The marvellous Martini

I grew up in the countryside in the middle of nowhere. I loved it. However, occasionally my over-active imagination would be more of a hindrance than a help if I was home alone. One weekend when my folks were away I forgot my cease and desist rule about reading or watching anything remotely spooky as I was embroiled in reading Dracula.

Big mistake.

Once it got dark and the wind was howling outside and the trees were creaking I decided there was only one possible solution: booze and Singin' In The Rain. Nothing bad can ever happen if you're watching Donald Connor sing 'Make 'Em Laugh', or marvelling at Cyd Charise's legs and how sexy Gene Kelly is, and booze - well, it's obvious.

I decided this was the perfect time to learn to mix and love Martinis - a proper grown-up drink that takes some getting to know. He's (I definitely see a Martini as a man) not a chap you like when you first meet him perhaps. You might find him abrasive - or perhaps you don't get his sense of humour...but the more you chat to him you realise he has quite an allure about him and you love his company and his jokes and you feel like you're in on a great secret knowing him.

So, my dad has a great book all about the history of the Martini, stories about it and films it's featured in plus of course recipes.

It's a simple recipe:
1. Cocktail shaker
( I wish our cocktail shaker was so beautiful)
2. Ice
3. Dry vermouth
4. Gin
5. a Martini glass
Plus optional green olive. Officially the proportions are 4:1 gin to vermouth, but many people prefer less. I've read of some people pouring vermouth in the shaker, swilling it round then tipping it out leaving just a thin coating on the inside of the shaker. Winston Churchill apparently liked to pour in the gin then glance across the room at the vermouth - and can you blame him, gin is so wonderful. I would say the best way to describe it's taste is 'silver'. If that makes sense to you.

I just read this wonderful quote from The Thin Man “You see, the important thing is the rhythm. You always have rhythm in your shaking. Now a Manhattan you shake to a foxtrot. A Bronx to a two-step time. A dry Martini you always shake to waltz time."

Anyone for another ... I'm about to go shake my shaker waltz time...