Classic Gin Martini

Recipe

Ingredients (serves 1):

Ice (cubes, not crushed)
3 ounces gin
1/2 ounce dry vermouth
Martini olives

Directions:

• Fill a Boston-style cocktail shaker with ice.
• Slowly add vermouth to coat the ice cubes (for an extra-dry martini, drain off any vermouth that reaches the bottom of the shaker).
• Add gin.
• Join the two halves of the shaker together and shake briskly for 15-20 seconds.
• Set shaker aside to rest for a minute.
• Give the shaker 2-3 quick shakes, then strain into chilled martini glass.
• Garnish with two skewered olives.

Bartender’s note:  Make sure to shake the gin martini briskly enough for the ice cubes to begin breaking apart.  Allow some ice flecks to come through the strainer so that a thin layer of ice floats on the surface of the cocktail.