a-Dirty-Martini but I’m going to try this Mellow Martini the next time. Sounds like my cats name (Ello)
It’s possible Nash was making his Martini with Kina Lillet, Ian Fleming style, and that’s why his was yellow?
Entirely possible. Hm.
It occurs to me now that I have the rest of this poem still to work with.