The true origins of the martini are unknown; one theory is that it evolved from a cocktail called the Martinez that was created in the 1860s. This consisted of sweet red vermouth and gin with a cherry garnish. The evolution into the Dry Martini probably happened gradually; London Dry gin replaced the original Old Tom gin, and orange bitters were used instead of aromatic bitters. A dry white vermouth replaced the red vermouth and of course, the olive replaced the cherry.
The martini is of course synonymous with James Bond, and has connotations of power, excitement and quality. Real life celebrities who were known to love martinis included Mae West, Dean Martin and F. Scott Fitzgerald. As the martini has grown in popularity, many different recipes have been created, from classic martinis to flavored vodka martinis to sweet dessert martinis. Martinis will vary slightly depending on who is making them and what their preference is. Some people like “pure” martinis, which are equal amounts sweet red vermouth and dry white vermouth. Others will only add a splash of vermouth.
For a classic “Dirty” martini, you will need two ounces of gin, one tablespoon of dry vermouth, two tablespoons of olive juice and two green olives. First, place an ice cube and a little water in your martini glass, and place it in your freezer for a few minutes. Put all your ingredients into a cocktail shaker, cover and shake three or four times. Take your martini glass from the freezer (it will now be perfectly cold and frosty) and empty its contents. Strain the contents of the shaker into the glass, and add one of the olives. Not enough variety in your martinis? well, the Internet is a great place to find hundreds of martini recipes. Trying them out is the ideal reason to invite friends round for a cocktail party.
For the perfect martini, you will of course need proper martini glasses. These are shaped in a deep “V” and were originally simply called cocktail glasses. They are used for any cocktail that needs to stay chilled without adding ice to the drink. The long stem of the glass keeps the liquid cool. It is said that the wide mouth of the glass adds to the bouquet of the gin. Legend has it that the wide mouth of the martini glass came about during the prohibition era, so that people could quickly down their drinks during a raid.
Modern martini glasses come in all shapes, sizes, materials and colors. Lolita wine glasses are one type and have become extremely popular; these are painted glasses made by the designer and entrepreneur Lolita (a former actress and model who has also worked in advertising and for fashion designers Donna Karan and Christian Dior). In a remarkably short space of time they have become virtually as iconic a symbol as a champagne flute and red wine glasses: seemingly everyone who has even the slightest bit of knowledge about social drinking mores is familiar with the style. Lolita glasses are inspired by what she thinks a cocktail glass should look like – decorated with color and pattern in a stylish design with a recipe on the bottom.
The first Lolita product line was launched in 2004 and “Love My Martini” soon became one of the hottest gift ranges in the US, before it was launched internationally to a great response. Lolita glasses are available from a large number of stores and online retailers, with prices starting from around $20 per glass.
The Lolita stemware range, which also includes wine glasses and champagne flutes, are now sold all over the world. They make fantastic gifts as there is a design for everyone and they look lovely displayed on a glass shelf or in a glass-fronted cabinet. Designs are available for birthdays, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Halloween, graduation and any other special occasion you can think of. The horoscope designs are popular and make great gifts. The flip-flop them is another one that is loved by many.
There is something to suit most tastes – so when you are in the market for something other than plain glasses to add to your stemware collection, take a serious look at what Lolita glasses have to offer.
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