What's your martini?

by Ed Biado
The martini is one of the most widely-recognized cocktails in the world. In pop culture, it is a symbol of discriminating taste as many historical figures and fictional characters are known to prefer it to the point of making it their signature drink. And why wouldn’t one enjoy a martini? It’s crisp, clear, has an infusion of bright flavors and notes and it comes in over 40 variations (and counting). Here are the most popular kinds:
1. The classic standard martini is made with gin and dry vermouth in a four is to one ratio and is stirred with ice. After straining it in a chilled martini glass, it’s garnished with an olive or lemon peel. This produces a clear, colorless cocktail. The shaken version is slightly cloudy and the gin being “bruised,” producing a more bitter taste.
2. The vodka martini obviously substitutes gin for vodka. It is one of today’s most popular martini preparations and it’s almost assumed that when one orders a martini, it’s made with vodka.
3. The dirty martini puts the garnish to the forefront as it uses olive brine together with dry vermouth or omitting the latter altogether. The essence is further heightened by using three olives (instead of one) as garnish. A dusty martini, meanwhile, only adds a small amount of brine, simply to bring out a hint of the essence.
4. The Dirty Pickle substitutes olive brine in the dirty martini with pickle juice. This is garnished either with a mini gherkin or a dill spear.
5. The smoky martini is simply gin with a splash of Scotch, stirred and garnished with lemon peel. It is also called burnt martini.
6. The dry martini uses less dry vermouth than usual. Extra dry would mean even less. It’s virtually all gin with just a few drops of dry vermouth. The standard dry martini has different names, depending on the garnish—Okratini (pickled okra), Buckeye (black olive), Gibson (pickled onion), Gibsontini (onion-stuffed olive) and Spiceland (garlic-stuffed olive).
7. The Vesper is a James Bond invention. According to the pages of Casino Royale, it contains three measures of Gordon’s gin, one of vodka and half a measure of the French aperitif wine, Kina Lillet. It’s garnished with a slice of lemon peel and served in a champagne flute.
8. The Bronx is a fruity martini that was once ranked third in the world, in terms of popularity (after the standard martini and the Manhattan). This is a shaken cocktail that contains six parts gin, three parts sweet red vermouth, two parts dry vermouth and three parts orange juice.
9. The Kinopanorama martini is made with four parts London gin, two parts vodka and half a part each of Noilly Prat vermouth and Lillet Blanc. It’s shaken and garnished with a twist of lemon.
10. The Valencia martini uses Fino sherry instead of dry vermouth. Before pouring, orange peel is flamed in order for its oil to drop into and coat the martini glass. It’s garnished with an unburned orange peel. The vodka variant is called the Flame of Love martini.

Table manners for casual dining

It's not only at fine dining that we should maintain proper social graces. Every dinner table deserves that respect, even those at casual restaurants like bistros, pizzerias and grills. What should and shouldn't we do? Here's a few:

Ordering before everyone is seated- sure, you're starving but your date hasn't arrived yet. Do you order? the answer is no unless your date calls to say that they will be really late and insists that you go ahead. If they're just using the comfort room, wait.

Starting to eat before everyone is served- it's only acceptable to begin your meal before everybody else does if your dish is hot and cannot be enjoyed once it turns cold. You should also wait for someone to urge you start eating. You shouldn't just chow down by yourself if the others mind.

Reaching out for the salt at the other end of the table- Always- repeat, always- ask for the salt if it's beyond reach. Never- repeat, never- extend your arm outside your own "personal space" to try to grab for it. Invading someone else's "personal space" is sorely frowned upon.

Asking for a taste of someone else's dish- some people are just too polite to decline if you ask them whether you could sample their food even if they really don't want you to. If you're really close and there wouldn't be any awkward discomfort, fine. But in general, wait until you get offered a taste.

Digging in from the serving plate- most of us like sharing food and like them served family-style. And when these dishes are placed at the middle of the table, serving forks or spoons come with them. Please use those utensils instead of your own.

Picking food out of your mouth- fish bones (and small chicken bones) or anything small and doesn't look disgusting can be picked out using your fingers and placed at the edge of your plate. If it's a big slab of fat that you can't bear to swallow, discreetly spit it out onto a table napkin and keep it unseen by company.

Stacking used plates- you might as well clear the table and wash the dishes if you're gonna stack them.The wait staff is always around to take away used plates.

Answering phone calls- the general rule is that you should excuse yourself. But many people answer phone calls at the table and it's beginning to be accepted. If you're one of those people, the least you could do is speak soft voice, away from the people on the table and only stay on the phone for a minute.

Picking your teeth after eating- the toothpicks may be on the table but it doesn't mean you should use them there. Picking your teeth in front of company, no matter how discreetly, doesn't really qualify as excellent table manners. Excuse yourself and use the comfort room mirror.

Fixing hair and makeup- one word: don't. If you have to retouch, go to the comfort room, for Pete' sake!

-by Ed Biado