"What's in a name? What we call a rose/would smell just as sweet by any other name." William Shakespeare wrote in Romeo and Juliet . Of course, Shakespeare was talking about star-crossed love and intergenerational family squabbles, though his words serve as a good reference for the internet's latest debate: What really counts as a martini? Does it all come down to the power of names? With the popularity of creative cocktails like Caesar salads and chicken soup martinis, the name is easier to decipher than ever. Welcome to the Martini Multiverse.
The drink unites seemingly unrelated fictional characters, such as James Bond (with vodka, "shaken, not stirred") and Blair Waldorf (with gin, "as it should be"). This is a favorite cocktail among New Yorkers. Now, it's the starting point for a variety of out-of-the-box recipes, racking up tens of thousands of views on TikTok and starting a movement.
To understand how we moved from a spirit-to-absinthe ratio to a drink that resembled a full meal rather than happy hour, it's important to note the history of the cocktail. The Martinez cocktail is widely believed to be the precursor to today's martini. It's made with gin, sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur and orange bitters, and the first written record of it appears in an 1887 edition of The Bartender's Guide by Jerry Thomas.
Eventually, as its ingredient list changed, so did its name. Some believe the name Martini is an abbreviation of popular absinthe brand Martini & Rossi (founded in 1863), others believe it was the brainchild of a bartender at the Knickerbocker Hotel in Times Square in 1906. But honestly, it can be difficult to trace the origins of this drink because its recipe has always been customizable.
Maybe you prefer it dirty. dry. wet. Sweet. perfect. Neat. up. on the rocks. A little twisted. Use one olive – or three, but never two or four.
"The martini is the most personal cocktail," Vance Henderson, national ambassador for Hendrick's Gin, tells Bustle. "That's because there's really not just one way to make it. You can probably search for the recipe on Google and Wikipedia and some standards will come up, but the way you enjoy it is unique to the individual."
Henderson deserves it. Before today's unique elixirs were crafted, there were many ways to order a martini. Maybe you prefer it dirty. dry. wet. Sweet. perfect. Neat. up. on the rocks. A little twisted. Depending on the bartender's superstition, use one or three olives, but never two or four. All of these are valid ways to order a martini, and although this was originally a gin, nowadays it's important to specify whether you want gin or vodka.
In the summer of 2022, people are using pickle juice instead of olive brine for pickle martinis. In October, users like @foodloversdiary unabashedly shared their love for anchovy martinis. Pickled red onions, pickles, and balsamic vinegar are all popular martini mixes on #FoodTok through December 2022, and the momentum continues into the new year.
On January 17, Jilly Hendrix, founder and CEO of low-alcohol spirits company BODY Vodka, launched her series “Anything Can Be a Martini With Hard Work.” ’s first TikTok video. Her creation, a Caesar salad martini, is edged with crushed croutons and garnished with Parmesan cheese, cherry tomatoes and anchovies. Hendrix said not only did it taste really good, but it sparked curiosity in her comments section.
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On February 1, Jazzton Rodriguez, co-founder of Very Good Drinks, a cocktail-focused content studio, posted a video of a chicken soup martini, which uses ingredients such as mirepoix, chicken stock, olive oil and a brine solution. Very Good Drinks also uses MSG, fermented tomatoes and tofu behind the bar, and Rodriguez has been experimenting with savory drinks since 2018. So how do we do this ?
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Of course, there will always be martini purists, but we are currently in an era of intense exploration into all aspects of the lifestyle. Fashionable girls are embracing the trouser-less look, while eating an orange in the shower is now considered a healthy habit. Henderson says the craze for trendy drinks makes sense in an age where we're constantly getting new viral ideas.
“With social media, we can see everything from anywhere and from anyone at the same time,” he said. “I think seeing something explode that’s not normal to you inspires consumers, and especially bartenders, to try different things.”
Likewise, Hendrix said she looked to new drinking trends emerging online as inspiration when creating BODY Vodka. She saw people were looking for different drinking options and as the wet lifestyle became popular, she created her own brand. Seeing the food TikTok users love helps inspire her bar creations. She's perfected the Red Velvet Martini made with Lambrusco and is currently formulating a butter martini — "I don't think I've done that yet, so stay tuned," she says.
For Rodriguez, it's been a long time since Love's Weird Martinis came online now. Rodriguez, who oversees the bar program at Oklahoma City's Aborada Bar, began creating "Guacamole" about five years ago, using his years of experience as a chef and knowledge that food flavors are closely tied to nostalgia. ” and “broth” and other mixtures.
"Great martinis, they've had their time, which is great because I feel like I've been really into them for a while," Rodriguez tells Bustle. "I guess, in that sense, I'm a hipster person. But I feel like I'm finally starting to find my person."
Still, maybe Rodriguez is so ahead of the curve when it comes to weird drinks because the world wasn't ready for these cocktails until now. Henderson explained that in 2020, people have become more aware of what good wine is and their taste preferences because they have to become their own mixologists.
"To some extent, everyone is at home and becoming more familiar with what they drink and how they drink it," he said. "I think this has contributed to an overall resurgence in martini culture because consumers are more knowledgeable about what they're drinking."
Apparently, the way to enjoy a martini is no longer simple. Henderson says some "pretentious bartenders" may "look down on shaken [classic] martinis" because that's not how they were originally made. Rodriguez agrees that the classic martini must adhere to certain standards, comparing it to the way French cuisine is by definition strictly protected and respected, but he believes that when it comes to making a truly great cocktail, the rules It should be broken.
"If it tastes like a martini and serves the same purpose, has the same essence or soul, then I would say it's a martini," Rodriguez said.
source:
Vance Henderson, Hendrick's Gin National Ambassador
Jilly Hendrix, Founder and CEO of BODY Vodka
Jazzton Rodriguez, co-founder of Very Good Drinks
