Martinis are truly the most revered, and controversial, drink in the history of cocktails. Even though it has fallen in and out of favor over the years, the Martini has grown to become a true classic. The origins of the Martini will probably never be agreed upon. Some say it was born in San Francisco mid-19th century, while others credit it to a New York Bartender named Martini who claimed he mixed the first in 1912. Or from the famous dry vermouth so commonly used in the drink, Martini & Rossi, or to the British made Martini & Henry rifle, while many like to believe it is named after a drink developed in Martinez, CA and originally called the Martini.

Current mixing tendencies lean toward using lesser amounts of vermouth in Martinis. Such mixing might credit 17th century Dutch professor of medicine, Franciscus de Boe Sylvius with inventing the Martini. The pure alcohol he distilled from the oil of juniper berries and intended as a blood purifier has come down through the ages to us sophisticates as gin - shortened by the English from the Dutch word for juniper - genever.

If, after leaving the MartiniBoys Lounge, you're left with only one piece of knowledge, let it be this: the Martini is made with Gin. And only Gin. If it is made with Vodka, it's called a "Vodkatini. Or, as it's more commonly known, the Vodka Martini. Now, there's absolutely nothing wrong with Vodka. In fact, It's one of the main reasons the Martini came back into popularity - mostly with the younger crowd. It's just that the Vodkatini was invented about 50 to 70 years after the Martini.

Stick around here at the MartiniBoys Lounge, you may learn a thing or two about this century-old drink. We, at MartiniBoys certainly have. Since the lounge opened we have received great numbers of e-mail on this subject alone. As said in one e-mail message, "No two people are going to agree about the history of the Martini, or even how to make one," but maybe that is part of what makes this drink so special.

Okay, try this. What you need to do is mix 3 parts Gin - good Gin! - to 1 part Dry Vermouth. Shake with ice in a shaker, pour into a proper Martini glass, and finally, add a garnish: olive, lemon twist, or a cocktail onion (a Gibson). And there you have yourself a damn fine Martini. You may want to add less Vermouth to make it drier. It's only a matter of taste. Again, no two people will ever agree on how to make the Perfect Martini. But no matter if you like your Martini made with Gin or Vodka, olive or onion, sweet or dry, we all have one thing in common: We all love a good drink.

With Martinis the proof is in the mixing.
You can never have the same Martini twice, no matter how carefully you mix, but you can have a superb Martini every time if you take care in your mixing. Tending the home bar is a public art that should be a delight for any drinking guest to behold. It looks easy, especially to those whose sight is already enhanced by two or three cocktails, but like anything worth doing it takes practice.There are skills, tips, tricks, and hints to icemanship, mixing, stirring, garnishing, pouring and serving good drinks. Learn them all and you will be well on your way to becoming a bartending artisan.

There's no black magic involved in making the perfect Martini. You have to remember that personal taste, more than mixing skills are what will determine what is the perfect Martini. Your perfect Martini might only have a drop of extra-dry vermouth with shaken gin, but the next person's perfect Martini might have a 50/50 mix of gin and sweet vermouth stirred, not shaken. If you are mixing for people other than yourself I would recommend mixing the Martini as they want it, which is not always how you think it should be done. So here are some of the tips and tricks that I have come across in my travels:

1.Use the freshest, cleanest ice possible. Don't use ice that has been living in your freezer for months. Make sure that your ice-cube trays are clean and if you must store your ice, do so in a tightly-sealed container.

2.Make everything as cold as possible. In my opinion, there is nothing worse than a warm Martini. Keep your glasses and even your shaker in the freezer until you are ready to begin.
3.Use clean "tools". Don't use grimy shot-classes and shakers. Rinse your shaker thoroughly before you begin each time unless you want the residue of you last Martini to come back and haunt you.

4.Stay away from anything but glass and stainless steel. Aluminum and plastic shakers can horribly flavour your drinks. It is well worth it to spend the extra cash and get nice equipment to start with.

5.Be careful when shaking. As fun as it is to shake your Martini for 10 minutes, you will just end up diluting your drink. If you don't want to water-down your drink, shake gently. If you need to dilute with water, and you don't mind a bit of ice and cloudiness in your drink, shake vigorously.
6.Buy the best ingredients that you can afford. A $70 bottle of scotch really does taste better than a $40 bottle. Spend the extra cash if you can manage it.

7.If you are using olives as garnish, I would recommend rinsing them under water just before you put them into the Martini. This prevents excess oily olive juice from polluting your drink. Fresh olives are also very important. I find that olives that have been sitting for a while ruin a drink. If, like me, you think olives are too much work, try a lemon twist.

One final tip to remember: Pay close attention to the tiny details, and the big problems will usually take care of themselves!

The MartiniBoys have compiled the hottest Martini recipes for your drinking pleasure. Try them out, and, when you do find one that suits you perfectly, don't stop there. Keep going! The perfect Martini is out still out there even when you think you already have it. Let's get to it!