The ultimate cocktail, the way Dad used to make it.

Dry vermouth
Premium-brand gin
Ice
Garnish: green olives (large, without pimentos) or a twist of lemon

1. Fill martini glasses with ice and let chill for a few moments. Empty glasses and pour a splash of vermouth into each. Swirl to line the sides, then pour out the excess.

2. Fill a shaker halfway with ice and gin (two jiggers per martini), allowing it to chill briefly. Shake the gin (very gently, please) until extremely well chilled, strain into glasses, and garnish.

Perfecting a Classic
Many cocktail connoisseurs prefer to use vodka in place of gin. While it's a matter of taste, flavorless and odorless vodka is easily overpowered by vermouth. The spicy, juniper flavor of gin blended with the botanical flavors in vermouth make a more flavorful cocktail.

Other pointers to remember:
• Don't skimp on the gin. If you're going to invest the time to make a good martini, don't waste it on cheap gin.
• Start with room temperature gin. The gin will melt just enough ice in the shaker to mellow out the alcohol.
• The garnish is simply a matter of choice. Each garnish will add a little of its own flavor to the martini. Skewer olives with a toothpick to make it easier to remove the garnish.