You have your martini purists and your martini adventurists, but for many of us the word evokes little more than, "Shaken, not stirred."
Bond, James Bond, may be credited for the cocktail's popular conception, and -- amid a swirl of casting rumors about who will portray the next 007 -- today, National Martini Day, seems an appropriate time to examine the elixir and learn where beginners might find a great one around town.
First, some history
Technically speaking, a martini involves a mix of gin and vermouth, garnished with an olive or lemon twist. They can be dry, dirty, or perfect -- dry ones use a higher ratio of white vermouth to gin, dirty ones contain a splash of olive brine or juice, and a perfect martini involves equal parts of dry and sweet vermouth.
Some replace gin with vodka, like Bond's preferred recipe, though it's noteworthy that a "shaken" martini is apparently called the "Bradford," at least according to The Savoy Cocktail Book, first published in 1930, a few years before Flemming's Casino Royale in 1953.
Various variations
What, then, about the "lemontini" or "appeltini"? Hardcore adherents consider those "abomination-tinis," and, truthfully, that teeny little suffix nods to the type of glass most bartenders use for those cocktails, rather than an actual kinship to the original.
But, we're all friends here, and a beginner may find a swirl of salty, boozy, hefty liquors a bit much, at least on the first go-round. Is it too early to plan a three martini lunch? Here are a few picks for dipping one's toe into the martini pool here in D-FW.
Where to sip one
If you want to go the traditional route, or a classic variation, practically any establishment that offers a full bar will be able to mix one up -- vermouth, gin, vodka, olives, and lemon twists are as standards almost anywhere. Perhaps unsurprisingly, steak houses stand out for offering the mainstay alongside a delicious side of red meat.
Bob's Steak and Chop House, pours them "Family Style," which means "real big," and Pappas Bros. also keeps 'em real and dirty, when they're not adding a bit of mint, like in their specialty Southside. Dallas' famed cowboy chef, Stephan Pyles, went so far as to being every dinner with a molecular cocktail like the "Dirty Martini Liquid Olive" during his special Fuego dining series back in 2010, and the bar at his eponymous restaurant still slams a dirty drink.
Other spots known for master barkeeps behind serious selections: Black Swan Saloon, The Dram, The Cedars Social, The Library Bar, The Porch, The Windmill Lounge, and Parliament. These folks can get as acrobatic as needed, but if simplicity's your game, stick with the strongest contenders.
What if you need to start somewhere a little less ... intense?
Blue Martini Lounge in Plano is the very definition of "having options," in fact, they've got over 40 of them on the menu. They range from the tart and fruity Lemon Drop or Pomegranate to the decadent Almond Joy to the straight up crazy like the Masterpiece Bleu, which involves three bleu cheese stuffed olives.
For other fun flavors: Ocean Prime made waves with its golden pineapple infused Pine Fin Martini, and it's rumored to have an "off menu" espresso martini, made with its kitchen's high-end blend. SER Steaks + Spirits fills its Chamomile and Honeysuckle Martini with tea and local honey infusions, and Stone Street Martini Bar offers the jalapeno-infused Smoke and Spice -- pictured above, literally smoking -- the Pumpkin Spice, and the Downtown Princess, garnered with pop rocks.
