In the Pipe Tobacco Discussion Forum, while talking about the classifications (and naming) of tobacco, one of the responses from Les Sechler mentioned martinis.
That thread is here:
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/questions-re-classification-of-tobacco/page/3
The post said:
Completely true in every respect, however, over the years definitions of things change. For instance, when I was a bartender I used to get lot of orders for martinis. About one third of the time they came back when the drinker expected vodka to be the booze used in making the drink. After explaining perhaps 20 or 30 times that a martini was a gin drink I just gave in to the reality that quite often the martinis of today are in fact made with vodka. There after I asked the customer what they wanted and about 30% of the time they wanted vodka. This is especially true in California. In any case, calling a blend a latakia blend is a great way to be understood better, and a habit that many of us should try to cultivate. How easy it is for us to fall into the habits that are not precise.
Here's my response:
Martinis are my favorite drink and it is true that the gin martini is the original real martini. These days they call anything a martini that is poured into a martini glass. How about a "chocolate martini" or an "espresso martini".
Even though the vodka martini is not the true original, I will still accept it and respect it after all the new totally bullshit non-martinis hit the bars. The next thing you know there will be a bubble gum martini.
James Bond drinks vodka martinis, "shaken, not stirred".
Another thing I learned if you want to be traditional with martinis is about the garnish.
Gin Martini = Olive
Vodka Martini - Twist (Lemon)
I am on my way out to dinner now and I am going to have a Bombay Sapphire Martini, very dry, up, with olives.
That's the correct way to order it too.
1. Brand Name
2. Drink Name
3. Style
4. Garnish
